Medical Billing & Coding Jobs in the Hospital Setting

Are you great with details, organization, and properly transferring information that you’re given? Then a career in medical billing or medical coding may be great for you!

Finding jobs in medical coding and medical billing may also be fairly lucrative in the near future, as the Bureau of Labor and Statistics suggests that the field of medical records and health information technicians is expected to grow faster than average, that is, job opportunities are expected to grow 15% by 2024.

Medical Billing & Coding Jobs

Medical coders and medical billers play the vital job role that lies between the healthcare provider, the patient, and insurance companies. Basically, medical coders and medical billers work together to read patient charts and submit shorthand diagnoses and treatment codes — called ICD-10 codes (formerly ICD-9 codes) and CPT codes — to insurance companies so that the healthcare provider or facility is properly paid for services rendered.

Medical coders and medical billers work in a variety of healthcare settings, including clinics and hospitals, to read and analyze patient records, determine correct codes for patient care, and use correct codes to bill insurance companies.

Along with staying abreast of changes to codes, they are expected to keep track of patient data, manage detailed information, interact with healthcare providers to ensure accuracy, and maintain a strict adherence of both patient confidentiality and protection of sensitive information.

Whether you seek a medical coding or medical billing job in a clinical or hospital setting — some of which will be off-site from the actual facility — your administrative duties will be very similar.

Medical Coding Jobs Vs Medical Billing Jobs

While these two positions work alongside one another — so much so, that smaller facilities and clinics often hire one person to do both jobs — there is a slight difference between medical coding jobs and medical billing jobs. Here are the major differences:

Medical Coding Jobs

Medical Coding Job Description:

Medical coders translate different elements of patient care, from the healthcare provider’s chart, into standard shorthand codes called CPT codes (Current Procedural Terminology), ICD-10 codes (International Classification of Diseases), and HCPCS Level II classification systems (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System).

Their main objective is to make sure that every medical diagnoses and/or treatment is accurately translated to the appropriated shorthand codes. Doing this correctly helps medical billers bill appropriately for services rendered, and it can save a clinic or hospital thousands of dollars every year.

Job Location:

You can expect a medical coding job position to take place in the prospective healthcare organization (a physician’s clinic, hospital, nursing care facility, or a home health facility, for example), as this administrative healthcare profession needs more direct communication with physicians and other healthcare providers to ensure accuracy with translating services to correct ICD-10 and CPT codes.

Medical Coding Qualifications:

Medical coders must become certified in basic CPT, but there are opportunities to become certified in other CPT specializations.

Medical Billing Jobs

Medical Billing Job Description:

Medical billers, on the other hand, create billing claims to be sent to insurance companies that are based on the CPT, ICD-10, and HCPCS codes. Their primary objective is to submit, follow, and secure the highest possible reimbursement for services rendered. This means they need to understand how different insurance companies determine medical claims.

Job Location:

While some medical billing jobs may be found in-house, there are many that operate as independent services from a hospital or physician’s office. This provides more autonomy for the biller and is great for those who are entrepreneurial-minded. However, communication is often still needed between the medical biller and the physician or other healthcare professional to ensure accuracy.

Medical Billing Qualifications:

Medical billers may or may not be certified, but it’s important to note that a growing number of facilities are looking to hire certified billers in an attempt to decrease fraud and increase revenue.

Medical Coding and Billing Schools

If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a medical biller or coder, you’ll need to complete the necessary certifications. The great news is, we’ve broken down your options in our blog, “Top 5 Best Online Medical Billing & Coding Schools.”

Medical Coding and Billing Jobs

If medical coding or billing jobs are what you seek, then you’ve come to the right place! Hospital Careers has a great selection of open medical coding jobs and medical billing jobs that can be found in hospitals throughout the United States.