Would you wish to work at home in an occupation that’s in excessive demand? Do the medical and healthcare fields curiosity you? Then maybe a work at home medical coding and billing job is your calling.
To work as a medical coder and biller, you’ll must have familiarity with well being info administration (HIM), medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and medical document coding, and try to be detail-oriented.
Most employers require billers to acquire an expert coding certification. Happily, certification is feasible in a matter of 4-12 months with on-line coaching accessible.
Whereas expertise within the medical area isn’t required, when you’ve labored in healthcare earlier than, changing into a coding and billing specialist is an effective way to use your expertise and data with the flexibleness of working from house.
What’s Medical Coding and Billing?
Each time a health care provider interacts with a affected person, a code is assigned to their motion. Bodily exams, lab assessments, procedures, and coverings are all assigned a code. These numeric codes are known as “Present Procedural Terminology” or CPT codes. Every analysis can also be coded with the “Worldwide Classification of Ailments and Associated Well being Issues” or ICD-10 code. This common numeric language ensures that medical doctors, healthcare suppliers, and insurance coverage corporations use constant terminology and codes.
Your job as a medical coder and biller is to overview the charting achieved by the physician, nurse, or medical specialist and be certain that it goes onto a “invoice” or type submitted to insurance coverage corporations for reimbursement. Some coders examine for accuracy and overlapping codes, whereas others deal with insurance coverage laws and billing necessities. Medical billers and coders should sustain with ever-changing codes and evolving info within the healthcare trade. Medical billing specialists assist stop fraud, waste, abuse, and errors inside the medical trade by making certain sufferers and insurance coverage corporations are invoiced accurately.
How A lot Do Medical Coders and Billers Earn?
Medical billers and coders are in demand! In line with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the outlook for medical data and well being info specialists is projected to develop at a charge of 8% within the subsequent ten years. Because of this progress, earnings and alternatives for medical billing and coding professionals are steadily rising. On common, medical coders earn $22.69 per hour with a mean wage of round $47,180 yearly. Coders and billers can earn greater pay by persevering with to coach and specialise in areas like psychiatry, oncology, rheumatology, and extra.
Unbiased Contractor vs. Worker Standing: What You Must Know
Many work from home medical billing specialists work as unbiased contractors. This implies they’re liable for setting their very own hours and charges. It additionally means as a 1099 contractor, they’re in control of reporting earnings and submitting their very own taxes. Unbiased contractors tackle as many or as few jobs as they like. Contractors are sometimes liable for offering their very own gear (together with computer systems and printers) and invoicing the contracting enterprise for his or her providers.
Staff, then again, work for a corporation instantly. The corporate dictates hours and parameters similar to pay and advantages. Being an worker presents construction and stability however at the price of flexibility. There are professionals and cons for each conditions, however when you’re working from house as an unbiased contractor, you’ll have the liberty and the chance to work with a number of shoppers.
Analysis the professionals and cons of changing into a 1099 contractor earlier than you start. Needless to say classifications can range by state, so you should definitely examine along with your native Labor Division and the Division of Workforce Improvement.
Medical Coding and Billing Schooling Necessities
To turn out to be a medical coder and biller, most employers require certification by means of the American Academy of Skilled Coders (AAPC) or the American Well being Data Administration Affiliation (AHIMA).
As a result of the job is very detailed and there’s loads of info to soak up, even these with a medical background similar to nursing will discover it useful to take a medical billing coaching program.
Many certification applications are provided on-line and embrace graduate assist providers to help with job placement. The one we advocate is CareerStep, the place you may full your coaching on-line in as little as 4-6 months. In addition they provide cost plans, navy reductions, and training, and so they have an A+ score with the Higher Enterprise Bureau.
CareerStep prepares college students for the next certification exams and even offers them a free voucher to take one of many following:
- Licensed Skilled Coder (CPC) – licensed by AAPC
- Licensed Outpatient Coder (COC) – licensed by AAPC
- Licensed Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) – licensed by the Nationwide Healthcareer Affiliation (NHA)
- Licensed Coding Specialist Doctor-Based mostly (CSS-P) – licensed by AHIMA
In line with nurse-turned-medical-coder Tricia Mitchell:
“Certifying is the important thing to success for people who’re new to medical billing and coding as a result of it proves you’ll be able to full the job and CareerStep teaches you the entire must know the info with a view to go the certifying examination. They despatched me the contact info for my present employer, and I used to be capable of finding a distant coding place proper after graduating.“
What Firms Rent Distant Medical Coders and Billers?
If you happen to’re searching for medical billing and coding jobs, there are a number of assets it’s best to discover. If you happen to had been beforehand employed within the healthcare trade, you may wish to community along with your former employers and coworkers. Ask how they’re at the moment dealing with their workplace billing and in the event that they’re outsourcing by means of an organization or dealing with all of it in-house.
If you happen to’ve accomplished a program like CareerStep, their community of potential employers might offer you loads of alternatives to discover. Another choice is to peruse the work from home job listings on the websites under.
One factor to notice: like many different professions, many healthcare corporations will need you to have at the very least 1 12 months of expertise. This will likely imply that you simply’ll must work in a standard workplace setting to get some expertise underneath your belt.
1. Aviacode
Aviacode is likely one of the largest medical coding corporations within the US. All coders should be AAPC or AHIMA licensed and go a preliminary check. Employment is obtainable part-time, full-time with advantages, and per diem (work 1-40 hours per week) foundation.
- Most positions require expertise
2. Change Healthcare
Change Healthcare actively recruits coders from July to November. You will need to have CRC, CPC, or CCS-P certification by means of AHIMA or AAPC.
- Hires new and skilled coders
3. The Cigna Group
The Cigna Group hires distant HCC coding auditors, medical coders, and Medicare medical data coders. Coders will need to have some sort of coding certification, similar to CPC, CCS-P, CCS-H, RHIA, or RHIT.
- Most positions require at the very least 1 12 months of expertise
4. Conifer Well being Options
Conifer Well being Options hires inpatient coders, edit coders, in addition to senior and specialty coders. You will need to have a level in Well being Data, Nursing, or formal coding coaching. Positions include advantages like paid day without work and a retirement plan.
- Most positions require 1-3 years of expertise
5. CSI Firms
CSI Firms is a staffing company that connects companies with medical coders and billers. To find the work-from-home positions, filter your search by checking the distant and medical coding checkboxes. Positions are location-dependent, and also you’ll begin off working as an unbiased contractor.
- Most positions require 1-3 years of expertise, however I’ve seen postings for entry-level employees
6. CVS Well being
CVS Well being hires licensed medical coders to work at home! Usually, these positions are a part of the Aetna, Medicaid, or Medicare partnership with CVS. Most of those distant jobs might be achieved from any state within the US.
- Most positions require 3 years of expertise and coding certification from AAPC
7. Gainwell
Gainwell often hires licensed coders to carry out audits of medical data to find out the accuracy of the codes billed on insurance coverage claims. Some positions are totally distant, whereas others are hybrid work preparations.
- Most roles require 2 years of expertise
8. Humana
Humana hires distant coding specialists and supervisors. For these positions, you’ll want a CCA, CCS, CPC, or CPC-A Certification by means of AAPC or AHIMA. These positions are location-dependent, and Humana gives all kinds of advantages.
- No expertise is required; nevertheless, they do favor candidates with 2 years of expertise or an affiliate’s diploma.
9. GeBBS Healthcare Options
GeBBS Healthcare Options hires medical coders from the US, India, and the Philippines. Positions are usually location-dependent and require the suitable certification and coaching. Full-time positions additionally include a bunch of advantages.
- Most positions require 1-3 years of expertise, however I’ve seen postings for entry-level positions
10. iMedX
iMedX hires quite a lot of medical coders from Atlanta, Georgia. They’ve part-time and full-time positions, requiring people to have gone by means of a proper coding program.
- Most positions require 3-5 years of expertise
11. Mayo Clinic
The Mayo Clinic hires licensed coders in one of many following areas: Registered Well being Data Technician (RHIT), Registered Well being Data Administrator (RHIA), CPC, or CCS.
- New coders should work onsite for one 12 months after which are eligible for distant work choices
12. R1
R1 hires distant coders primarily based within the US. A lot of the positions are for full-time hours and require CCS-P or CPC certification.
- Positions require prior coding expertise
13. TCN
TCN hires distant coders in quite a lot of specialties. You will need to stay and work within the US and have one of many following certifications CPC, CCS, RHIA, RHIT, or RCC.
- Should have 3-5 years of expertise
14. UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group hires distant, US-based coders in all kinds of specialties. Coders will need to have a highschool diploma and CPC, CCS, RHIT, or RHIA certification.
- Should have prior expertise
If you happen to’re nonetheless struggling to search out work at home medical coding and billing jobs, you may all the time attain out to medical practices, healthcare services, medical insurance corporations, staffing businesses, and doctor places of work in your space to see if they’re hiring. FlexJobs, Certainly, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, Upwork, and Monster are different locations to search out distant medical coding and billing jobs.
Watch Out for Medical Coding and Billing Scams
Sadly, many scams exist that prey on college students looking for coaching within the medical coding and billing trade. In reality, there are such a lot of scams on the market that the FTC has launched an investigation and crackdown on most of the scammers. Bear in mind there are a lot of scams promising immediate work or 30-day coaching applications.
If you happen to hear of alternatives that sound too good to be true or assure employment straight away, your radar ought to go off. Medical billing and coding positions require months of coaching and certification. They might additionally require you to be taught on the job or acquire some expertise earlier than you discover work-at-home alternatives. The coaching service needs to be related to and endorsed by skilled teams just like the AAPC or the AHIMA. Search for medical coding and billing coaching corporations accredited by the Higher Enterprise Bureau as nicely.
Distant Medical Coding and Billing Wrap-Up
Changing into a medical biller or coder is a superb work from home alternative. There are definitely many positions accessible when you’ve gone by means of the proper coaching and certification. If you happen to’d take pleasure in working within the medical area, billing and coding is a superb space to discover!
Try this put up for extra work at home careers within the medical area.
Have you ever thought of working as a medical coding and billing specialist? Have you learnt somebody who’s working on this area? Drop us a word under; we’d love to listen to from you!
Initially revealed March 26, 2018. Content material up to date November 2023.