Options for Accredited Medical Billing and Coding Training in Virginia

Becoming a medical biller or coder in Virginia

Medical billers and coders are not required by law to hold a certification to work in the state of Virginia, most of the state’s employers do prefer to hire certified individuals. Below are the certifying bodies that regulate the industry at a national level.

Certifications for billing and coding are recognized from several different national bodies. Employers in the state recognize a wide range of certifications from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), National Healthcare Association (NHA), American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), and the Medical Association of Billers (MAB).

What is the process for becoming a certified coder or biller in Virginia?

The steps to become a medical biller or coder in Virginia is detailed in the steps listed below.

Step 1 – Decide if you want to pursue a certification

Before doing anything else, you will first want to figure out if you are planning to get a certification, or try to find a job without one. This particular decision will influence your career in two ways: the types of jobs you’ll be allowed to apply for, and the time it will take for you to become employed.

As you could likely assume, deciding to make an effort to become certified offers several important benefits. Thanks to the increased litigation that medical providers face and the corresponding rise in insurance costs, many facilities now want their employees to have a certification.

The move toward compulsory certification has even started to have an impact on non-certified personnel who have been employed for years. In these instances, it’s now very typical for the workplace to call for their medical billing and coding staff to go to training and get their certification in order to continue to be employed.

If you nevertheless choose against getting certified, then the second step is to start applying for employment opportunities for non-certified medical billing and coding specialists. Step 2 and all subsequent steps mentioned in this article are only required if you’ve decided to pursue certification.

Step 2 – Finish the necessary education

The second choice you will have to make is whether your goal is to get a an associate degree in medical billing and coding, four-year bachelor’s degree, or a diploma. Either type of credential is recognized by most business employers, but you need to be cognizant of the pros and cons of each.

Either of these options is a viable approach to begin your professional career, provided that it meets your personal goals and economic circumstances. Should you have to start working as soon as possible, and are concerned with college tuition fees, then the diploma program may be the right choice. Many medical billing and coding specialists decide to go back to school in the future and earn a degree after starting with a diploma, so keep this option in mind as well.

The better option is probably the associate or bachelor’s degree in situations when you have a clear career objective which will require higher education at some time.

How to choose a coding and billing program in Virginia

The bodies in control of regulating medical billing and coding programs in Virginia include the Commission of Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). You have to graduate from a program sanctioned by one of these bodies in order to become eligible to challenge to become certified in the state. The links above go to databases of accredited training programs.

Picking out the best program for your particular situation typically requires several considerations. Take into account the following things in a program when comparing it to another:

All of us have different priorities that affect the choices we make. If you’re worried about tuition costs, start your search by seeing which programs fit your budget. After that, go on to the second-most important thing (e.g. course schedules, etc.) and use that criteria to further narrow your possible choices.

Repeat this method with every requirement that is important for you, and you should sooner or later have just a couple of schools to choose between. This considerably improves your likelihood of selecting a program that will meet all of your needs.

Step 3 – Finish an internship or accumulate some work experience

A prerequisite for almost all medical billing and coding certification tests is that the applicant needs to have previously had job experience or completed a formal internship. To satisfy this requirement, you need to plan on doing an internship or working in a non-certified position for a community business prior to the end of your education program.

Nearby businesses often work together with accredited coding and billing schools to help arrange internships or on-the-job experience for students. It’s recommended that you talk to your teacher to determine which solutions are available to let you gain the experience necessary to become eligible for certification assessment.

Step 4 – Pass a certification exam

The official medical billing and coding certification tests given in Virginia are the five primary national tests. These examinations consist of segments on each significant area of knowledge you would’ve studied in your study course.

The most-popular major national certification examinations administered in Virginia are outlined here.

Medical biller and coder salary and jobs in Virginia

There’s a high demand for medical coding and billing specialists around the U.S. and in Virginia. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a 15% growth in brand new positions nationally and a 18% increase in the State of Virginia through 2024. Hospitals, physicians offices and outpatient clinics are expected to fill the majority of these added jobs. The remainder of positions should appear in the state and federal government job sector.

The chance to become acquainted with electronic health records (EHRs) makes the medical coding and billing profession perfect for anyone contemplating advancing into another job in the health information sector.

The subsequent record reflects specifics on medical billing and coding specialist wages in Virginia by region.