Medical billing translates a healthcare service into a billing claim. The responsibility of the medical biller in a healthcare facility is to follow the claim to ensure the practice receives reimbursement for the work the providers perform. A knowledgeable biller can optimize revenue performance for the practice.
Although a medical biller’s duties vary with the size of the work facility, the biller typically assembles all data concerning the bill. This can include charge entry, claims transmission, payment posting, insurance follow-up, and patient follow-up. Medical billers regularly communicate with physicians and other healthcare professionals to clarify diagonoses or to obtain additional information. The medical biller must understand how to read the medical record and, like the medical coder, be familiar with CPT®, HCPCS Level II and ICD-9-CM codes.
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The financial health of a practice largely depends on the performance of the billing office. Increasing demands on providers with decreasing reimbursement requires healthcare offices to have highly skilled medical billers. Understanding of medical insurance, the claims process, the appeals process, and the impact on the practice's revenue gives the medical biller the tools to successfully optimize a practice's revenue performance.
Skills of a Medical Biller