Certified Healthcare Reimbursement Specialist Certification & Job Facts
A certified healthcare reimbursement specialist ensures that health practitioners get paid. Read on to find out more about job duties, education options and certification requirements.
What You Need to Know
The American Medical Billing Association offers the Certified Healthcare Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS) credential to members only. Certified healthcare reimbursement specialists may work in hospitals, insurance companies or private physicians' offices.
<table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Certification Options</b> </td><td> Certified Healthcare Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS)</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Job Responsibilities</b> </td><td> Facilitate the claims paying and medical billing process</td></tr>
<tr><td> <b>Salary (2021)*</b> </td><td> $46,660 per year (median salary for medical records specialists)</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatWouldMyJobDutiesAsACertifiedHealthcareReimbursementSpecialistBe">What Would My Job Duties as a Certified Healthcare Reimbursement Specialist Be?</h3><p>You properly code health diagnoses and manage the payment process for medical practitioners and facilities. You combine your knowledge of medical terminology and medical information technology to ensure that proper procedures and laws are followed to manage patient privacy while healthcare practitioners are reimbursed. You must also have the communications skills to interact with patients to address sensitive matters such as their health and finances.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatIsTheProcessForBecomingCertified">What Is the Process for Becoming Certified?</h3><p>To pass the certification exam, you must correctly answer at least 85% of the 800 questions. The exam is administered online. You must also maintain your membership with the organization and take 15 continuing education credits per year to maintain your certification.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatDegreeProgramCanHelpPrepareMeForTheExam">What Degree Program Can Help Prepare Me for the Exam?</h3><p>At a minimum, you can pursue a certificate in medical coding and reimbursement. Your coursework should include subjects covered within the 16 sections of the exam, including:
</p><ul><li>Medical terminology
</li><li>Insurance
</li><li>Fraud
</li><li>Managed care
</li><li>Anatomy
</li><li>Physiology
</li></ul><p>Your program introduces you to multiple systems of coding including ICD, CPT and HCPCS. You also learn about electronic health records and insurance processing. The curriculum for a healthcare reimbursement certificate program can overlap with the coursework for other degree programs, including health information technology and healthcare administration.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCareerOpportunitiesExist">What Career Opportunities Exist?</h3><p>Often your coursework will cover criteria that make you eligible for other certifications from the American Health Information Management Association and the American Academy of Professional Coders. In addition, medical reimbursement is one of the responsibilities of medical office administrators and health information administrators. You can build on your certification and eventually run a medical office.
</p><p>Job growth for medical records specialists is set to grow by 7% between 2021 and 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which is much faster than average. The median annual salary for these specialists was recorded at $46,660 per year in May 2021 by the BLS. Career seekers in this industry may find their job prospects are best when they obtain certification.</p>