Medical Billing and Coding Resources

(I-Newswire) August 16, 2010 – Allied Medical School is helping coding professionals keep their careers on track with the introduction of their new ICD-10-CM Comprehensive Coding course. Online and self-paced, this course prepares students to successfully pass the mandatory ICD-10 proficiency exam, which is required by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) in order to maintain professional coding credentials.

The U.S. health care system will transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10 as the HIPAA mandated code is set to begin on October 1st, 2013. Anyone who is new to health care, or professionals already working in the industry, will be affected by the new coding system, which will go from 13,000 to 68,000 codes. In fact, new coding rules and guidelines mean industry-wide changes.

Nationally recognized associations, such as AHIMA and the AAPC, are suggesting that early training is the key to a successful transition. Allied’s ICD-10 online course is a flexible training option for individuals who understand the major benefits of early preparation, including increased career marketability over those who wait. “We are excited to be one of the first schools to offer ICD-10-CM training online. We have set up special pricing for coders and because the course is online and affordable, we plan on being the largest provider of ICD-10 training in the industry,” said George Achenbach, president of Allied Medical School.

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The International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems 10th Revision (ICD-10) is a coding of diseases and signs, symptoms, abnormal findings, complaints, social circumstances and external causes of injury or diseases, as classified by the World Health Organization. (WHO). The code set allows more than 14,400 different codes and permits the tracking of many new diagnoses. Using optional subclassifications, the codes can be expanded to over 16,000 codes. Using codes that are meant to be reported in a separate data field, the level of detail that is reported by ICD can be further increased, using a simplified multiaxial approach.

ICD-10 codes must be used on all HIPAA transactions, including outpatient claims with dates of service, and inpatient claims with dates of discharge on and after October 1, 2013. Otherwise, your claims and other transactions may be rejected, and you will need to resubmit them with the ICD-10 codes. This could result in delays and may impact your reimbursements, so it is important to start now to prepare for the changeover to ICD-10 codes.

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BEND, Ore., Mar 03, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Clear One Health Plans, Inc. (CCHN 25.05, +0.02, +0.08%) today announced the launch of the first Natural Health Plan that focuses on holistic health insurance available in the state of Oregon. The new Natural Health Plan is available throughout the state of Oregon beginning February 1, 2010 to Oregon residents and is specifically designed with an emphasis on alternative medicine such as naturopathic medicine, chiropractic, acupuncture, massage therapy, and nutraceuticals (vitamins and minerals). The new Natural Plan will provide members with an unique combination of holistic medicine and the added security of a comprehensive medical plan, including physician services for illness, hospital, maternity, mental health, emergency, and prescription drug coverage.

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As you begin to search for employment opportunities as a medical coder, networking is a key element to landing the job you are looking for. Talk to as many people as you can to get the word out and obtain leads, and start conducting your own research using a variety of available resources.

You can do your own independent networking by perusing the phone book to find offices and facilities you can contact to find out whether or not they are hiring. Also, check for jobs posted in local newspapers and magazines, and be sure to attend job fairs offered in your community.

A local chapter meeting of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) is an excellent venue for networking with other coders in your area who may be aware of possible job openings. You can also increase your exposure by attending medical-related and hospital events.

The AAPC offers Project Xtern to newly certified coders to give them a head start in the workplace. The program matches beginning medical coders with facilities that are willing to give them experience and perhaps even their first coding job.

The following online resources can be valuable tools in your job search:

The AAPC Job Database enables you to sort through hundreds of possible jobs to find the ones that suit you best. You can also post and maintain your resume for employers searching for qualified candidates, and sign up for job alerts. Just indicate where you want to work, choose your job category, and you will be notified when positions that meet your specifications are added to the network.

Online Forums are used by AAPC members to gain access to employment prospects through jobs listed by fellow members. They are also utilized for posting resumes, qualifications, job availability, and even consulting opportunities. Since the network consists of more than 80,000 coders, this is a tool that can make your job search easier. Members can also utilize the local chapter forum to connect with hundreds of coders in your region who may be able to give you advanced notice of openings before they are announced.

Computer Web sites such as monster.com and careerbuilder.com maintain an extensive list of available jobs and are constantly updated. Once you create an account, you can search through the postings to stay current with job openings.

Finally, here are a few tips for the job interview:

Plan Ahead – Be sure to do your homework prior to the interview. Research the company, the position and, if possible, the people you will be meeting with. Be prepared to give examples of past accomplishments listed on your resume, and rehearse your response to potential questions.

Dress Appropriately – Since first impressions are critical, be sure to dress in a professional manner, even if the workplace is casual. Neat and conservative is always your best bet.

Communicate Clearly – Focus on your strong points as you discuss your skills and experience, and make sure you use correct grammar. Answer questions honestly and concisely, without rambling on.

Be professional – Remember… The way you dress and how you act reveal just as much to a potential boss as verbal communication.

Send a thank you – A handwritten note or e-mail, short and to the point, is sufficient and also appreciated.

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Here’s further indication that a medical coding career can be recession proof: salaries for certified and non-certified medical coding professionals increased from 2008 to 2009. An annual salary survey, conducted by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), showed yearly gains for medical coders nationwide.

In fact, in the last year, certified medical coder salaries rose four percent to an average of $44,750 annually; non-certified coders reported a two percent average salary gain, bringing the salary to $38,290.

This is good news for existing and future medical coders. With the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) forecasting 3 million new health care jobs between 2006 and 2016, these numbers further solidify the fact that medical coders will continue to experience solid career opportunities – even when the rest of the economy seems to be struggling.

Want to learn more? Here are other findings from the AAPC survey:

• Education level significantly impacts salary level – a coder with a bachelor’s degree earns $51,820 on average while a coder with a high school diploma earns $40,746
• Location also affects salary – comparing urban, rural and suburban areas, those in urban areas earn an average salary of $45,631; suburban areas, $44,551; and rural areas, $38,930
• Salary varied from region to region, ranging from an average high of $50,143 in the Pacific region to low of $40,713 in the Mid-Atlantic region

• Medical coders with multiple specialty credentials earn an average of $52,777.14

• Medical coding isn’t always a part-time career – 58 percent of coders work an average of 31 to 40 hours per week; 38 percent work an average of 41 to 71 hours per week, and only 5 percent work 30 hours or less per week

• Many medical coders go to the office – 81 percent work at the office each day, one-third may work from home some days of the week; and half say they work flex-time schedules

The findings went further. According to the 2009 Salary Survey, the type of credential can make a difference in a medical coding career when paired with work environment. Those who work in the insurance industry are more likely to make more than those in smaller doctor’s offices. Also, being certified can add more than $7,000 to the average salary than being non-certified.

Salary can also vary based on specialty. The largest number of responses came from medical coders working in family practice. These professionals earn an average salary of $39,900. More specialized specialties, such as radiology and rheumatology, earn higher average salaries, $49,328 and $48,501 including respectively.

More than 10,000 medical coders responded to the annual salary survey, conducted this summer over the Internet by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). The findings paint a positive picture for medical coders nationwide. While education, certification, specialty and geographic factors are important, there seems to be opportunities for all types of coders throughout the nation.

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Want to know the truth about medical coding salaries? Find out what 12,000 industry professionals had to say about their own salaries in the 2008 Salary Survey conducted by the American Academy of Professional Coders:

The average range for most medical coders is from $39,400 to $46,500. The amount of compensation differs based on factors such as geographical location, employer, level of training, complexity of work, and more.

The average annual wage for a credentialed coder is $43,000, compared to $36,500 for a non-credentialed coder. Certification is still considered optional for many medical coders – although about half of the respondents are required to be certified in their current jobs. In fact, 89% have some type of CPC certification.

Their average medical coding salaries also vary based on length of time spent working in the field: $14.73 per hour for starting pay, $19.33 per hour after five years, $21.75 per hour after 10 years, and $23.37 after 15 years.

The type of coding specialty also appears to influence average salary levels – the more specialized the medical services, the more a medical coder may earn. Here are some of the top earners in the field based on their specialty: neuropsychiatry – $62,500, rheumatology – $57,800, nephrology – $50,900, and plastic surgery – $47,200.

The survey showed that the larger the organization and scope of medical coding services, the more the coding professional usually earns. For example, a medical coder for a 1-to-5 physician practice earns approximately $39,400, a medical coder for a hospital earns approximately $44,700 and a medical coding consultant earns approximately $73,000.

Remember a lot of factors can influence medical coding salaries – from how long the medical coder has worked to their type of medical specialty. However, the AAPC survey shows that medical coders can earn a solid salary at every stage of their career. Even better news? Medical coding salaries increased more than 11% since the 2007 survey – meaning opportunity is on the rise!

Source: http://www.medicalcodingcourses.com/blog/2009/09/curious-about-medical-coding-salaries.html

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One of the best medical billing outsourcing firm in healthcare industry offer medical claims processing services at cost effective rate. Offshore medical billing provide wide range of medical billing solution such as medical insurance claim processing, claim application processing, medical claims validation and verification, account receivable management and other medical claim processing services. Get more information at: http://www.offshoremedicalbilling.com/medical_claims_processing.php

We provide both

electronic and paper claim forms filling and other medical billing process. Medical claims processing is a deadly and time consuming process and we do our best to make it easy and more effective. We are providing comprehensive medical claims processing solutions to doctors, hospitals, and health care organizations for years.

Offshore medical billing provide below benefits of Outsourcing Medical Claims Processing:

• Proven Solution for Medical Claims Services
• Advanced Technology in healthcare industry software
• Reasonable pricing
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• Maximum Data Accuracy
• Verification
• Duplicate Claim Detection
• Minimize Compliance Issues

Our Medical claim processing produces high quality, accurate and low cost output for your medical claim. We make available Insurance claim processing and all documentation in real times. Significant cost saving and the fastest turn-around-time are the two main reasons for outsourcing medical claims processing to Offshore medical billing firm.

If you are thinking to outsource medical claims processing, medical claims submission or using our medical billing process, contact us for more information. Please visit us: http://www.offshoremedicalbilling.com and contact us:

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If you’re thinking about doing medical billing and coding and working from home there are a few things you want to know. First of all do you have the ability or skills or training in order to be able to process claims for doctors, dentists or large clinics.

To process claims at home you’ll either have to be in business for yourself or make some arrangement with your employers to work at home. The employer in this case would be the doctor, dentist or other health professional or clinic that needs medical billing service. This may be difficult to do if you haven’t had the proper training and don’t have the right medical billing software.

Many people who do work from home doing medical billing and/or coding generally have their own business. They have started home businesses after getting the right training. (Coding requires separate training and certification may be required by some employers.)

It would probably be difficult to get on-the-job training and more than likely you’ll have to get training through online courses, programs or schools or on campus locally where you live. There is a national exam for certification as a Medical Billing Specialist that would probably be required by most companies seeking your service. Plus after you get some training you’ll want on-the-job experience so you can learn the ropes. You want to know what you’re doing before you work alone at home.

So one of the things you can do is call some of the clinics in your area and find out whether they do their medical billing and coding in-house or whether they send it out to a billing service. If they do it in-house, ask if they hire people to do additional billing for them at home either by contracting out to you or hiring you to work at home and they would act as employer. There may be a lot of variation in practices in different geographical areas. So best to call and see what you can find out.

So now you may know a little bit more about whether you want to work from home doing medical billing and coding. When you do decide that you do need some training, there is federal government money available for online courses as well as on-campus. So you want to check out medical billing training online and local colleges. Be careful of any scams that may be operating. Read the fine print and don’t sign up for any courses you don’t need.

For secrets and tips on how to start a medical billing business or as a career, choosing the best medical billing training, finding the best medical billing business schools, online courses, college, work at home and financing go to a nurse’s website: http://www.MedicalBillingTrainingInfo.com

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Work-From-Home-Doing-Medical-Billing-and-Coding!&id=2526973

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Considering a career in the health care industry? It’s a great career choice, especially since the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that many of the occupations projected to grow the fastest in the economy are concentrated in the health care industry! And as the health care industry grows, so will the demand for qualified medical administrative assistants.

As a trained medical biller, you’ll be working for organizations generating invoices and managing billing forms. You’ll be relied upon to analyze and accurately decipher complicated medical claims, overseeing the entire process. Many medical billers enjoy a lucrative income working independently, or by supporting clients directly in medical offices or hospitals while handling multiple accounts.

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Want to start a medical billing career? By doing some legwork beforehand, you can get the information you need to start your career on the right foot. Here are some helpful tips:

1. Find out about earning expectations — An important factor when choosing a career is learning about salary potential. You can find out how much you can earn as a medical biller by going online — the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides salary information based on geographic location. Learn if this is an ideal long-term career for you and provides the earning expectation that fits with your needs.

2. Know what being a medical billing specialist entails — As a certified specialist, you will bill insurance companies for services that have been performed by doctors — it will be your job to quickly and accurately complete insurance claim forms correctly and manage the overall billing process. You will need to be able to perform basic bookkeeping skills and understand the inner-workings of health insurance.

3. Think about integrating medical coding — Your career may also involve tasks. You can give yourself an advantage by combining your knowledge with medical coding training. This will include a familiarity with medical terminology and medical coding so you can apply the correct codes to the medical services provided — and be in charge of the entire billing process.

4. Talk to others in the field — You can talk to some specialists and get their perspective of what the job is really like. Consider contacting the Medical Association of Billers (MAB) and network with other billers in your area — you might ask about what a typical day involves, the salary range, what they like best about their jobs, etc.

5. Education is the key — You need a solid education and foundation of knowledge to become a medical biller. There are different training options available — from standalone courses to full packages that include billing, insurance and reimbursement, software instruction and more. Enrolling in a full package can give you a broad range of knowledge that enables you to step right into your role and handle every facet of medical billing. Online courses enable you to learn from home — keep your current job while you prepare for your medical billing career.

6. Get certified — You can give yourself an advantage in the medical billing field by becoming certified. It shows potential employers that you are serious about your career and gives you extra credentials to stand out. To become certified, you will need to take the Certified Medical Billing Specialist (CMBS) exam — your course will give you the foundation you need to pass.

7. Find out about career prospects — Do you want to work in a doctor’s office? Or does a hospital setting or clinic suits you? Learn about your career opportunities — medical billers are needed in health care facilities nationwide. Find out which area suits you best.

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