Main description:

The easy way to start a career in medical billing and coding

Medical Billing & Coding For Dummies gives you practical, easy–to–follow information and advice on what to expect in a billing and coding career, ways to find a training program, your certification options, ways to stay competitive in the field, and the laws and other regulations you′ll encounter in your work. If you′re looking to start a career in the popular field of medical billing and coding, this hands–on, friendly guide has you covered!

• To bill or to code find out what differentiates a medical coder from a medical biller and understand how the two function together working for doctors, hospitals, or insurance companies




• The road to success discover the most vital tidbits you need to know to succeed, from compliance and medical terminology to medical necessity and the payers of the game




• Get certified find a training program that prepares you for the certification exam and your career, and boost your credentials with some specialty certifications and continuing ed programs




• Land the job delve into the nitty–gritty details of the life of a medical biller/coder, from the claim filing process to resolving disputes and appealing claims that get denied

Open the book and find:

• Advice on the type of job that′s right for you




• Plain–English explanations of medical jargon




• The lowdown on the entire claims process




• What to expect on the certification exams




• Guidance on signing up and prepping for the exam




• How you can prepare for the transition to ICD–10




• Specialty certifications and professional organizations worth knowing

Learn to:

• Find a training program that′s right for you




• Start your career in medical billing and coding




• Stay competitive in the field

Back cover:

The easy way to start a career in medical billing and coding

Medical Billing & Coding For Dummies gives you practical, easy–to–follow information and advice on what to expect in a billing and coding career, ways to find a training program, your certification options, ways to stay competitive in the field, and the laws and other regulations you′ll encounter in your work. If you′re looking to start a career in the popular field of medical billing and coding, this hands–on, friendly guide has you covered!

• To bill or to code find out what differentiates a medical coder from a medical biller and understand how the two function together working for doctors, hospitals, or insurance companies




• The road to success discover the most vital tidbits you need to know to succeed, from compliance and medical terminology to medical necessity and the payers of the game




• Get certified find a training program that prepares you for the certification exam and your career, and boost your credentials with some specialty certifications and continuing ed programs




• Land the job delve into the nitty–gritty details of the life of a medical biller/coder, from the claim filing process to resolving disputes and appealing claims that get denied

Open the book and find:

• Advice on the type of job that′s right for you




• Plain–English explanations of medical jargon




• The lowdown on the entire claims process




• What to expect on the certification exams




• Guidance on signing up and prepping for the exam




• How you can prepare for the transition to ICD–10




• Specialty certifications and professional organizations worth knowing

Learn to:

• Find a training program that′s right for you




• Start your career in medical billing and coding




• Stay competitive in the field

Contents:

Introduction 1

Part I: Getting to Know Medical Billing and Coding 7

Chapter 1: Dipping Your Toes in Medical Billing and Coding 9

Chapter 2: Exploring the Billing and Coding Professions 19

Chapter 3: Weighing Your Employment Options 31

Part II: Boning Up on the Need–to–Knows of Your Profession 41

Chapter 4: Compliance: Understanding the Rules 43

Chapter 5: Not–So–Strange Bedfellows: Medical Terminology and Medical Necessity 57

Chapter 6: Getting to Know the Payers 79

Part III: Keys to Becoming a Professional: Getting Certified 95

Chapter 7: Your Basic Certifi cation Options, Courtesy of the AAPC and AHIMA 97

Chapter 8: The Path to Certifi cation: Finding a Study Program 111

Chapter 9: Signing Up and Preparing for the Certifi cation Exam 129

Chapter 10: Adding Street Cred: Specialty Certifi cations and Continuing Ed 147

Part IV: Dealing with the Nitty–Gritty On–the–Job Details 159

Chapter 11: Processing a Run–of–the–Mill Claim: An Overview161

Chapter 12: Honing In on How to Prepare an Error–free Claim 177

Chapter 13: From Clearinghouse to Accounts Receivable to Money in the Pocket 193

Chapter 14: Handling Disputes and Appeals 203

Chapter 15: Keeping Up with the Rest of the World223

Part V: Working with Stakeholders 235

Chapter 16: Dealing with Commercial Insurance Claims 237

Chapter 17: Caring about Medicare 249

Chapter 18: Client Relations and Coding Ethics: Being an Advocate for Your Employer 261

Part VI: The Part of Tens 277

Chapter 19: Ten Common Billing and Coding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them 279

Chapter 20: Ten Acronyms to Burn into Your Brain 283

Chapter 21: Ten Tips from Billing and Coding Pros 287

Glossary 293

Index 303