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How to get my first job in billing?

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Michele:

--- Quote from: bpark73 on January 22, 2016, 03:03:22 AM ---
Michele and Kristin thank you again.
It seems like the common thread from both of you is to pursue employment with a provider. Can you explain a little why you think this would be better than a billing job with a biller for example? I'm intrigue to hear more of why both of you have said to start with a provider as opposed to a billing company.


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Most billing companies will be leery of hiring someone who's final goal is to start their own business.  For some reason most billing services feel that every other service is cut throat.  This forum will give you a different idea than that because there are so many here willing to share.  When we started we tried to network with other local billing services (back when there was no internet and bulletin boards were the only method of communicating nationally!) and lets just say we got our fingers bit, bad!  If you go in and tell them honestly what your plan is they will probably will be afraid that you may take their clients. 



--- Quote from: bpark73 on January 22, 2016, 03:03:22 AM ---Also Kristin you mentioned that being certified in coding is not necessary to owning a billing company. Are you saying obtaining a "certification" is not necessary because coding is something that can be picked up on your own? Or are you saying that most billing companies don't code therefore it's a service not necessary to provide? If the latter then I would like to know what percentage of billing companies provide coding services and which ones don't?


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Most billing companies do not code.  The billing should come over coded.  However, it is important that as a biller you understand coding enough to recognize when something is a problem.  It also comes in handy when handling denials and appeals. 



--- Quote from: bpark73 on January 22, 2016, 03:03:22 AM ---A little bit about myself, I started a chemical formulations company in the past and had a successful exit. I'm now looking to move on to the next chapter of my life. For whatever reason I've always been drawn to the medical billing business even when I was in my 20's. I have lots of family and friends who are doctors so I'm very comfortable speaking and comprehending their language and feel this is something I can be good at.




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Well, sounds like leads won't be a problem for you then!  Sounds like you have a good foundation. 

kristin:
Forgot to answer one question you asked...about whether coding is something that can be picked up on over time, versus certification. Yes, you can absolutely pick it up over time, that is exactly what I did, in one of the apparently harder specialties to bill, podiatry. I don't think it is hard, but the newly certified coders and new and experienced billers I help with it all the time think it is. It took me about two years of being self-taught, and working in a podiatry office to get good at it, now twenty years later, I would say I am expert at it, and I don't say that about much. So it can be done. I don't have the letters behind my name saying I am certified, but I also didn't have to pay a dime to get the expertise that I have. Works for me!  ;D

bpark73:
Kristin,

Good to know that coding can be picked up without a degree or certification. It seems like you really know your stuff. You mentioned that Podiatry is difficult to bill, what other specialities would you say are harder to bill than others?

Thanks again for your time
Brian

kristin:
In my opinion, chiropractic is difficult to bill, because insurance places so many restrictions on that specialty. It isn't like they have a ton of codes to know(in fact Medicare only accepts four codes). It is more like all the commercial insurances make them jump throw hoops with what they do bill. I used to help another biller with that specialty, and I hated it. Same thing to a certain extent with PT billing, what with care plans, GP modifiers, other modifiers showing at certain intervals where the patient is at with their therapy.

I would never want to do facility billing either, such as for a hospital, ASC, or SNF/ALF. That's just me. I know how to bill on a CMS-1500 form, and that is what I want to stick to, lol!

PMRNC:

--- Quote ---Good to know that coding can be picked up without a degree or certification. It seems like you really know your stuff. You mentioned that Podiatry is difficult to bill, what other specialities would you say are harder to bill than others?

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This is TECHNICALLY true.. however keep in mind one very important fact: Medical offices do NOT need a coder, they do however need billers. IF you are a biller with experience and/or proper training..you will benefit, you will benefit a TOUCH more with coding experience BUT not unless you have a coding certification.

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