This article is about a potential employer's view on medical billing schools. My experience has been that they simply are not worth the time and money for the students. I have interviewed many medical billing candidates from many medical billing schools and I do not find that the education makes the individual a more attractive candidate than other inexperienced candidates.
The majority of graduates we do hire start in our apprenticeship program - a position they could have obtained without a medical billing school investment. They start out alongside other apprentices that have no experience and no formal training in medical billing.
The terminology and concepts taught in medical billing school no more prepare a person to be a full fledged medical biller than reading a book on how to drive a car prepares one for the challenges of actually driving a car - it is practice behind the wheel that is required. The academic elements can be helpful - just like supplementing practice behind the wheel with a manual on safe driving makes sense. Unfortunately, however, this is only true if the academic material is accurate. I have found that often students have been damaged by medical billing schools that either teach incorrect medical billing concepts or leave the students with a sense that they have nothing left to learn.
Almost without exception, the best way to break into medical billing is to find a medical billing service or a physician practice that will allow you to execute basic medical billing tasks such as verifying insurance or calling on claims to find their status.
Both of these activities give individuals a solid base for launching a medical billing career. They provide the individual with both a grounds up understanding of the building blocks of medical billing and a real medical billing job on their resume.
Finding a company that will allow you to start with these basic medical billing tasks may take a bit more effort than applying to medical billing school, but in the end you will have better medical billing skills, have a better resume and earn money while you learn the medical billing craft.
The certified coder that does not already have medical billing experience is typically hard pressed to find a coding position. Once, however, your have medical billing experience you can get real value from a certified coder certificate.
In summary, medical billing school is simply not worth the investment for an inexperienced student. You will find more success and greater financial rewards if you skip the medical billing school until you have the experience under your belt to make the certified coder courses a worthwhile investment.
Copyright 2008 by Carl Mays II
The majority of graduates we do hire start in our apprenticeship program - a position they could have obtained without a medical billing school investment. They start out alongside other apprentices that have no experience and no formal training in medical billing.
The terminology and concepts taught in medical billing school no more prepare a person to be a full fledged medical biller than reading a book on how to drive a car prepares one for the challenges of actually driving a car - it is practice behind the wheel that is required. The academic elements can be helpful - just like supplementing practice behind the wheel with a manual on safe driving makes sense. Unfortunately, however, this is only true if the academic material is accurate. I have found that often students have been damaged by medical billing schools that either teach incorrect medical billing concepts or leave the students with a sense that they have nothing left to learn.
Almost without exception, the best way to break into medical billing is to find a medical billing service or a physician practice that will allow you to execute basic medical billing tasks such as verifying insurance or calling on claims to find their status.
Both of these activities give individuals a solid base for launching a medical billing career. They provide the individual with both a grounds up understanding of the building blocks of medical billing and a real medical billing job on their resume.
Finding a company that will allow you to start with these basic medical billing tasks may take a bit more effort than applying to medical billing school, but in the end you will have better medical billing skills, have a better resume and earn money while you learn the medical billing craft.
The certified coder that does not already have medical billing experience is typically hard pressed to find a coding position. Once, however, your have medical billing experience you can get real value from a certified coder certificate.
In summary, medical billing school is simply not worth the investment for an inexperienced student. You will find more success and greater financial rewards if you skip the medical billing school until you have the experience under your belt to make the certified coder courses a worthwhile investment.
Copyright 2008 by Carl Mays II
About the Author:
Carl Mays II is President and Chairman of ClaimCare. Carl has provided help to physicians and administrators since 1995. He is an expert on medical billing companies and the medical billing industry. Be sure to visit Carl's medical billing blog.
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