What is medical billing and coding? You may not be familiar with the phrase so do you really understand what it means? What sort of work does a medical biller and coder actually do? Medical billing and coding is often a closed book when it comes to grasping the details.

The profession of medical billing and coding is, in essence, the support service offered to doctors or physicians who find themselves overwhelmed with the need to keep on top of their invoicing, insurance claims and record keeping. These days, the majority of patients have medical insurance to cover the cost of any healthcare requirements. So to make sure that doctors and physicians get paid for their services, they need to submit a claim to these insurance companies for each treatment, therapy or procedure.This is where medical billing and coding comes in.

Medical billing and coding helps support physicians, clinics, hospitals, and patients in handling allied health issues. Medical offices, clinics, hospitals, health insurance companies, and many more seek the help of medical billing and coding professionals. And according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, this professions has a place in the list of the top 10 fastest growing occupations in the health industry.

Medical billing and coding specialists are considered experts in their fields. Their considerable expertise and skill makes their services highly sought after in the medical community. As a consequence, a medical biller and coder can expect a high level of income, according to their experience and level of training. An average salary can be expected to be around $33,400 and some highly prized coders can command ten times that much! That alone is enough attraction for any enterprising individual to start engaging in medical billing and coding.

However, don’t be fooled into thinking that medical billing and coding is an easy career to get into. The job is highly specialized, highly skilled and broad in scope.

The medical billing and coding process starts long before the patient actually arrives for the appointment and continues after the patient has been seen. Filing a claim needs to be accurate and comprehensive - something that maybe isn't easy to achieve.

A prime part of the job of a biller and coder is to make sure how the patient intends to settle their bill before any treatment is embarked upon. Later, after the physician has seen the patient, the notes he made on the medical record will then be converted into codes for coding the insurance claim procedure.

Medical billing and coding can be a challenging career. But it can also be very rewarding for those who make it. The opportunities for medical billing and coding professionals are numerous. And with further education and training, they could become endless.

Have you got what it takes to enter this challenging and highly specialized career? Administration, insurance work and office management may seem dull and uninteresting to some but this can be precisely why employers are so keen to pay others to do it!

A medical billing and coding salary can be yours - if you feel that this career is the one for you.