9 Reasons to Start a Medical Billing and Coding Career: A Good Job

If you are interested in a career in healthcare, you may have considered medical billing and coding as long-term job.

There are pros and cons to being a medical biller and coder, and we will examine some of the benefits of this career path. Many healthcare workers choose medical billing and coding as a career because there are many upsides that allow them to have a healthy work/life balance.

There are important duties that a medical biller must be responsible for, as billers and coders have an integral role in the US healthcare system. Most medical billers and coders are employed by hospitals, physician’s offices, private practices, technical and administrative services, and nursing and residential facilities. These employers need skilled billers and coders who can help medical offices properly record patient visits and facilitate payment between insurers and providers.

In this article, we will look at nine compelling reasons that people choose to become a medical biller and/or medical coder. (These can be two distinct roles in larger organizations, but it is common for one person will be responsible for both billing and coding.)

What Do Medical Billers and Coders Do?

The two jobs are often referred to interchangeably, but these are the distinct roles billers and coders play in the healthcare system.

• Medical coders transcribe a patient visit and physician’s treatment into a series of universally agreed-upon codes. These codes are used by health care providers, hospitals, insurance companies to create a record of a patient’s visit and submit an insurance claim. Each code has guidelines on how they can be used, so accuracy is essential.
• Medical billers take the codes prepared by the medical coder and submit claims to the insurance company. They then follow up with both the insurance company and the patients to make sure the medical office is compensated properly, the patient is billed correctly, and timely payments are made.

What Opportunities Does Medical Billing and Coding Offer?

What are the considerations to be taken before choosing a medical coding career? Many often ask, "Is medical coding a good job?" when evaluating their career options in healthcare. Here are nine reasons that people enter this career.

1. It’s a Rewarding Career

Most billers and coders do not have direct contact with patients, but still play an important role in the relationship between healthcare providers and patients. Billers and coders make sure that patients get the maximum return on their health insurance policy and ensure that providers are properly compensated by insurance companies.

Billers and coders also have an important responsibility in medical research. Billers and coders accurately transcribe the record of a patient visit, and pass this information to insurers, to make sure the medical providers get paid. This data is also used in medical research and can help improve patient healthcare over the long term.

For people who enjoy working with information, who have good analytical and communication skills, medical billing and coding can be an ideal career.

2. You Can Work Remotely from Home

Many medical coders and billers work in a physician’s office, though this position is rapidly becoming a remote job in many facilities. Before the pandemic, medical billing and coding was already in the process of becoming a remote position, but during the pandemic, many healthcare facilities made billing and coding remote. This position does not require the worker to be in-person in the medical office, unlike other positions, such as medical assistant. This means medical billers and coders can save on gas, while spending more time at home, and avoiding the stress of a daily commute. This gives billers and coders more quality time and flexibility within their lives.

3. The Job Outlook is Healthy

The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that jobs for medical billers and coders will increase about 9% between 2023 and 2033 ^[1]. This growth is about as fast as the average of all types of jobs. These open positions will be necessitated by a growing population, people retiring from current positions, and the growth of healthcare facilities.

Large cities and metro areas in particular seem to be experiencing the most job growth for healthcare professionals, generally.

4. You Can Earn a Robust Salary

The bottom line is people choose career paths on several factors, but how much they can earn is always one of these factors. With a relatively short amount of training, medical billers and coders can earn a healthy amount.

According the 2021 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the average salaries for medical billers and coders in all 50 states, grouped by the types of facilities in which they work.

(Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics ^[2] )

Medical coders also receive a robust salary, according to a 2022 report by the AAPC.

(Source: American Academy of Professional Coders ^[3] )

These are the states with the largest number of billers and coders employed, according to May 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Large US metro areas like Los Angeles, Dallas, Houston, Miami, New York City, Chicago, Phoenix, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and Washington DC are where the largest concentrated number of billers and coders are employed.

These are the five states and districts where medical billers are, on average, likely to be paid the most, according to May 2023 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As always, keep in mind that the salary, hourly wage, and average hours per month you can expect to receive will vary depending on the state or city where you live, the current job market, and the facility at which you are applying to work.

That said, medical billing and coding is a stable career, at which you can be fully trained in a relatively short amount of time.

5. You Can Get Trained Quickly

The Medical Billing and Coding Professional program at Campus, formerly known as MTI College, allows students to become a certified medical and billing coding professional in 36 to 42 weeks. Most training programs for billing and coding are a similar length of time.

This allows students to become qualified for employment as an entry-level medical biller and coder in about nine and a half months. If you're wondering, "Should I become a medical coder?" this rapid qualification process is a compelling reason to consider it.

6. Predictable Hours and Schedule

Working in some healthcare jobs can have grueling hours, especially in some facilities like hospitals, or certain professions like nursing. Some medical centers require certain healthcare workers to be on call, work long shifts, and be available on holidays and weekends. In sharp contrast, medical billing and coding jobs typically have a very predictable schedule, with set hours each week, and a healthy work/life balance.

7. Medical Billers and Coders are in Demand

Is medical billing and coding a stable job? Healthcare employers have a “historic high” demand for certified medical billers and coders, according to a 2022 report by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). Also, the BLS projects approximately 16,700 openings for medical billers and coders each year, on average, between 2023 and 2033, in the US.

8. Room for Career Advancement

After you earn your initial certification as a Medical Biller and Coder, you can still earn specialty certifications that allow you to advance your position and potentially earn more. Healthcare organizations with a larger infrastructure often seek qualified candidates with specialized billing and coding certifications for management and oversight positions.

9. Diverse Job Opportunities in a Variety of Settings

If you've wondered what types of jobs you can get after earning your billing and coding certification, realize there are many employment paths for medical coders and billers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some of these locations are:

• Physician's offices
• Hospitals
• Ambulatory services
• Offices of other healthcare practitioners
• Outpatient care centers
• Scientific studies

There are a wide array of job opportunities for medical billers and coders.

10. Online Training is Available

The Medical Billing and Coding Professional program at Campus is fully online training program. Graduates from Campus’ healthcare program have opportunities to go into solid and in-demand careers upon completion of their program and certification exams. If you have a computer and broadband connection, you can complete this certification program and start your medical billing career in about 40 weeks.

Start Your Medical Billing and Coding Career in as Little as 40 Weeks

Campus offers a Medical Billing and Coding certification program that can be completed in 36 to 42 weeks, depending on whether you take day or night classes. This program is fully online; all of the coursework can be done remotely from your computer with a broadband internet connection.
If you see working as a medical billing and coding professional in your future, contact our Admissions department today, and they can answer any questions you have about the course.

We’re here to help you start a rewarding career in healthcare. Understanding the reasons to start a medical billing and coding career can guide you to make an informed decision about entering this field.

^{[1] [2] [3]} Note: The data provided above are from a source unaffiliated with Campus, formerly known as MTI College, are 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.