If you’ve been looking for a career in healthcare that is perfect for people with an analytical mind, medical billing and coding may be exactly what you’re looking for. This is a career that is projected to grow faster than average over the next ten years, and most of the jobs are remote. If this sounds like the perfect career for you, Campus is now offering an Online Medical Billing and Coding program for students in Illinois. In this ten-month program, you’ll learn the skills you need to start your billing and coding career. In our online program, you’ll study ICD-10 codes, procedural coding, and medical billing and claims processing. At the end of your program, you’ll be ready to take your certification exams, allowing you to get your first jobs in medical billing and coding.
What is Medical Billing and Coding?
Medical billers and coders are responsible for properly encoding patient visits into universally-used alphanumeric codes and using those codes to prepare and submit insurance reimbursement claims to the insurance companies. The codes used by billers and coders are used by all healthcare facilities, insurance companies (known as “payers”), and government agencies. Selecting the most specific and most accurate codes is extremely important, because claims can be reduced (“adjusted”) or even denied altogether if the codes do not match the diagnosis, procedures, or treatments administered by the physician.
Medical coders and medical billers are two different, intertwining roles, but they can be done by the same person in many workplaces.
Medical coders the notes and documentation from the healthcare provider and encode the details of the patient visit into alphanumeric codes that are used by all healthcare facilities, insurance payers, and government agencies. These codes correlate to diagnoses, treatments, procedures, prescriptions, and medical supplies. These codes are used to update electronic health records (EHR) and also to prepare insurance reimbursement claims. The codes must match what is in the documentation, and be the most specific and accurate codes available, otherwise claims may be denied, the healthcare facility may be overcharging or undercharging, which may lead to fines. The medical coder has a responsibility to accurately code each and every patient visit, allowing claims to be processed quickly and accurately.
Medical billers use the codes provided by the medical coder or by the service provider and prepare reimbursement claims that are sent to the insurance companies or government agencies. The insurance companies decide whether they will pay the entire amount, adjust the claim, or deny the claim. To prevent a claim adjustment or denial, the medical biller checks the claim for any potential flags, a process called “scrubbing”. They are responsible for formatting the codes and information according to each insurance company’s internal policies, and fixing the claim in the case the full amount is not approved. Sometimes, medical billers are also responsible for reminder notices to patients for their portion of the bill, but their main responsibility is preparing and optimizing the reimbursement claims.
Why Become a Medical Coder and Biller?
Medical billing and coding is a technically skilled job that every medical office, clinic, and hospital relies upon. Billers and coders are an important part of maintaining the revenue cycle, which helps keep medical facilities running smoothly. In short, this is a job that is in demand that must be done accurately.
The pay is competitive, and earning additional specialty certifications may also help you earn more as your career progresses, according to the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). [2]
For people who find it cumbersome to commute to work each day, this is an ideal job. Most medical billing and coding jobs have been remote work since the early 2020s. If you have kids at home, health issues, or other challenges, this career can give you more work-life balance. For the small percentage of billers and coders working in an on-location office, you won’t have to interact with patients, only the physician and their staff. If you’re good with time management, have an analytical mind, and can motivate yourself, this may be the ideal job for you.
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What Do Medical Billers and Coders Need to Learn?
Medical billers and coders must be intimately familiar with the main coding standards that are used throughout the US. These coding sets are used in every clinic, hospital, and medical facility. The biller and coder must know what codes to select for the greatest specificity, and when to use them. Between these coding sets, almost every type of diagnosis, procedure, treatment, and piece of medical equipment is covered.
The coding sets every medical biller and 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 Salary
Jobs for medical billers and coders nationally are still growing, with jobs projected to grow 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 in the US as a whole earned a median annual salary of $50,250 and a median wage of $24.16 per hour.
In Illinois, as of May 2024, the BLS reported [4] medical billers and coders earned an annual median salary of $49,420 and a median hourly wage of $23.76. Illinois medical billers and coders in 2024 earned an annual mean salary of $53,670 and a mean average hourly wage of $25.80 according to BLS data.
Salary and Wage for Medical Billers and Coders (2024)
| Illinois (2024) | United States (2024) | |
|---|---|---|
| Median Annual Salary | $49,420 | $50,250 |
| Mean Annual Salary | $53,670 | $55,970 |
| Median Hourly Wage | $23.76 | $24.16 |
| Mean Hourly Wage | $25.80 | $26.91 |
Take the First Step Towards Becoming a Medical Biller and Coder at Campus
If you’ve been considering starting a 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 Illinois, Joliet, Aurora, Naperville, Springfield, Peoria or anywhere else in Illinois, you are eligible to take this online program! To find more information on start dates, curriculum, and financial aid, contact our Admissions department today.
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[1] Note: The data provided in this article is from sources unaffiliated with Campus is for informational purposes only and represent 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 May 7, 2026..
[3] Bureau of Labor Statistics, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm#tab-1 , Retrieved May 7, 2026.
[4] Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Maps, https://data.bls.gov/oesmap/ , Retrieved May 7, 2026.