10 Reasons to Start a Medical Billing and Coding Career

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), medical records and health information specialists (an umbrella term that encompasses medical billing and coding professions) is continuing to grow. The job market for these healthcare industry specialists is expected to grow by 7% on a national level between 2021 and 2031¹, resulting in as many as 12,300 jobs being added to this field over this decade.

Medical school requirements are rigorous and often require a long-term educational commitment. Luckily, to pursue a medical billing and coding career, you don't need to go to medical school.

According to the BLS, the education level typically required for new medical records and health information specialists is a postsecondary non-degree, which means you could potentially enter the field after earning a certificate, like our Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding at DeVry. Certificate programs like these require fewer classes than medical school or even an associate or bachelor's degree and take less time to earn, allowing you to start pursuing your career faster.

When people think of healthcare and care facilities, they may think of hospitals first. While some medical billers and coders work in hospital offices, that's not the only place they work. As a medical biller or coder, you may work in doctor's offices, physical therapy centers or even at insurance companies.

If you're the type of person who always wants to be learning, medical billing and coding offers plenty of opportunity to grow and improve your abilities throughout this rewarding career. As part of your responsibilities in this field, you’ll need to keep up with medical codes and procedure changes. Remaining aware of the latest updates enables you to perform your job at a high level and provide better administrative care to patients.

Many people in this field also choose to pursue professional certifications such as the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) or Certified Coding Associate (CCA) so they can broaden their knowledge and leverage it to pursue a wide variety of career options.

A lot of people have a natural aversion to the sight of blood, which can discourage them from considering careers in the healthcare industry. If you're interested in working in healthcare but don’t like blood, a medical billing and coding career could be a great option. People working in medical billing and coding use their knowledge in a way that directly impacts patients and the quality of care without having to directly interact with the patient or any blood.

Medical billers and coders may work behind the scenes, but the work they do can directly impact the quality of care that patients receive. By creating smooth billing processes, they can help patients avoid frustrations and unexpected fees after they receive treatment. Accurately coding procedures also help make it easier to tell where funding should be directed to better help patients at a care facility.

After landing an entry-level position in medical billing and coding, gaining experience and earning positive recognition, opportunities for advancement may present themselves. You may have the opportunity to advance to a higher-level position, such as a medical records administrator for example.

By earning an Associate Degree in Health Information Technology you could pursue healthcare information technology opportunities including positions such as medical records and health information technician, medical records analyst or medical records supervisor.

Earning your education in medical billing and coding online may help you to balance your commitment to education with your work, family and community obligations. At DeVry, our Online Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding can be earned 100% online. As an option, you can further your studies and explore topics like current procedural terminology (CPT) and legal and regulatory issues by specializing in Health Information Coding (HIC).

Many people are looking for flexibility in their career options to balance responsibilities and budgets. If you’re looking for your next career opportunity – or your first – to be one that doesn’t require commuting to an office, pursuing a career as a medical coder may be a great choice.  If you are self-motivated, have good time management skills, a computer and a reliable internet connection, some medical billing and coding jobs can be done while working at home, helping you achieve the flexibility you may be looking for. 

After earning the education and certifications required to start out as a medical biller and coder and getting some experience under your belt, you may decide that you want to be your own boss. This may mean working as a freelancer – an independent contractor rather than an employee – or starting your own medical billing and coding business. If you choose to start your own business, you could have the flexibility to continue working on your own or hiring other properly trained individuals to work for you.