Have you been looking for a new career? Are you interested in a career that is still growing and is vital to your community? Becoming a medical biller and coder may be the next step that you’re looking for. Right now, Campus is offering an Online Medical Billing and Coding program for students in Alabama to give you the technical training that you’ll need to start your billing and coding career. In as little as ten months, you can be certified and ready to work in the healthcare field. You’ll learn all about ICD-10-CM codes, procedural coding, filing insurance claims, and claims processing. Healthcare employers are looking for qualified candidates, and this is one of the most flexible careers in healthcare. I’m sure you’re curious what medical billers and coders do, so let’s look at that right now.
What Does a Medical Biller and Coder Do?
Medical billers and coders help record the details of a patient visit into codes which represent diagnoses, treatments, prescriptions, procedures, and medical services. These details are transcribed into alphanumeric codes, which can be understood by all insurance companies, government agencies, and medical facilities. These codes are used to create and submit insurance reimbursement claims, which pay the medical offices according to the patient’s health insurance policy. This helps healthcare facilities get paid for the services they provide. It’s important to pay attention to what codes are used and the accompanying documentation, because insurance companies (aka payers) can reject claims and not pay them if the codes are inaccurate or the claims aren’t filled out correctly. Medical codes are also used to update electronic health records.
Medical coders and medical billers are two distinct roles, but they can be done by the same person in many cases.
Medical coders take the physician notes of a patient visit, and encode all the details into standardized alphanumeric codes that are universally understood. These codes are used by healthcare organizations, insurance companies, and government payers such as Medicare and Medicaid. Every diagnosis, every treatment, each procedure and piece of medical equipment going home with the patient has a corresponding code. These codes are used internally to update medical records, but perhaps more important, to fill out and submit insurance reimbursement claims. The codes must be accurate and as specific to the procedures as possible, or else the insurance companies may deny or adjust the claim, paying none or only a portion until the claim is corrected. Accurate medical coding is a very important part of the revenue cycle in each medical facility.
Medical billers take the medical codes supplied by the medical coder or healthcare provider, to provide and submit insurance reimbursement claims. These claims petition the insurance company to cover their portion of the patients coverage, according to their health insurance policy. The medical biller will also “scrub” the claim for errors, making sure the format is ideal for each insurance company’s internal standards. They also follow up with the insurance companies to make sure the reimbursement claim is processed and paid promptly. They may also send letters or notifications to the patient for their remaining portion of the bill.
Why Become a Medical Biller and Coder in Alabama?
Medical billing and coding is one of the most important jobs in the healthcare system, and every medical office and hospital needs this service. Billers and coders help keep the revenue cycle moving, which helps keep clinics, physician offices, and medical centers running smoothly.
The pay is good, especially for an entry-level job, and earning additional speciality certifications may also help you earn an even higher salary, according to the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). [2]
Most medical billers and coders now work remotely, meaning you can work from home and skip the commute to the office. Most of these jobs became remote in the early 2020s. If you need flexibility in your schedule, if you have circumstances which make commuting daily a cumbersome task, then this might be the perfect job for you. Billing and coding is also a perfect job for people with an analytical mind.
What Do You Need to Know as a Medical Biller and Coder?
Medical coding requires staying on top of changes, and understanding the subtle differences between different codes. Medical billing requires organization, communication, and good time management. First and foremost is understanding procedural coding, and the sets of medical codes that every healthcare provider and insurance payer uses.
The coding sets every medical coder needs to know are:
ICD-10-CM: International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification. This is maintained by the World Health Organization (WHO).
CPT®: Current Procedural Terminology codes, these were created by the American Medical Association (AMA), currently maintained by the CPT Editorial Panel, appointed by the AMA.
HCPCS: Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, created for use by government agencies such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Job Outlook and Pay
Jobs for medical billers and coders nationally are projected to keep growing, with jobs increasing nationally by 7 percent from 2024 to 2034 according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics [1] [3] (BLS). In May 2024, the BLS showed medical coders and billers nationally earned a median annual salary of $50,250 and a median wage of $24.16 per hour.
In Alabama, as of May 2024, the BLS reported [4] medical billers and coders in Alabama earned an annual mean salary of $42,830 and a mean hourly wage of $20.59.
Become a Medical Biller and Coder With Our Online Program
If you’re looking to start a new career in healthcare, there’s never been a better time to become a medical biller and coder. Campus has an Online Medical Billing and Coding program that will teach you the skills you need to get your first jobs in billing and coding. In less than ten months, you’ll earn your certifications in both medical coding and medical billing. If you’re a student in Mobile, Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, or anywhere else in Alabama, you are eligible to take this online program! To find more information on start dates, curriculum, and financial aid, contact our Admissions department today.
[1] Note: The data provided in this article is from sources unaffiliated with Campus, and is for informational purposes only and represents the employment field as a whole. They are not solely specific to Campus graduates and, by providing the above information, Campus makes no representation, direct or implied, or opinion regarding employability.
[2] American Association of Professional Coders, https://www.aapc.com/resources/medical-coding-salary-survey , Retrieved March 17, 2026.
[3] Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm#tab-1 , Retrieved March 19, 2026 .
[4] Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Maps, https://data.bls.gov/oesmap/ , Retrieved March 19, 2026 .