What Does a Medical Billing Specialist Do?
A medical billing specialist is responsible for turning patient records into codes that a medical office can send to insurance companies for payment. There are many different tasks involved, including:
- Organizing patient records and financial statements
- Coding patient diagnoses so insurance companies can verify coverage
- Create bills for patients and set up payment plans when necessary
The job requires a lot of independent work, but it isn’t the kind of job where you’d work alone. Medical billing means communicating daily with insurers, patients, and other members of the medical office administration.
What Skills Does a Medical Billing Specialist Need?
A medical billing specialist has to fill out insurance claims accurately and use the correct terminology. That means:
- Understanding the different types of insurance and how insurers determine coverage
- Knowing how to track a claim’s status and resubmit it if necessary
- Being familiar with coding standards like the ICD-10-CM and CPT and being able to use codes correctly for billing
- Knowing how to compile and submit claims to insurance companies
Medical billing specialists need to be able to communicate professionally with insurance companies and doctors while also treating patients with compassion. Patients often call their doctors’ offices asking why the insurance company denied their claim. As a billing specialist, part of your job is helping them understand their next steps.
How Do You Become a Medical Billing Specialist?
To qualify for a job as a medical billing specialist, you need to complete an associate’s degree or certificate program. The second option is the fastest and the least costly. An associate’s degree typically requires two years of your life, but the Medical Billing Specialist program from MedCerts takes only 12 weeks.
MedCerts takes all of the skills you’ll need as a medical billing specialist and groups them into two comprehensive courses:
- Introduction to Human Anatomy and Medical Terminology
- Insurance and Billing, and Coding Essentials
Both courses are six weeks long, and you can complete both of them online. After you’ve completed both, you’ll be qualified to take the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist exam through the National Healthcareer Association.
With this credential, you can apply for a medical billing specialist job anywhere in the country.
MyCAA Funding and Your Education
MedCerts’s Medical Billing Specialist program costs just $2,000, but you can complete it at no cost if you qualify for a MyCAA grant. Like other MyCAA schools and MyCAA-approved programs, MedCerts will help you craft an education plan that allows you to use your MyCAA scholarship.
In 12 weeks, you can be ready to apply for a job as a medical billing specialist, medical front office assistant, or other related position.
