Author Topic: What kind of training do I need for medical billing?  (Read 2956 times)

Michele

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What kind of training do I need for medical billing?
« on: March 14, 2008, 11:32:21 AM »
Question
Dear Alice and Michelle;
Thank you for another informative newsletter. The information you provide is both concise and offered in a style someone new to the profession like me can understand easily. As I proceed to move further down the road to starting my own billing service, I question whether I have enough technical training to come across as trustworthy of someone’s business. I have had what I consider to be a good training in marketing a billing service but not much in the way of formal billing training. I have looked into tech schools but realize their programs require one year or more in class instruction and the tuition combined with the time has me questioning the breakeven aspects going in this direction. I have read in your Ask the Biller section individuals mentioning completion of correspondence courses (Penn Foster for example) and would like to ask you if you have any comments on this type of training. I am not necessarily asking for any specific endorsement (although any preferences are appreciated) but rather your overall opinion of the training in general along with any additional comments or suggestions.
Thank you in advance for your response.
Roy T

Response from Ask the Biller:
Hi Roy,
It is really hard for me to comment too much on the technical courses available since I personally have had no experience with them. However, my thoughts on the subject are that there is no training like real, hands on billing. We had an intern once from a similar course and it was not a pleasant experience for us. She was completely useless to us and we had to keep finding her busy work. We couldn't wait for the end of the internship. In all fairness to the program, it very well could have just been the student, but she had no billing sense whatsoever. If you are not comfortable with technically billing training that you have had, and you really feel like you need more, maybe you should consider working for a medical office in the billing department for a short time. In my opinion that is the best way to get experience. If you do want to try a course, I would ask for a list of references (people who have completed the course) and call them.
Sorry I can't be of more help!
Thanks
Michele

From Alice
Hi Roy,
We all have to start from somewhere. The first business that you get is both exciting and frightening. We knew a little about medical billing when we started, but we learned a lot more as we did it. I feel that it's more important to know where to go to get the answers you need than it is to have formal training. We've also seen many people working for doctors in their offices, doing their billing, that don't know what they are doing and it hasn't stopped them yet.
We are working on our website all the time and hope to be able to review software and training programs, etc and have these reviews on the site. It's a ways off yet though. We will keep offering ebooks on things like completing the HCFAs and UB04s correctly.
When you've never done something yet, it's hard to be confident about your ability to do it. Don't let that interfere with your presentation when you get in front of a doctor. Good luck.
Alice
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What kind of training do I need for medical billing?
« on: March 14, 2008, 11:32:21 AM »