When you search for work from home jobs, wfh jobs, remote work, or anything like that, you’ll find Medical Billing and coding jobs on the list. What makes these jobs so attractive is the salary. Being able to work from home and having great pay are big pluses for those on the lookout for work from home jobs.
How much can you earn? WFH Office did some research and found that the numbers are all over the place. Check these out:
Glassdoor – Their numbers show $10 an hour on the low end and $30 an hour on the top end.
AAPC – This site claims the national average is $50,000 a year.
Medical Billing and Coding – This site breaks down salary by state. The average seems to be a little more than $40k a year, which is somewhere around $20 an hour, depending on where you live.
Although the average seems to be somewhere around $50k, entry-level positions are unlikely to pay this much. But even if you start off on the lower end of the salary spectrum, you still have the benefit of working from home, which is a big money saver in and of itself. Looking up the pay for this type of gig piqued my curiosity, so we took a harder look into what medical billing and coding jobs are all about and what makes the pay so high. Let’s dig in.
What Exactly do Medical Billing and Coding Employees Do?
Apparently, medical billing and medical coding are not the same thing. God bless the internet, you learn something new every day.
A medical coder translates a medical chart. They take procedures, diagnosis, etc., and convert everything into a nationally used code. It’s essentially, at least as far as we can tell, a higher end form of data entry. The difference being that inaccuracy could wreck someone’s life or cost your boss/hospital thousands of dollars or more. This is why training and certifications are required.
Medical billing is less about coding and more about making sure people are charged properly. They deal more with insurance claims part of the industry. In an ideal world, they’re two different jobs. But in a small doctor’s office, assistants can end up being both, which is probably why knowledge of medical billing and coding is important.
Education for Medical Billing and Coding Jobs
A degree is not required for medical billing and coding jobs. However, you do need credentials. Many community colleges offer certificates for this field. And like many other careers, the more certifications you have, the more appealing you are to potential employers and you can command a higher salary. Some certifications employers want to see are:
- Certified Coding Assistant
- Certified Coding Specialist
- Certfied Professional Coder
- Any number of specialties
- This list goes on and on. The more you have, the better you look.
Because of the education and knowledge required, this field is much different than online data entry jobs. You have to really know what you’re doing and you need to be competent with all of the codes. Online colleges and courses are available. However, as we’ve stated before, you really have to be careful. There are a lot of scammers out there and for-profit schools that will promise you the world but in the end, they won’t be able to deliver.
Your best bet is likely going to be a local community college. Employers know they’re legit. And some of the community colleges have programs that are on par or even better than 4-year colleges. A great example of this is nursing. We know of several community colleges that are so good and have so much prestige, they have a longer waitlist than four-year counterparts and they’re way more selective. Community colleges are a cheap alternative, yes. But this doesn’t make them worse.
Job Growth
The job growth for this industry is about as solid as it can get. And like many other tech-related fields, the need for remote employees is increasing. And according to this site, expected job growth between 2016 and 2026 is 13%, which is fantastic.
We went to Indeed. Why? Most people go there to look for jobs. When we’re curious, it’s the first place we look. One thing we immediately noticed was that the average potential employer wanted a least a year of experience. This shouldn’t surprise anyone. Nobody wants a noob. This is why credentials and certifications are so important.
If you have the opportunity to jump on an internship, you should take it without hesitation. While most of these employers on Indeed want experience, this doesn’t mean you can’t land an entry level job right out of the gate. When you want to find online jobs, the best place to look is online. For some companies hiring remote employees to tips from folks who have been there, check out these links:
- The Spruce
- Top Medical Coding Schools
- AAPC Forums
Wrapping It Up
From what we can tell, medical billing and coding jobs aren’t easy. That’s why the pay is so attractive. If you want something a little more chill, check out this post we did about online writing jobs.
However, if you like to work hard, enjoy learning, and want to make the most money from a wfh office job, this could be the field for you. You’ll have to study hard, work hard, and be professional just like you would if you were in the office.
Working in the medical field in any capacity is likely going to set you up for stellar benefits. So this is definitely something all of our readers should consider. If you have any experience in this field, please share you story below. Thanks for reading.
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