by Anonymous
Hi..Do I really have to go to school to start a home based business with billing and coding? Is the medical software really worth the money of getting or just doing the research on the business enough to even get started.I have ordered billing and coding books to get started. Is the good enough? I am learning all the codes.
Response:
You don’t have to have a formal education in medical billing to start a business but it is important to have a good foundation in billing and coding before trying to start a billing business. I’m a good example of that. I learned basically on the job and using good reference books on billing and coding. But it is a challenge to start a business without some good experience in billing first.
It’s important to remember a provider wants to know what our experience and record is in medical billing before they turn over their billing to a new billing service. So having a good background allows you to discuss some the common billing and coding mistakes and how you can make a difference or improvement to their billing.
I would recommend getting any experience possible – consider it training. Practical experience is the best training you can get. I got started working for a small billing business for a few years before trying to go out on my own. I was doing mostly billing for mental health and family practice clients. I actually started following up on unpaid claims – which can be a tedious process but it really helps you learn why most claims get rejected. It really helped me to understand the insurance billing process, how a billing service operates, and how to deal with clients.
I have nothing but good things to say for those who put in the effort to complete a certificate or diploma program in either billing and/or coding. I think it shows a commitment to the profession and establishes an assurance that a person meets certain standards.
As far as the medical claim software there are so many available now it’s hard to say which is the best. But starting out I would consider using something like Kareo or CollaborateMD. I know Kareo has their pricing on their website and it starts at $69 a month.
There’s also a free online software called Office Ally that I’ve heard good things about. There’s more info and links on our Cheap Medical Billing Software page. In other words you don’t really have to spend a substantial amount on software like you did a few years a go to get started.
Hope this answers your questions – Thanks for visiting the site!