Education Technology
Op-Ed
Why You Should Get Certified as a Medical Billing Specialist
By Michael Dunlop
January 24, 2022
Medical billing is a key role in the healthcare industry, ensuring that treatments, surgeries and medications are paid for appropriately.
Specialists in this fieldwork connect patients, insurers and healthcare providers so that the entire process is able to continue in a financially viable way.
If you are thinking of becoming certified as a medical billing pro, now could be a great time to get stuck in. Let’s look at why this is and what makes this career path so appealing.
Online certification courses make qualifying straightforward
Arguably the most compelling reason to train as a medical billing specialist at the moment is that it has never been easier to access courses and resources to achieve accreditation.
You can apply for reputable, respected schemes wherever you are based and complete them remotely, receiving certification that will help you to progress your career in medical billing without the hassle of having to visit a brick-and-mortar location.
You can work in various locations
Medical billing specialists are in demand in a wide variety of states, as well as in many other parts of the world as well.
This means if you want to find a job in easy reach of where you are right now, or you want to travel to a totally different region to settle down and start afresh, there should be opportunities in this field.
From major hospitals in big cities to smaller facilities that are more out of the way, medical billing gives you impressive flexibility.
As you might expect, there are also a growing number of employers who will allow billers to work from home. Remote working is attractive for many reasons, giving you a better balance between your professional and personal life, and letting you steer clear of long commutes.
Whatever your preference, as a certified medical billing specialist you will have a chance to strike out and plough your own furrow without making compromises.
Stable employment is assured
Medical billing has unbeatable staying power as a career because the healthcare industry is only growing and there will always be a need for professionals to administer the billing and payment process.
While job growth in this field might not be as steep as in other areas, it should be reliable for at least a decade, which means employers will need more specialists to fill the roles that are created. So if you don’t want to suffer from uncertainty about job security, getting certified makes sense.
Salaries are competitive
Bear in mind that the biggest benefit of becoming a medical billing specialist who is fully certified after completing an accredited course is that your earning power will increase.
While average salaries sit at around $35,000 across the board for medical secretaries, including billers, those with enough experience and training could see this jump to $55,000 or so.
Of course, money isn’t everything, but you want to know that the career you pick is both satisfying and financially rewarding, which is definitely the case for medical billers.
Your contribution will matter
For some people, becoming a certified medical billing specialist will be worthwhile because it is a job that has a positive impact on the lives of millions of people.
Rather than working an office role that isn’t really in a field, you’re passionate about, medical billing lets you get hands-on with healthcare provision without needing to train for years to achieve this.
So if medical billing sounds interesting, or you are already working in this area but you’ve yet to get certified, it’s the right time to make a move.
Featured image: Karolina Grabowska, Pexels.
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