Describe the Work of a Medical Billing Clerk
Medical billing clerks are primarily responsible for accurately preparing and submitting medical invoices. Clerks may be assigned to specific accounts, or work on individual patient invoicing. Medical billing clerks are expected to process patient charges in a timely manner, so medical payments can be remitted. Duties may be assigned to medical billing clerks in support of other departments as necessary.
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Duties
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Duties of a medical billing clerk may include analyzing patient accounts for accuracy. Medical billing clerks may also review medical coding and enter patient charges into billing applications. Clerks may be required to provide patient customer service via telephone or email in response to billing inquiries. Medical billing clerks verify insurance eligibility, process and post insurance payments, and resolve any patient issues with explanation of benefits (EOB). In this role, medical billing clerks may also review annual insurance coding changes, and updates to fee schedules. Billing clerks also participate in professional development activities, and attend required industry meetings.
Qualifications
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Work experience in health care insurance, processing, billing, finance, and accounting is preferred by potential medical billing employers. Knowledge of medical terminology and insurance coding is also a desired qualification in this role. Medical billing clerks should be able to interact professionally with other team members and posses strong communicative skills. Proficiency with computers and software applications may be required. Medical billing clerks should also be able to multi-task, and organize assigned duties.
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Education
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Potential employers in this field require at least a high school, or general equivalency (GED) diploma, for employment consideration. Possession of a medical billing or coding certificate from an accredited institution is highly desired in this role.
Industry
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According to May 2010 statistics from payscale.com, over 91 percent of the medical billing clerk current workforce is female. Male medical billing clerks currently fill only 9 percent of these positions. The current employers recruiting potential candidates for employment are hospitals, medical offices, medical service providers, health care entities, and radiology facilities.
Salary
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Medical billing clerks are typically compensated with an established hourly wage. Hourly wages are commensurate with education levels and prior experience in the medical field. Payscale.com (May 2010), reports the current average national hourly rate range for medical billing clerks as $10.70 to $14.76. Rates of hourly pay vary according to employer. Those working in hospitals can expect to earn $11.30 hourly, while those working in a medical office may earn an average starting rate of $11 hourly.
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References
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