What are careers in medical billing and coding?

Medical billers, medical records coordinators, and coding specialists are careers in medical billing and coding. Here are some details on these careers and others in medical billing and coding:

• Medical biller

  Medical billers, also referred to as medical coders, translate medical-based paperwork into medical codes that are used to create invoices for insurance claims. Medical billers act as the middle professional between insurance companies, health care providers, and patients.

  They usually have a good amount of knowledge about health insurance and specific medical services and procedures. Common tasks include going over patient bills, setting up payment options and plans, and appealing dismissed insurance claims.

  The average salary of a medical biller in the United States is $31,260 per year.

• Medical records coordinator

  Medical records coordinators are senior professionals in medical coding. They are tasked with managing and maintaining confidential and sensitive patient records. They often work with doctors, nurses, and other medical personnel to make sure they are recording, organizing, and maintaining patients' records appropriately.

  Medical records coordinators are also responsible for the upkeep of specialized software used to manage and store patient information and data.

  The average salary of a medical records coordinator in the United States is $37,800 per year.

• Coding specialist

  Coding specialists deal with the creation of medical codes that contain an overview of a patient's records and medical visits. These are used by medical billers when they submit claims to health insurance companies.

  Codes that a specialist uses contain information on a patient's symptoms, diagnosis, therapies, prescribed medications, surgeries, and other medical procedures.

  They most often work with doctors, nurses, medical assistants, and other medical billers to make sure a patient's visit overview and other important information are accurately translated to avoid discrepancies that result in insurance problems.

  The average salary of a coding specialist in the United States is $48,334 per year.

• Medical records technician

  A medical records technician is tasked with ensuring that a patient's medical records are well-maintained and accurate. They do this so medical coders can easily create coding used for the patient's insurance claims.

  Medical records technicians also keep track of patient's medical history and update when necessary, and this includes past insurance claims, medical treatments, and other confidential information.

  All of this data and information is then used to get health care providers' and their patients' reimbursement from insurance companies.

  The average salary of a medical records technician in the United States is $44,090 per year.

• Clinical Informaticists

  Clinical informaticists make use of information technologies, like visual image storage systems and data entry software, to help medical professionals provide ideal treatment to their patients. They also train medical coding staff and other medical employees on how to use these specialized software programs.

  A clinical informaticist is considered an Information Technology (IT) professional who specializes in troubleshooting, installing, and combining new medical technology systems across different departments and ensuring their effectiveness and functionality.

  In addition, they also evaluate existing software and protocols and seek to improve workflow by making adjustments.

  The average salary of a clinical informaticist in the United States is $106,093 per year.