If a career in medical billing and insurance coding seems appealing to you, you should consider the pros and cons.
Pros of a career in medical billing and insurance coding:
Medical billing and insurance coding professionals have specialized training. The health care industry isn’t going anywhere, and each office visit requires billing and insurance coding through a billing and coding professional. Positions in this field require specialized skills; having those skills can create great opportunities for growth and a career you can be proud of. As a medical billing and insurance coding professional, you could work in a hospital, doctor’s office, dental office, surgery center, or any medical facility.
You may work for yourself. Many medical billing and insurance coding professionals choose to become independent contractors. Some smaller medical facilities will hire independent contractors to do their billing rather than taking on the cost of a full-time employee. As an independent contractor, you may be able to do billing and Coding for several offices at once, creating your own schedule and taking on as much work (and the pay that comes with it) as you can handle.
You may work remotely. Most of the work done in medical billing and insurance coding is done on a computer or over the phone. Many companies even offer opportunities to do the work from home. This is a great benefit for those who have children at home and are in need of a flexible work schedule.
There is room to grow. You can begin an entry-level position in medical billing and insurance coding without certification, but there are several certifications available for those who wish to grow in the field. Experience and certifications will strengthen your resume and make you more competitive in the job market. Some people in this field choose to do billing and Coding for a certain specialty and advance within that arena, while others may take on several small offices and build their business independently.
You have minimal interaction with patients. Medical billing and insurance coding is often behind-the-scenes kind of work. You spend time filling out and submitting forms, updating records, and working within the billing and coding software. Most professionals in this field don’t have daily direct contact with patients except over the phone.
You can get started quickly. An entry-level position in the medical billing and insurance Coding field does not require a college degree. You can get started just by completing a training program. The Medical Billing and Insurance Coding Program at UEI can be completed in as few as 10 months.
Some possible cons of a career in medical billing and insurance coding include:
You must complete a training program. This work is very detailed and requires a good working knowledge of medical terms, codes, medical insurance processes, and coding and billing software. The best and easiest way to get this knowledge is through a training program. Trying to find a job in this field without training is very difficult.
You will need to get a You may be able to find an entry-level position without certification, but in order to advance in the field and grow your income, you’ll eventually need to get a certification.
A high school diploma is required for most certification exams and training programs. If you don’t have a high school diploma, you may feel discouraged about trying to enter this field. At UEI, we can help you achieve your high school diploma while you are attending your medical billing and insurance coding program. Give us a call to learn more.
Most work is done on the computer. If you do not like to sit and work on a computer, this job probably isn’t for you. Most work is done in an office setting which can mean hours of sitting and concentrating on the details in front of you.
You will need to get through red tape at times. This job requires working with a lot of third parties, from insurance companies to employers and government programs. Sometimes these organizations can be frustrating to work with and get direct answers from. You may have to be persistent at times to get the response you need.
The job can be stressful. In medical billing and insurance coding, you are impacting people’s finances. Patients dealing with a medical issue can easily become frustrated when an insurance claim isn’t handled the way they expected it to be. In most cases, you rarely have direct contact with patients, and you can take comfort in doing your job to the best of your ability and fighting for the best outcome.
