Louisiana’s economy has struggled for some time, from its troubled fishing and shrimp industries to declining manufacturing and construction, drought and infamous Blue Water Horizons disaster in the Gulf. There are few areas of the state’s economy that have shined over the previous decade besides that of health care. In fact, as the fastest growing industry statewide according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov), more Louisianans have moved from other sectors of the economy into health care than any other area. This is not surprising, seeing as the health care industry is expected to grow an additional 10 to 15 percent through 2020 as reported in Indeed.com, an online employment monitor. In particular, health care information management, specifically medical billing and coding, are expected to outpace even the health care industry as a whole. Often referred to as the wheels that move the industry, medical billers and coders are needed in greater numbers each year for every area of growing health care fields.
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In 2012, there were approximately 2,400 medical billers and coders in the state of Louisiana, earning an average salary of $31,000 annually. With flexible hours and workplace environments and a relatively short, 1 to 2 year degree or certification program to give applicants the skills and certification they need to succeed, the medical billing and coding field has given thousands of Louisianans the opportunity to move from a declining industry into that of the fastest growing and the most stable.
Louisiana’s Medical Billing and Coding Schools
Louisiana’s future medical billing and coding students preparing for a career in health care administration and medical billing and coding will primarily graduate with an associates degree or certificate from one of the state’s accredited schools, including some of the following top rated schools; Everest College, University of Phoenix, National American University and Kaplan. Coursework varies, yet whether a certificate, 2 or 4-year degree, there are a number of core courses that every new student must take, including:
- Anatomy
- Billing and Coding software
- Health Care Administration
- Computer Applications
- Health Care Coding
- Health Care Management
Louisiana Work Environment
Louisiana students looking for a promising work environment for the next decade are in the right place. While many industries in the region are struggling, health care is not, and in fact will be leading the way into the new economy of the south. The industry is an excellent choice for those looking for stability and growth opportunities.
Career opportunity in the diverse state of Louisiana
Louisiana is amongst the thickly populated states of the United States. Surrounded by some of the important states like Arkansas, Texas, etc., Louisiana has great natural wealth. Varied plant species and hence, animal species can be traced in this state. There are some epic landscapes which create an opportunity for tourism. The state has been extremely diverse in terms of language, history, and culture. It had a brief ruling from the French as well as Spanish colonies and a lot of African people also lived here as slaves during the 18th and 19th century. Louisiana hence has people speaking French, Spanish and some African natives too.
The Louisiana Economy study
This is the primary reason why there isn’t an official language for the state. The Louisiana economy is largely dependent on ports, seafood, and tourism. Agriculture produces predominantly seafood, poultry, and related industries contribute immensely towards the economy of Louisiana. The per capita income in the state is amongst the least 10 and stands close to $31,000 per person. The state is known to support and encourage small businesses. It has over 12,000 small businesses spread out vastly throughout the state and Louisiana has been ranked as a small business-friendly state in the United States.
Exploring the job opportunities
Options in agriculture, seafood, poultry, etc., are good but they can be seasonal in nature. Tourism also has some opportunities but again tilt towards seasonal opportunities discourages a lot of people towards aspiring a career in tourism or agriculture and subsidiary industries. As said earlier, small businesses dominate the state and are also an essential source of employment generation. By going through the per capita stat, it would not be difficult to interpret how the pay structure or pay hike or consistency/job security can be rated in these small businesses.
Need for exploring a better option
Small businesses can also include pathology labs, nursing homes, private clinics, etc. These are also lucrative and can offer by far more consistent job options compared to the other small businesses due to the simple reason being they form a part of the healthcare sector. Healthcare is something that grows immensely where there are people. Nursing home facilities can prosper in a state like Louisiana as there are more peace and relaxation amidst the nature compared to anywhere else.
Similarly, there are many other opportunities across the lines of hospitals, insurance companies, particularly medical insurance companies, which require significant help in coding and billing procedures, record maintenance, patient analysis, assistant nature jobs, etc. The best part of these job opportunities is that they are a lot more stable and offer better pay, growth opportunities in the long run compared to other small businesses due to the organized or stable nature of business in the healthcare sector.
What’s the next step?
One needs some training or some eligibility to qualify for the job. This training can be accessed at our website by making a simple search for the best training institutes for medical coding and billing near you. It is important to make the choice of a right training institute as it will be solely responsible for shaping your future in the right way. It is also important to note the scams in the medical coding and billing industry. Considering the lucrativeness and benefits of this field, many scam institutes and schools have been reported to cheat students by making false promises and excessive training fees.
We have run a complete background check of the institutes/schools listed on our site and you can be rest assured about selecting the best institutes in your area from our website.
For those interested, see below to find Medical Billing and Coding programs in the following areas: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Alexandria, Shreveport, Bossier City, Houma, Bayou Cane, Thibodaux, Metairie, Kenner, Monroe and Lake Charles.