Dear Google,

I am preparing for a career in medical billing. I want to know how medical billers spend an average day at work.  What do they do? Who do they interact with? How much workload do they have? Do they have flexible work timings? And any other additional information that you can provide me with to help me better understand of what I can expect when I get into the workforce.

Google is reading your message and writing a reply…

Hello, Aspiring Medical Biller!

An average day in the life of a medical biller is quite exhaustive. You have plenty of claims to create. You have a lot more claims to file. And then, there are some returned rejected claims that you have to review, correct and file again, so that the patient and the doctor can be properly reimbursed.

This can be all too tiring.

But come the end of the day, knowing that you made a difference in the life of yet another patient is definitely satisfying. You get a sense of accomplishment that only medical billers can relate with.

Your job is one of the most satisfying jobs out there and it also pays quite well.

When you will join your first organization, probably the very first question that your employerwill ask youis: what shift timings will you prefer?

A medical billing job offers flexible shift timings. You can choose any schedule you want. Some medical billers are early birds; some love working in the afternoon, while others are happy to work at night.

During their shift, a medical biller is expected to complete and file a fixed number of insurance claims. This number varies from employer to employer. Before leaving for home, you should complete and file the claims assigned to you for the day. Of course, some claims take time to be created, so unless there is a pending deadline, you can take your time.

Medical billers must make sure that the claims they are creating are accurate and free of all errors. For that, a medical biller needs to be in constant communication with doctors, medical coders and the respective insurance companies.

Besides creating, filing and reviewing disputed claims, medical billers may also have other job responsibilities.

Some medical billers deal in full practice management where they handle all aspects of billing for the organization they are working. That is, from submitting claims to tracking accounts payable and receivable to billing patients.

These other responsibilities do not require the understanding of medical coding schemes, but are nevertheless detail intensive.

So, the Aspiring Medical Biller, does this answer all your questions?

Do you have some more questions to ask?

Google recommends consulting the expert team of Allied Prep Technical Institute for any further help.

For now, Google would like to take your leave.

Good luck for your future!

A BONUS read: 9 Qualities that Put You at the Top of the List for Employers After Medical Billing Certification.

 

There are countless medical brochures that promise a life of riches to medical billing students provided they sign up for a six weeks course. Promotional brochures take sensationalism to the next level by falsely promising lucrative incentives like short work hours, easy workload, and simple training, etc.

It goes without saying that these statements are senseless myths that don’t have a shred of truth attached to them. As such, we’ve decided to discuss and debunk a few of the most commonly heard myths about the noble profession of medical billing.

Myth #1 – Medical Coding And Billing Are The Same Profession:

The biggest misconception people have about medical billing is that it’s the same thing as medical coding. Given the fact that the aforementioned promotional brochures use the two terms interchangeably, it’s no surprise that this is one myth that just refuses to go away.

Make no mistake about it; medical coding and medical billing are two different (but complementary) professions. The former is about transforming medical records (such as prescriptions and test results, etc.) into alphanumeric codes so that they can be understood by the medical biller.

Similarly, a medical biller takes these alphanumeric codes and generates an easy-to-understand bill. However, prior to medical bill generation, the medical biller must also verify the validity of medical and insurance documents so that the patient is guaranteed a quicker and a smoother healthcare experience.

Myth #2 – Medical Billing Professionals Work From Home:

Although mobility may be the talk of the town in the healthcare industry, medical billing – as a job – isn’t necessarily performed from home.

Medical billing professionals, especially those who have less than 5 years of experience in their relative field, must work under the direct supervision of an industry veteran. This is done to ensure that a novice medical biller doesn’t make any errors in the process which may lead to processing delays.

However, once a billing expert has worked in their industry long enough, medical and dental practices are more than willing to let them work from home.

Myth #3 – Medical Billing Is Easy:

By far the worst thing we’ve heard about medical billing is that it’s easy. The general public (and even doctors to some extent) constantly undermine the importance of medical billing and the work done by medical billers by calling their work unimportant and simple.

Contrary to popular belief, medical billing is NOT an easy profession. First and foremost, the medical biller needs to acquaint themselves with standard medical code sets and subsets. Extensive knowledge about these domains makes it easier for the biller to convert codes into healthcare claims that must be submitted to the insurance company.

Once the claim has been processed by the insurance company, the returned claim is handed over to the medical biller for final verification. The medical biller must then draft a final bill that takes every detail into account and is in line with the claims of the insurance provider.

That being said, this doesn’t mean medical billing is rocket science as there are some simple steps you can take to improve your understanding of the noble profession. You could choose to enhance your understanding by enrolling in medical billing online classes offered by medical training institutes.

Allied Prep Technical Institute also offers comprehensive classes that will help you develop a better understanding of medical billing and give you a competitive edge over your peers. Enroll in our classes today to significantly increase your chances of succeeding in the billing industry!

Medical billing may have surged in popularity in recent years, but the profession has been around for decades.  Continue reading “4 Things about Medical Billing That You Need to Know”

In many ways, the job of a medical biller is unenviable. Continue reading “Common Medical Billing Mistakes to Avoid”