Frequently, medical billing and medical insurance coding are tasks performed together. Most people think that both types of coding are the same thing, or a two different parts of the same field in the healthcare profession. However, both types of coding are different. PDN in Chicago provides on-site medical and insurance coding professionals, and off-site coders for services for healthcare companies nationwide, and general healthcare staffing solutions (temporary staffing personnel, auditors and interim management consulting, and many other staffing solutions including healthcare recruitment).
The work of Medical Insurance Coders involves assigning codes for billing and reimbursement purposes. They assign different codes to the patient’s treatments, symptoms, diagnoses, and procedures, including laboratory work to be reimbursed by a medical insurance provider. Insurance/medical codes make it easy to get the payment or reimbursement from the health insurance companies, Medicaid, Medicare or other governmental insurers, as all coding is standardized across the healthcare industry. This coding is essential for doctors or health companies as it is the documented basis for reimbursement. PDN offers insurance coders, Medical Coders and Transcriptionists ongoing training and educational services, so, that all of our staffers can provide timely and accurate work.
Medical billing requires a Medical Billing Specialist to use medical reports using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding done by a transcriptionist. The biller uses the codes and the medical records to make the bill for the health insurance companies. Sometimes, particularly in small practices, the billers also carry out the job of a medical records coder. Primarily they need knowledge of health insurance industry rules and regulations, terminology, and CPT coding experience. Generally, the coding work is performed in a doctor’s office, clinic or hospital. The doctor’s records provide the codes, and their billing can be outsourced to billing companies such as PDN of Chicago that has on-site coding staffers in Chicago, and off-site remote coding labs for nationwide service.
The medical insurance coding work is simple, yet detailed. A certified Medical Insurance Coder takes the notes from doctors and converts that data into industry-standard codes and billers submit those coded claims to the health insurance companies. Certified insurance coders work according to the rules and regulations assigned by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS).
The insurance coder will also use different software like EncoderPro, Flash Code and Code Link for their work. This specialized software does require a resource commitment from a healthcare provider’s IT department/personnel, or the work can be outsourced to businesses such as PDN that have 24/7 coding services for healthcare providers nationwide as PDN maintains two remote coding labs in the Chicago metropolitan area.
The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) has approximately 70,000 members worldwide, of which over 51,000 have full certification. PDN’s coders are certified or working towards certifications depending on level of training and individual skill sets. People who are doing the coding jobs are known generally as Medical Coders, although billers have their own unique coding skills, jargon and terminology. Usually, extensive training is required for a job in this particular part of the healthcare support industry.
Therefore, medical insurance coding is about converting patient’s medical diagnosis and symptoms into codes that are used for medical records documentation, healthcare quality control management, and insurance billing.
PDN’s medical and billing coders can work from a doctor’s office, clinics, hospitals, or for large or small medical billing services, on-site in Chicago; or our coders can provide service at our remote coding labs. Salaries for coding are quite good, generally. However, the salary is highly influenced by the training and experience the medical insurance coder has, and PDN is committed to supporting our coders in continuing education, so that we can assist our clients with a skilled, up-to-date workforce.
Medical billers have to go through specialized training programs, must pass standardized exams and then can receive full certification; of course, additional training can lead to higher levels of employment within the field or as auditors and interim management. PDN has many options for continuing education and supports Medical Coders or medical insurance coding classes as additional training for specialization in particular healthcare fields (oncology, OB/GYN, cardiology, vascular surgery, neurosurgical coding specialists, etc.). Online classes are also available, but, as a general rule, one should investigate online schools thoroughly for full accreditation.
If you are entering the field, investigate these plans, programs and degrees. If you are a certified coder, then by all means, apply for a healthcare job with PDN.