Reduce Malpractice with a Career in Medical Billing |
 |
December 14, 2006
By Debbie Wilson
Healthcare Programs Columnist
If you stop and consider the complex nature of today's healthcare system, it's not hard to believe that one wrong keystroke by a medical biller could land you in a red-tape nightmare. Errors can range from the simple mix-up (extra supplies or medications) to the outright absurd (double billing, padding beyond belief, incorrect procedure codes).
These inaccurate charges can lead to denied claims and endless bureaucratic problems with healthcare administrators and insurance companies. If you'd like to help keep the healthcare system afloat, consider a career as a medical billing auditor.
Fitting the Bill
As a medical billing auditor, you'll be responsible for reviewing both diagnostic and procedure codes for healthcare facilities. Diagnostic codes, a.k.a. ICD-9 codes, are the ones that identify what was wrong with a patient. Procedure codes, a.k.a. CPT codes, help identify the type of treatment s/he received. Most healthcare coding problems are usually the result of either blatant padding (where one procedure is "unbundled" and billed as two procedures) or keystroke errors (a typo that causes a mismatch between the ICD-9 and CPT codes).
Demand Relief
Medical billing auditors have surely seen more than their fair share of wrong or padded healthcare claims. By understanding the very thing that drives patients nuts, you can help them be more prepared to review their own bills, file important documents they might need, and maintain their own healthcare notes.
So get a move on and become a medical billing auditor today. With a keen eye and a love of the medical industry, this could be the perfect healthcare career for you.
Sources:
About the Author
Debbie Wilson owns and operates a lakeside resort. Her previous experience includes profitability consulting for a national healthcare company. Debbie holds a B.A. in Business Management with a minor in Physical Education.
|
Related Articles |
 |
|
|
| |
