Although the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics released a recent projection that job losses in the state’s energy sector will continue over the next five years, the overall health of the economy will continue to increase, thanks in large part to a boost provided by jobs in the health care industry. The report identifies the growing number of West Virginia’s elderly population – one of the highest percentages in the nation – as being the primary impetus for the increase of careers in this field, which should add between 2,000-4,000 new jobs each year through 2017.
Sponsored School(s)
Directly tied to increasing health care employment and an aging population are positions involving medical billing and coding. These professionals work in facilities such as:
- United Health System’s West Virginia University Cheat Lake Physicians Center in Morgantown
- Charleston Area Medical Center
- Saint Mary’s Medical Center in Huntington
- Westbrook Mental Health Services in Parkersburg
- Elmhurst Retirement Community in Wheeling
- HealthWays Substance Abuse Program in Weirton
- Fairmont Clinic
Medical billers and coders work in the framework of West Virginia’s health care system, whose ranks include two of the top three – and nine out of the top 20 – largest private employers in the state.
West Virginia is a Great Place to Begin Medical Billing and Coding Training
Because West Virginia is recognized as having one of the highest percentages of seniors over 65 for all the states in the country, there are a number of educational institutions offering their services for medical billing and coding candidates across the region. A recent search of medical billing training and education programs in West Virginia reveals there are no less than 14 on-campus and online schools in the region, offering programs including:
- Medical billing and coding certificate
- Insurance billing and medial clerk training
- Medical billing and coding bachelor degree
- Diploma program in medical billing and training
- Medical billing and coding associate degree
West Virginia Medical Billing & Coding Programs Curriculum
Candidates for medical billing and coding careers in West Virginia can choose among a variety of educational programs for a desired credential. Education is provided on subjects including:
- Medical terminology – Prefixes, suffixes, roots
- Major organ systems
- Interrelated systems of the human body and their functions
- Symptoms, diagnosis, and methods of treatment
- Health insurance plans
- Compliance and reimbursement
- Theory, concepts, rules, methodologies of medical billing and coding
- Anatomy and physiology – Diseases of the human body
- Reimbursement methodologies
- Billing and coding practicum
There are two main national accrediting agencies for medical billing and coding programs: the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and the Commission of Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). Learning in a program sponsored by these agencies can provide career mobility benefits, but candidates who have a particular medical billing and coding job in mind need only meet that specific position announcement’s requirements.
Medical Billing and Coding in West Virginia to build top career in medical field
Constructing a pathway to a prospect approaches with building the perfect career option. The health care industry offers plenty of opportunities for those seeking to get started on a new career that is flagged with vast possibilities. Medical billers and coders play a vital role in the health care industry and that has stemmed in a growing demand for more folks expert in that field. It has also headed to assure salaries and job security for new medical billing and coding specialists.
Overview of a Medical Biller and Coder
Medical billers and coders are both incorporated in the medical billing procedure. On the other hand, each job has a dissimilar part as the job duties are distinct from one another. However medical billers and coders are often considered together, to each job dissimilarity has its own charm.
Medical billers in West Virginia make patient bills, which are recognized as claims. These claims comprise insurance IDs, medical codes, insurance carrier information and other relevant information. These claims are set and submitted by medical billers either by electronic means or by making use the proper forms. But the work of a West Virginia medical biller is not only clerical.
There is also the frequent need to response patient analyses, which often lengthen to co-pays, deductibles and the description of which services are protected by insurance policies. That needs working skills of different insurance policies. Medical billers in West Virginia also find themselves communicating with insurance firms to sort out any clashes or renunciations in respects to patient claims.
Communication skills are always utilized every day by West Virginia medical billers, who also use powerful organizational skills. The work has a lot of responsibilities, which demands that medical billers be multipurpose and accomplished of working with various projects over the course of a day.
The profession of a medical coder in West Virginia is more up-front. Medical coders are provided medical reports that are requisite to be interpreted into codes, which are then utilized on patient claims. These reports information all of the services delivered to patients by a health care segment.
Medical coders make use of a sound knowledge foundation of the several codes, moreover to sub codes and ICD codes. Every patient process, service and prescription is exemplified by a separate code. It is up to medical coders to understand those codes and use them where required. A health care facility depends on medical coders to make sure it obtains the highest amount of financial reimbursement for the services it offers to patients.
Medical coders in West Virginia are quite precise and detail oriented. Medical coders also have better methodical skills and the great potential to follow the correct health care strategies definite to the profession.
Job Prospects and Potential Pay
A medical billing and coding income in West Virginia averages are $34,770 per annum. However, there is the possibility to make on that average as medical billers and coders in West Virginia have stated the pay has raised up to to $51,150 yearly.
Now is the perfect time to start researching the right medical billing and coding education program in West Virginia. Find more information about West Virginia medical billing and coding schools in the following cities: Charleston, Huntington, Parkersburg, Morgantown, Wheeling.