Medical Billing Courses and Certification Programs

<p>For better or for worse, medical bills in our country still have to be paid by someone. The medical biller job is a necessary ones that requires a keen attention to detail. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td> <b>Responsibilities</b> </td><td> Process medical claims to the proper payee; communicate with insurance companies, government agencies and individuals</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Certification</b> </td><td> American Medical Billing Association for Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist credentials</td></tr> <tr><td> <b>Courses</b> </td><td> Record and billing analysis, computer programs, medical terminology, healthcare regulations, anatomy and physiology</td></tr> </table><h3 id="section---WhatIsMedicalBilling">What Is Medical Billing?</h3> <p>Medical billing, often paired with medical coding, is a profession where you process all medical claims to the proper payee. The United States medical system includes a number of ways medical services are paid for; this ensures that medical facilities receive proper reimbursement for services rendered. To have the bills processed, a medical biller must communicate with insurance agencies, government offices or patients concerning unpaid bills or co-pays. </p> <h3 id="section---WhatAreTheCoursesNeededForThisCareer">What Are the Courses Needed for this Career?</h3> <p>The courses you'll need to take to prepare for a career as a medical billing specialist detail the computer programs, billing analysis and communication skills to discuss bills and billing information with payees. Common courses for such programs include: </p> <ul><li>Medical terminology </li><li>Record analysis </li><li>Anatomy and physiology </li><li>Healthcare regulations </li><li>Physician office skills </li><li>Computer skills </li></ul><p>Several specific courses that are critical to the programs include: </p> <ul><li>ICD-9 Coding </li><li>CPT-4 Coding </li><li>HCPCS Coding </li></ul><p>These coding courses are often needed as pre-requisites to take higher level courses in degree programs and typically detail the coding that is used to communicate with health insurance companies and government agencies. The codes are data-sets that detail all pertinent information concerning a patient, treatment received and medical doctor or facility that treated the patient. Coding is a crucial piece of information to learn in any of the programs. </p> <h3 id="section---AreCertificationProgramsAvailable">Are Certification Programs Available?</h3> <p>Not only is certification available for graduates of medical billing programs, but training courses may be taken within the certification organization. The American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) provides a certification exam to earn the Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS) credential. A CMRS exam is voluntary and not required for entry-level jobs typically. There are several webinars and study aids that can help you prepare for the exam. </p> <h3 id="section---WhereCanIFindMedicalBillingPrograms">Where Can I Find Medical Billing Programs?</h3> <p>Courses held at community colleges or continuing education programs provide enough training for a medical billing career. These programs most often result in a certificate or diploma, though some schools award an associate's degree in medical office administration that includes coursework in medical billing. In some cases, you can take coursework online.</p>