What Employers Look For in Medical Billing and Coding Specialists

by  Find-A-Code™
Sep 21st, 2023

Medical billing and coding are two careers offering good pay and long-term stability. For people who appreciate the medical field but are not interested in patient-facing careers, medical billing and coding are good options. To land a job as a billing or coding specialist though, you need to possess a few key skills.

All medical billers and coders need to have a solid grasp of medical billing codes, general billing and coding practices, introductory medical terminology, and other similar topics. Being certified isn't technically necessary, but more and more employers are requiring it. All these things combined are considered the 'hard skills' an individual would need to become a billing or coding specialist.

Employers expect applicants to possess all the necessary hard skills. But they also look for certain soft skills. Applicants who can demonstrate both have a leg up in hiring.

The Ability to Organize

Soft skills are skills necessary to do a job effectively but not directly related to a person's title or job function. The ability to organize is one such skill that is invaluable in medical billing and coding.

Billing and coding specialists have a lot on their plates. They are dealing with medical records, different code sets, reference materials, and more. They interact with clinicians and office managers. They deal with payers and patients. With so much going on, billing and coding specialists really need the ability to organize – and stay organized even when things get hectic.

The Ability to Communicate

Another important skill coding and billing specialists should possess is the ability to communicate in multiple forms. Communication is key to accuracy and efficiency. It is especially important to coders, who deal with clinicians on one end and billing specialists on the other.

An Attention to Detail

It pretty much goes without saying that billing and coding specialists need to be people with an eye for detail. Paying attention to every little detail in a medical record improves accuracy and efficiency. It reduces the likelihood of claims being rejected. When all is said and done, the value of any billing or coding specialist's work is found in the details.

Note that attention to detail is supported by a thorough understanding of the coding and billing systems. It requires staying abreast of new code sets and updates. It even involves checking and double checking codes before claims are moved on to the next phase.

The Ability to Adapt

Both medical billing and coding are considered fast-paced jobs. There is always a lot going on. Not only is the work never-ending, but changes and modifications are continuous. Billing and coding specialists need to be able to take changes in stride. They need to be able to adapt no matter what comes down the pike.

An inflexible billing or coding specialist will not last long. Inflexibility only makes the job more difficult. On the other hand, being able to adapt when necessary keeps things moving along and everyone happy.

The Ability to Manage Time

Finally, time management is an important skill employers look for. Medical billing and coding both involve deadlines for getting claims through. The deadlines for some claims are shorter than others. Therefore, coders and billers need to be able to manage their own time in order to get the job done.

It should be apparent that there is more to medical coding and billing than data entry. The two jobs are fast paced, very involved, and ever-changing. There is hardly a boring day. If you think you have what it takes, get your certification and give it a shot.