Medical Billing Specialist: Job Overview

Working for healthcare providers like hospitals, group specialty practices, outpatient surgery centers and in other patient care settings, medical billing specialists are responsible for managing the payment side of the relationship between the provider or healthcare facility and the patient. Their regular duties may include:

On your journey to pursue a career as a medical billing specialist, you should plan to take a path that includes hands-on training or medical billing and coding education to help you prepare to enter the occupation, and consider earning certifications that verify specific skills involved in this career, or contribute to ongoing professional development.

Pursue your education

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that, while a high school diploma or equivalent plus some work experience may be enough to qualify for some positions, many require a postsecondary certificate, associate or bachelor’s degree.

Medical billing programs typically include coursework in medical terminology, health data requirements and standards and medical coding classification systems.

At DeVry, we can help prepare you to pursue career opportunities in medical billing and coding with skills-focused certificate and degree programs like our Undergraduate Certificate Programs in Medical Billing and Coding, our Associate Degree in Health Information Technology or our Bachelor’s Degree Specialization in Health Information Management that not only immerse you in this specialized field but can help you prepare to pursue industry-relevant certifications that may be needed for career entry or advancement.  

Pursue professional certification

As noted by the BLS, employers may prefer to hire medical records specialists who’ve earned certifications or expect them to earn them shortly after being hired. Industry-specific certification programs that apply to medical billing specialists and medical coders help demonstrate the specific skills required for this career, like the Certified Professional Coder (CPC®), offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). This certification is for professional coders who specialize in coding for procedures or services done through a doctor’s office by either a doctor, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner. Accurate coding ensures that the billing process goes smoothly. 

The Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®) certification administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is seen as the next step in a medical biller and coder’s career journey. This certification is for professionals who use coded data from hospitals or other larger providers to seek reimbursement from government programs like Medicaid and Medicare, or from insurance companies.

At DeVry, our Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding program includes material addressed in the CPC® certification exam. Students who earn an 85% or higher in the Coding Practicum and Review (CPC® Exam) course can earn a voucher for the CPC® exam. The voucher code is valid for 60 days. 

Students enrolled in our Medical Billing and Coding – Health Information Coding (HIC) Undergraduate Certificate program will be able to prepare for the CCS® exam with a CCS® Review (CCS® Exam) course. Students who earn an 85% or higher in the course can earn a voucher for the CCS® exam. The voucher code is valid for 60 days. 

Why learn medical coding along with medical billing skills? Many of the responsibilities of medical coding and medical billing professionals are interrelated, which makes it a good idea to develop skills in both disciplines. For example, it’s important for both medical billers and medical coders to have a thorough understanding of ICD codes so they can apply them to medical records and build accurate reimbursement claims. Depending on the size of the facility you work in, you may have more day-to-day responsibilities that overlap with the responsibilities of a medical coder than you would if you worked at a larger care center where the workforce may be separated out to a greater degree.

Gain a better understanding of the field

Students who study skills in medical coding have the potential to develop a more holistic understanding of how medical coding operates within the healthcare industry. Medical billers who understand the complexity of what each coding system is used for and how the codes are applied may have a more seamless time collaborating with other health information professionals, who use these codes on a daily basis.

Feel empowered in your work 

By studying medical coding conventions and the reimbursement and payment methodologies used in the modern healthcare revenue cycle, students may feel more empowered and capable once they enter the workforce. Knowing both sides of the medical billing and coding coin, they may feel more confident in their abilities, and perform in a more efficient, accurate and productive manner.  

Potential career advancement

Learning medical coding along with billing may also help you to broaden the types of careers you can consider. Along with industry-relevant certifications, a more well-rounded skill set may help you prepare to pursue medical coder or medical biller jobs, may help you stand out to recruiters and hiring managers or may help you pursue advancement within your current organization.  

This important healthcare role combines aspects of information technology, healthcare delivery and customer service, requiring medical billers to have a medley of technical and workplace skills like:

The job growth outlook for medical billing specialists continues to look positive. The BLS projects employment of medical records specialists to grow 8% from 2022 to 2032, with 15,000 job openings each year, on average, over this period.¹ This growth is projected on a national level and local growth will vary by location. This projection is not specific to DeVry graduates and may include earners at all stages of their careers and not just entry-level.

The BLS attributes this continued growth to an aging population and a growing prevalence of chronic health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes. As a result, more medical records specialists will be needed to translate patient information and services into documentation for insurance reimbursement and other purposes.

If you have the desire to put your skills to work in the healthcare field, becoming a medical billing specialist is just one of several medical billing and coding careers you can explore.

At DeVry, we can help you transform your passion for healthcare into a profession with 100% online certificate and degree programs that can help you gain essential skills which prepare you to pursue industry certifications in this important healthcare specialty. 

When you look to continue your education with us, qualifying credits from our Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding programs can be applied to our Associate Degree in Health Information Technology, allowing you to work toward an eligible higher-level degree program building off of the skills you’ve already acquired.²

If you want to keep advancing your education at DeVry, qualifying credits from our Associate Degree in Health Information Technology may be applied to our Bachelor’s Degree Specialization in Health Information Management,² where you will learn healthcare administration, management and leadership skills, as well as how to evaluate and balance costs and benefits within a healthcare setting.

DeVry has the highest number of Medical Billing and Coding Certificate program graduates for 5 consecutive years, according to IPEDS.³ Our advanced online programs offer the flexibility you need to fit your education around your life, while providing the skills and knowledge demanded by today's employers. Join the thousands of students who have chosen DeVry.