Career Questions and Answers
How hard is it to work from home as a Medical Billing & Coding specialist?
Asked by Amy C
I am currently going to college to do this and I would like to work from home. So how hard will it be and what all do you have to do to work from home.
Asked by Amy C
I am currently going to college to do this and I would like to work from home. So how hard will it be and what all do you have to do to work from home.
A:
Best Answer:
It's usually required that you have 3 years of on-the-job experience as a coder to work at home.
It's usually required that you have 3 years of on-the-job experience as a coder to work at home.
A:
There is a range on how hard or how easy it is to do billing from home but hope from my exp. this helps you decide!
Easy..would be doing a speciality like Massage Therapy (only 1 code) & IF the provider already has the software & everything set up for you(carriers, fee schedules, NPI info, Tax ID, etc.) & is willing to help you with the rules/guidelines they have to follow.
Normal start up of a home billing business requires:
Buying a billing software...like Medisoft, CMS forms & getting CPT & ICD9 books. (Up front cost for software, books & CMS forms is about $1200) .
Once you have software learn how set up a provider, format the CMS forms, per each carriers guidelines in your state (this can be found on each carriers website) Helps if your great with computers & know a little about programming, but normally the software you buy has step to step directions on how to do everything.
Next you would need to get the fee schedule per each CPT code/per carrier & decide start up fees & percentage to charge.
You could not do or be a Coding specialist w/out either several years of exp. or taking the coding classes & then passing a CPC exam.
Not at all saying you or anyone else couldnt be an at a home biller... just from my 20 years+ of doing billing there are steps you should take to be an at home biller. My steps were working for Medicare part time while going to college, then working at an MD clinic & from there I got my first providers who asked me to do their billing from home & in 2000 I opened my own billing co. & it continues to grow every year. Everyone I meet I suggest they move in the Medical Billing/Coding Direction because there are unlimited possibilites in the field & unlimited amounts of income to be made!!!!
Something for you to think about since still in college!!
If I could go back... I would have changed my BSBA in Management to an Entrepreneur Degree. My suggestion is that you take a part time job at either an Ins. Co. or an MD practice (or another short cut... apprentice with a biller or find a mentor) to see if Medical Billing is what you love before considering doing billing at home because you are controlling what your clients make & it is a lot of responsibility.
Hope this gives you a little help in determining if you would like to proceed. Answer to your question can range between Easy to Hard depending upon your previous experience.
Answered by Mello
Answered by Mello
A:
Hi Amy,
These jobs are out there, but there are alot of scams too. A good place to check is wahm.com message boards. There are people on there that currently do this and may be able to help you. I come across these job leads from time to time at http://workathomedesk.com/work-at-home-leads.htm which is a free site with frequently updated job leads.
Answered by danewants
Answered by danewants
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