Where Can I Get Remote Medical Billing and Coding Jobs With No Experience? (8 Best Options)

Did you know that you can work in the hospital even if you are not a health care professional or have a degree from medical school?

As a medical billing and coding expert you can work in the hospital as a remote staff and support the medical team to process patient information and code them to ensure they receive payments from insurance companies.

There has been a lot of growing interest in the medical billing and coding field and for good reasons. You don’t have to be left behind. I know you’re probably asking, “Where can I get remote medical billing and coding jobs with no experience?”

Worry not. This article explains everything you need to know about medical coding and billing, 4 easy steps to start, and where to find companies hiring remote workers.

What is Medical Billing and Coding?

Medical coding and billing are an integral part of health services to streamline operations and reimbursement to keep the financial flow. They keep accurate patient records and ensure patients are billed correctly so that hospitals get paid. That’s why hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and private doctors are always on the lookout for remote medical billers and coders.

Medical billing and coding are related aspects of healthcare administration but are not the same. Medical billing is the process of creating invoices and billing patients or insurance companies to ensure that healthcare organizations get payment for their services without any errors.

On the other hand, medical coding happens behind the scenes and entails translating patient information, diagnosis, and procedures done and linking it to a universal code for billing purposes. Medical coders use a standardized coding system to bill the correct procedures, services, or drugs done to the patient to let the insurance companies know the diagnosis, tests, and treatments the patient has been given so that they can reimburse the hospital.

Both services overlap and in most cases, one person is paid to do both medical billing and coding. For organizations that employ medical coders and billers separately, the medical coder reviews the patient information, lab assessments, and other clinical services and assigns them standardized codes for each survive then sends them to the medical biller to create the patient’s bill and send claims to the insurance company.

How to Get Started In Medical Coding and Billing

Medical coders and billers are high in demand because it is a highly technical field. The best part is that you don’t need a college degree. Let’s look at the steps you need to get started.

1. Get the required Knowledge

Medical billing and coding need extensive knowledge of the codes and billing procedures. You need to be trained to get the knowledge.

As we said earlier you don’t need a degree but having one may be a plus. People with Bachelor’s in Health Information management have a higher leverage to find higher-paying medical billing and coding remote jobs.

The first step is to get a medical coding and billing certification program so that you can learn the medical terminologies and specialized coding systems and billing. Here are some of the free medical billing and coding programs you can try out:

a). Free Introduction to Medical Coding by AMCI

If you are interested in learning medical coding then this Free Medical Coding course will teach you the foundations and help you know if it is a profession you want to start.

b). Basics of Medical Billing and Coding on Alison

This free course on Alison is a good start if you want to understand how medical billing and coding work in the healthcare sector. You will learn basic medical terminologies and understand the procedures of medical billing.

c). Diploma in Medical Coding and Billing

Getting a diploma in medical billing and coding will give you an advantage over other candidates the best part is that Alison provides a free diploma course in medical coding and billing which gives an in-depth view into the field. The course is 15 hours long and is CPD-accredited. You can pay to get a certificate at the end of the final assessment.

d). An introductory course on medical billing and coding on Udemy by the PPMC Academy

The free course introduces you to the world of medical coding and billing. You will learn basic medical diagnostic and procedural coding and understand the tasks of a medical coder and biller. The downside is that the fee course does not have a certificate of completion but it is a good place to start if you have no experience.

2. Get certified as a medical biller and coder

Once you finish the medical billing and coding program you need to get certified to give you a competitive advantage. Some employers prefer candidates who are certified so that they can be sure that you are qualified for the job.

To get certified you need to pass professional exams by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). The certification will give you the confidence to find remote jobs as a certified professional coder.

To become a Certified Professional Biller you need to pay $499 for the exams or $1450 to get training. You will be required to pay $499 if you want to get certified as a Professional Coder on your own or pay $2670 for self-paced training that gives you all the materials you need to prepare for the exams. Notably, you can also pay the same amount for a dual certification for coding and billing which makes more financial sense.

The easiest coding certification is the certified coding associate (CCA) from the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) to get started with entry-level jobs.

You need to have at least a high school diploma, have completed a coding learning program approved by AHIMA, and have about 6 months of coding experience. The Certified Coding Associate exams costs $299 for nonmembers while members of AHIMA only pay $199.

3. Polish the necessary skills

It takes time to acquire both the soft and hard skills. As long as you are detail-oriented, and have excellent organizational skills you can get started even with no experience.

Some of the soft skills employers look for include organization skills, attention to detail to prevent errors, knowledge of basic medical terminology, excellent written and verbal communication skills, computer literacy, ability to collaborate with other team members, and resolving any disputes in claims.

The hard skills are proficiency with medical coding and billing software such as CodeLink, CureMD, and AdvancedMD and understanding of the HCPS (which has standardized codes that classify procedures, tests, treatments, and drugs.)

The best way to improve your skills is to adopt continuous learning through platforms such as Udemy, Alison, and the courses listed above to get hard skills such as knowledge of medical codes. Keep practicing communication, handling disputes, and staying up to date with medical billing software to improve your proficiency.

4. Create your resume

Once you have the necessary certifications you can start looking for remote jobs. Update your resume to include the relevant training and certifications related to the jobs and any applicable work experience.

Highlight your ability to work with medical billing software and understanding of the medical codes or willingness to learn on the job.

You can apply for entry-level remote jobs to get experience before you apply for certifications to get higher-paying jobs. Later on, you can specialize in one type of medical coding to give you an edge for example in general surgery, anesthesia, and family practice.

Remote medical coding and billing jobs pay between $16 to $20 per hour. Keep improving your skills and knowledge to qualify for higher-paying jobs.

8 Best Places to Get Remote Medical Billing and Coding Jobs with No Experience

Now that you know what you need to get started let’s look at some of the best places to find medical billing and coding remote jobs with no experience. You may need to create a professional profile on some of them like Upwork and for some, you will be redirected to the company advertising for the job. Here are the best job boards for remote medical billing and coding jobs with no experience:

• Indeed
• Simply Hired
• Upwork
• Flex Jobs
• Zip recruiter
• Jooble
• Glassdoor
• Virtual Vocations

FAQs

• What is medical coding and how does it work?

Medical coding is the process of translating a patient’s diagnosis, procedure, and services offered into standardized codes used to bill so that insurance companies can understand the cost and procedure done to reimburse the hospitals.

• What is the hardest part of medical coding and billing?

The main challenge with medical coding and billing is that it can be affected by human error. It is highly technical and you need to be extra careful as one small error in filing claims can result in hospitals not getting reimbursed or patients being overcharged.

• Which certification is best for medical coding?

The best certification for medical coders is the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).

• Where is the best place to get medical billing and coding certification?

The best places to get medical billing and coding certification are the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)

Final Thoughts

Medical billers and coders work in hospitals, doctor’s offices, surgery services, and ambulatory care services. They are an integral part of healthcare organizations to streamline financial operations and facilitate payment by insurance companies.

Luckily some organizations employ contractors and remote coders to work remotely. You can get started as a medical coder or biller by getting the required certification and skills. Then apply for remote medical billing and coding jobs on Indeed, Simply Hired, or Upwork.

Remember that it takes time to learn the medical coding terminologies. So, this is not a make-money-quick remote job. If you are ready to put in the work and get into medical coding and billing then use the steps in this article to get started.

Happy earning!

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