subject: Medical Billing And Coding School Facts [print this page] Medical billing and coding schools train people for employment in this field. Careers in this field are a great choice currently as the populations in the western world include more elderly people than ever.
The areas of medical coding and medical billing overlap so students are often trained in both fields.
Medical billing is an interaction between the company that provides healthcare and the company which insures the client in so that the health-care provider will receive payment(s) from the insurance company. Traditionally this was done using standard paper forms. Unfortunately paper is still being used for about thirty percent of medical billings. Most submissions are now done using electronic data transmission although this can still sometimes involve scanning printed forms.
The insurance company doesn't always initially agree with all the details of the submitted bills so one or more stages of adjustment and re-submission are sometimes needed. Unfortunately the claims are still processed by some insurance companies using a manual paper-based system which causes major problems for healthcare providers such as delays of several weeks of even more.
Sometimes up to 15 different types of coverage are provided by some insurance companies and the medical billing employee needs to be familiar with the details of them all. Schools in medical billing also need to train the student in the complex legal matters which are relevant to the job.
The correct level of healthcare service provided to a particular patient will be determined by factors such as the complexity of medical decisions involved, the extent of examination required, and the medical history of the particular patient. This results in a standard procedure code for that healthcare activity.
Medical classification is another name for medical coding, and consists of converting the details of medical procedures and diagnoses into standard medical codes. Medical coding classes train the students in this process, which takes data from X-rays, lab tests, examinations, doctor notes, and other sources. As well as the insurance companies, the resulting codes are also used by government health organizations.
The career of medical coding and billing is a good choice currently because the "baby-boomer" generation is now starting to reach retirement age which results in an increased need for healthcare. Medical billing and coding schools train their students for this career, with relevant knowledge and ability.
