Medical Billing And Coding Specialist

This is a clerical function in the medical administration field. Mostly working either in a doctors' office, medical institutions, hospitals or insurance companies and other medical or health service providers. Specialists compile records of charges for services rendered or goods sold, calculate and record the amounts of these services and goods, and prepare invoices to be mailed to customers.

Medical Billing and coding specialists or `clerks' review purchase orders, sales tickets, hospital records, or charge slips to calculate the total amount due from a customer. They must take into account any applicable discounts, special rates, or credit terms. A billing clerk often needs to consult a rate book or code file to determine costs of procedures and/or hospital admissions, stays and services, surgery etc., for example. A hospital's billing clerk may need to contact an insurance company to determine what items will be reimbursed and for how much. Billing clerks calculate client fees based on the actual time required to perform the task and the appropriate category and codes, coverage that applies. They keep track of the accumulated hours and dollar amounts to charge to each item, the type of duty/service performed for a customer, and the percentage of work completed.

After billing clerks review all necessary information, they compute the charges, using calculators or computers. They then prepare itemized statements, bills, or invoices used for billing and recordkeeping purposes. In one organization, the clerk might prepare a bill containing the amount due and the date and type of service; in another, the clerk would produce a detailed invoice with codes for all goods and services provided. This latter form might list the items sold, the terms of credit, the date of shipment or the dates services were provided, a salesperson's or doctor's identification, if necessary, and the sales total.

Computers and specialized billing software allow many clerks to calculate charges and prepare bills in one step. Computer packages prompt clerks to enter data from handwritten forms, and to manipulate the necessary entries of quantities, labor, and rates to be charged. Billing clerks verify the entry of information and check for errors before the computer prints the bill. After the bills are printed, billing clerks check them again for accuracy. In offices that are not automated, billing machine operators run off the bill on a billing machine to send to the customer.

In addition to producing invoices, billing clerks may be asked to handle follow-up questions from customers and resolve any discrepancies or errors. Moreover, finally, all changes must be entered in the accounting records.

Companies are putting greater emphasis on getting bills out faster in order to get paid more quickly. In addition, the fact that most billing clerks work in the fastest-growing sector of our economy (the health care sector) will generate more jobs for billing clerks in the future. However, as the process becomes simplified, other people, particularly accounting and bookkeeping clerks, are taking on the billing function. In addition to employment growth, many job openings will occur as workers transfer to other occupations or leave the labor force.

www.medicalworkforce.com, www.medical-coding-billing.com, www.jobs.biohealthmatics.com, www.flexible-medical.com, www.medical- training.info,

Information on employment opportunities for billing clerks is available from local offices of the State employment service.

Turnover in the occupation is relatively high, a not unexpected characteristic of an entry-level occupation requiring only a high school diploma.

Click here to see the full career article library.

We Have Experience Writing Winning Resumes In Your Career

Make Employers Chase You, With an Irresistible Resume and Cover Letter in Just 24-48 Hours by a Certified Resume Writer

Call Or E-mail Now To Start. You Will Be Delighted With The Results.

Professional-Resumes.com