New Mexico’s health care industry is the largest industry-employer in the state and also happens to be one of the sectors with the highest job growth projections, according to the Economic Research and Analysis Bureau of the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. Although the health care industry has historically increased with the population, current forecasts indicate there will soon be more demand than the current levels of health care professionals can meet, leading to a shortage of skilled workers in this sector.
As an essential health care support occupation, the medical billing and coding field will also experience a marked increase in the future even more so than at present times. By a recent count there were 6,000 agencies in the health care and social assistance industry, providing jobs for 122,600 employees. At the time these numbers were recorded, health care had just experienced a five-year 16 percent increase. One sector of this industry in which medical billing and coding professionals are employed, ambulatory health care services, is projected to grow by an additional 30 percent by the year 2019.
In 2009-2019 growth projections, medical billing and coding positions in New Mexico rank extremely well among other health care occupations:
- 5th in the top ten largest employment category
- 3rd in the top ten fields with the greatest growth at 29.9 percent
- 2nd in the top ten fastest growing fields with 1,120 projected jobs added
Working Environment in New Mexico
As the largest industry employer in the state, health care and social service agencies that hire medical billing and coding professionals are some of the more recognizable organizations and companies across New Mexico, including:
- Lovelace Health System in Albuquerque
- Memorial Medical Center of Las Cruces
- Enchanted Hills Home Health Care in Rio Rancho
- La Familia Medical Center in Santa Fe
- Eastern New Mexico Medical Center in Roswell
- San Juan Regional Medical Center in Farmington
- Clovis Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center
- Lea Regional Medical Center in Hobbs
- Gerald Champion Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo
- Carlsbad Medical Center
Getting the Right Education for a New Mexico Medical Billing and Coding Career
Most all medical billing and coding professional positions in New Mexico require more education than just a high school diploma. State residents have their choice of several institutions that offer everything from certification programs and associate degrees to bachelor degrees with a concentration in medical billing and coding. Educational institutions include:
- State universities
- Private colleges
- Online schools
- Community and technical colleges
Once candidates are prepared with the right education they will be able to begin their search for employment among the many vacancy postings for medical billing and coding professionals throughout New Mexico. As demand increases in the field, promotional and career advancement opportunities will also present themselves for more experienced specialists.
Medical Biller and Coder in New Mexico to offer best opportunity to enter into medical field
To become a professional medical biller and coder can establish a future that is packed with a wide range of options. Health care facilities all over the country are now employing new medical billers and code on daily basis. That type of higher demand unblocks a lot of getting income potential although also offering job security for years to come. To begin a career as a medical biller and coder can take place preferably than most individuals consider as a steady and satisfying future right away.
Overview of a Medical Biller and Coder
It is imperative to observe that medical billing and coding jobs are two distinct divisions. Those responsibilities can be joined into one job, which sets more duty on the person in that position. However, a plenty of medical billing and coding jobs occur distinctly as each has its own particular tasks.
Medical billers usually deal with a swarm of clerical duties that are all created to generate patient medical bills, which are also mentioned to as claims. In the process of setting together these claims, medical billers in New Mexico analysis patient bills and recover any lost information when essential.
The responsibilities of a medical biller need good communication and structural skills. Medical billers in New Mexico do a lot of functions and should have the potential to perform all multitask.
Medical coders deal with fewer folks in their day to day profession, which makes them both energetic and self-governing employees. The codes they offer are used in the billing process and are a vital part of how health care facilities bring in income.
State Licensing Requirements
The state of New Mexico doesn’t require any license process or policy for medical billers and coders. A certification is not considered as a license and is also not obligatory to do work as a New Mexico medical biller or coder. Those entering into this occupation have the great option of working at any New Mexico hospital, doctor’s office, ambulatory service or other types of healthcare segment.
New Mexico Medical Billing and Coding Certification Requirements
Certifications and degrees are not even mandatory to work as a medical biller or coder in New Mexico. However, most medical billing and coding job scopes will create a list of a certificate or degree as an obligatory requirement. Non-certified candidates are often accepted over until they can offer proof of years of experience working in this segment. The fastest way to increase that experience is by achieving a certificate or degree in medical billing and coding.
Education Requirements
You need a high school diploma or GED qualification that is required to pursue education as a medical biller or coder in New Mexico. Colleges may examine for transcriptions throughout the admissions procedure, even though the academic demands are not typically very demanding. Each organization is responsible for setting its own values for education needs, many people are referred to at least of a high school diploma or GED.
Job Prospects and Potential Pay
Medical billers and coders in New Mexico come under the sorting of health information specialist. The average income for health information specialists in New Mexico is $33,840 on a yearly basis.
Find Medical Billing and Coding degree and certificate programs in the following North Carolina cities: Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Rio Rancho, Roswell, Farmington.