What is Medical Billing? | DeVry University (2024)

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What is Medical Billing? | DeVry University? ›

Our medical billing and coding classes teach you essential skills in health information technology, health insurance and reimbursem*nts, classifying medical data and current procedural terminology, so you can graduate equipped to launch your career in medical coding and billing roles and pursue relevant industry ...

Best Degrees for a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist. Health Information Management – B.S.

Medical billing is the process by which healthcare organizations submit claims to payers and bill patients for their own financial responsibility. While coders are busy translating medical records, the front-end billing process has already started.

Medical billing and coding serve as a bridge between healthcare providers and insurance companies as well as patients. It helps all parties involved understand the costs that have been incurred, the coverage that will be provided by insurance, and the amount that the patient is required to pay out of pocket.

Students training to become a medical biller and coder earn a certificate in as little as 7-9 months or an Associate of Science degree in as few as 15 months.

If you're considering a career in medical coding, you might be wondering if there's a lot of math involved. The answer is yes and no. Medical coding is primarily about organizing medical information into codes, so while mathematical skills are helpful, they aren't always necessary.

Medical billing and coding requires a high level of technical proficiency, but detail-oriented individuals who can learn quickly often thrive in this profession.

Not only does medical coding and billing certification give you a practical advantage in getting a job, but it may also help you get a better salary. A 2021 report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the median salary for all medical records specialists (coders and billers) was $46,660.

There are accelerated online courses that allow you to earn a certificate in medical billing and medical coding in as little as four weeks.

You may be more comfortable in medical coding. Coders more often do their day-to-day work on their own in occasional collaboration with other healthcare staff. This is typically a better option for analytical, detail-oriented students uneasy with the idea of talking to people all day.

Why do people go into medical billing and coding? ›

Provide a vital service as part of the healthcare team

As a medical biller and coder, you will assign the proper codes to patient diagnoses and then request payment from insurance companies. Without this profession, healthcare providers would not receive proper payment for the treatment they provide.

Medical coding examples are essential for understanding its practical applications. In diagnosis coding, if a patient is diagnosed with asthma, the corresponding ICD-10-CM code might be “J45. 909.” Similarly, for a procedure like a mammogram, the CPT code “77067” is used.

What is medical coding? Medical coding is the process of taking a patient's health care information like medical procedures, diagnosis, necessary medical equipment, and medical services information from the physician's notes. A medical coder transforms this information into universal medical alphanumeric codes.

Certified Professional Coder (CPC)®

Cost: The Certified Professional Coder exam is $499, or $475 for students. Exam fees include two attempts.

The Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) is the most popular medical billing and coding certification students pursue.

Average Annual Salary

Very High Confidence means the data is based on a large number of latest salaries. Medical Biller salary in India ranges between ₹ 1.0 Lakhs to ₹ 5.1 Lakhs with an average annual salary of ₹ 2.4 Lakhs. Salary estimates are based on 309 latest salaries received from Medical Billers.

A 2022 salary survey by the American Association of Professional Coders found that medical coders with a CPC certification earned a median salary of $58,895. This data suggests a correlation between medical coding and billing certification and higher median salary.

In general, medical coders typically earn more than billers. Some positions entail one person working as both biller and coder, though that is less common and tends to occur in small markets or small medical settings.