Wiki The Future for Medical Billers and Coders

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uvondaharris@yahoo.com

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10/24/11

I am a recent graduate of a Health Claims Specialist program. I recently began submitting my resume for advertised job postings. I have notice that although my resume and cover letter state I am interested in Healthcare administration, Medical Billing &Coding and or Insurance & Collections; two of the last interviews I have been on, the companies have disbanded their billing department and has reassigned all of the billers and coders to Medical Receptionist positions due to the implementation of electronic medical records software. Prior to entering training as a Health Claims Specialist, I was a Medical Assistant for 3years and a Phlebotomist for 12 years. Is this the future for Billers & Coders? Did I just waste money and 14mos of unnecessary training?:eek:
 
Interesting. Tell me, in what settings were you interviewing?

EHRs do not code, EHRs do not bill and EHRs cannot perform follow-up on the claims, cannot troubleshoot revenue cycle denials, nor uphold compliance or verify quality . . . I'm afraid that I don't understand exactly how those areas were "disbanded".
 
I suspect these organizations had moved to an outside billing service for handling the claims. This is what happened to my position recently. The office I worked for the past 12 years was merged with a large local medical organization. This organization uses EHR and has a centralized billing office. I was not offered a position in the central office even though I am a certified CPC. I am now working for a payor who manages Medicare Advantage and Medicaid Managed Care plans. There are still positions for coders...and once ICD-10 goes into effect there will be more positions. But the traditional bille/coder type position is being phased out with EHR.
 
The EHR does not do coding snd billing. Someone still has to enter and correctly code it. If the EHR could do it, all of us would be out of a job, Compliance is everchanging, so it just might be the offices you are going to. I agree with the other people who have posted a comment. When ICD-10 hits, we will be in high demand. They probably are outsourcing there work. hang in there.
 
I have my own billing company... Last week I "interviewed" with a potential new client. I made a follow up call and was told they were looking into EHR's and not sure what route they would be taking just yet...

My fear is the sales reps of the EHR's are telling physicians that their software can do the billing. I have now heard two different practices looking into EHR's and trying to cut their biller or billing company.

It is a shame because we all know that those programs don't eliminate erroneous denials and the need for follow-up.

I have a feeling the push toward EHR is going to slow down hiring in our field but not for long. The doctors will see their revenue decline and run with their tail between their legs back to billers :)
 
cynthia1126 said:
The EHR does not do coding snd billing. Someone still has to enter and correctly code it. If the EHR could do it, all of us would be out of a job, Compliance is everchanging, so it just might be the offices you are going to. I agree with the other people who have posted a comment. When ICD-10 hits, we will be in high demand. They probably are outsourcing there work. hang in there.
Click to expand...

Actually the EHR systems frequently have an attached Practice Management system and in the course of entering their encounter the provider also goes to a pick list and chooses the codes for the visit. The system will also give them "suggested" codes based on the things they have clicked on in the visit. Once they close the encounter the info is sent directly to the billing system, as long as it reads as a "clean claim" it is automatically sent to insurance. That bypasses the traditional coder/biller in the physician office.

If the claim drops out or if it is denied by the insurance, then there is a department that works with those claims. Who and where that deparment is depends on the EHR system you get into, it frequently is the billing office attached to a large medical organization, usually a hospital system. That is where my physician office coding job disappeared into....
and that appears to be the wave of the future! So yep where we coders look for jobs in the future is changing even now!
 
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