It is often tricky to evaluate the costs of medical care. After all, this is no simple service – patients come with different symptoms, various examinations are performed and each patient has an individual medical insurance which covers particular treatments. Therefore, a coding system has been invented to improve the billing process. So, what is medical billing and coding? Read this article to find that out!
What does medical coding mean?
To understand the connection between medical billing and coding, we first need to learn what medical coding is. This is a system of recording the details of a patient’s visit in a one, unified way that improves billing. This can be done through numeric and alphanumeric codes. The data included in the coding system are:
- Type of visit
- Patient’s symptoms
- Tests performed during the visit
- Prescribed medicine
- Suggested treatment
As you might see, there is a lot of information that has to be recorded. This poses a question: is medical coding hard?
Medical coding is definitely not the easiest task to perform. The coder needs to know several sets and subsets of codes, for example the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) or the Current Procedure Terminology (CPT). However, thanks to the unified coding system, it is easier for the insurance companies and medical billers to agree on the costs of medical procedures.
What is medical billing, and how is it connected to medical coding?
Medical billing is the act of assessing the costs of a patient’s visit in the physician’s office. Simple as it seems, the process is slightly more complicated. It begins with the patient’s call to appoint a visit and ends with the patient paying their share of the bill.
Medical billers use the information from medical coders to assess the costs. Then, they form it into an insurance claim using special paper forms or computer software. Afterward, they send the bill to the insurance company. The company needs to analyze the bill and see what is covered in the patient’s insurance package. Then, they return the bill to the medical facility, with the information on what they will pay for and what lays in the patient’s responsibility. The billers form a final bill for the patient and send it to them. If the patient does not want to pay, the billers are also responsible for hiring a debt collection company.
Is medical billing and coding worth it?
Medical billers and coders have an important job. Thus, the pressure might be high. However, their work comes with many benefits. Since they collect data from medical records rather than direct contact with patients, medical billers and coders might work a remote 9 to 5 job.
What is medical coding and billing? Summed up
Medical billing and coding is the process of transcribing the patient’s visit into a set of numeric and alphanumeric codes, and then using them to create bills. It serves as a connection between the patients, the insurance companies and the medical care providers. As such, it is an extremely important role.
