by Yvonne Shirey
(San AntonioTX)
I have done a lot of research as to what school to
apply with. Some want $1500 up to $15,000. I want to be ready and hire-able when I finish, but the less expensive ones do not fully train you on passing the certification exams nor do they include it in their program.
However the more expensive one gets you trained for hiring upon completion of the 9 month training. They offer lifetime employment and up to 10 years to pay back the loan
They also guarantee employment because they offer
the most comprehensive training than most. My question is this. I am in my 60’s and I need to look good for my employer the best training I can offer without going out and upgrading my skills any further.
Please explain what skills a reputable company would be looking for in candidate as a new hire. What type of training will they require in this great profession? Thank you.
Yvonne,
Great question, and one that many who want to get into the field struggle with from a lot of similar comments I’ve received. Here’s my attempt to answer and hopefully others will add their comments…
As you’ve already discovered the lower priced medical billing and coding training courses really just cover the basics – and really may just include an introduction to coding. And there can be some real “junk” online medical billing training courses that look great up front – but really have no useful content.
If you just want to get into medical billing (and not coding) than that may be sufficient. However to be certified in medical coding can require up to 2 years of schooling.
I’ve gotten a lot of comments from those who have take training, but are having difficulty getting a job. It seems as though employers are reluctant to hire someone with no experience – even if they have been trained. Which leads to the dilemma of how to get experience if you can’t get hired.
For medical billing, it seems potential employers are less concerned with training credentials and certification than they are with real world experience.
That has been my experience – I really didn’t take any formal training in medical billing and coding but learned on the job. But I was fortunate to have a friend who was willing to hire me.
It seems as though billing services (especially smaller ones) are more willing to hire someone without experience and train them to their processes – than they are concerned with training.
I would be suspicious of any guarantees of employment from a training program. I would read the fine print on that one. Unless they have some sort of agreement with several employers in the area.
As you don’t want to spend a lot of time and money to change careers – I would favor any training program that provides some real world experience. I checked the local job postings in my area for medical billing and coding jobs – and they all required some experience.
This is a subject that doesn’t have an easy answer – so I’ll post for others to comment on and share their experiences…
Thanks!
Gina