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New York Health Careers

Medical Billers

What Do Medical Billers Do?

Medical billers calculate health care provider charges, develop bills, and prepare them to be mailed to patients. By reviewing medical and hospital records and making or verifying calculations, they ensure that even the most complicated bills are accurate. Medical billers are responsible for timely submission of medical claims to insurance companies. Medical billers most often work with electronic billing systems and are responsible to make sure that patient, provider, and insurance information is correct and that fair payments are made. Medical billers may also be responsible for crediting patient accounts, appealing reimbursement denials, and tracking accounts receivables for providers.

Day-to-day responsibilities for medical billers will vary from location to location, but may include:

  • Reviewing patient bills for accuracy and completeness and obtaining any missing information
  • Knowledge of insurance guidelines, especially Medicare and state Medicaid
  • Following up on unpaid claims within standard billing cycle timeframes
  • Checking each insurance payment for accuracy
  • Calling insurance companies regarding any discrepancy in payments, if necessary
  • Identifying and billing secondary or tertiary insurances
  • Making sure all accounts are reviewed for insurance or patient follow-up
  • Answering all patient or insurance telephone inquiries pertaining to assigned accounts

Where Do Medical Billers Work?

Medical billers work in a variety of health care settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, physician offices, skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, and health clinics. Billing clerks are typically employed in an office environment, although a growing number—particularly medical billers—work from home or a separate office, either as independent contractors or with firms that specialize in medical billing.

Most billing clerks typically work 40 hours per week during regular business hours.

How Much Do Medical Billers Earn?

In 2022, the average annual income reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) for medical records specialists in the United States was $51,090. The New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) reports that, in 2023, medical records specialists in New York earned a median annual salary of $51,289 (medical records specialists in the 25th percentile made approximately $39,360 while those in the 75th percentile made approximately $66,614).

Supply and Demand

The medical billing occupation is expected to see strong growth in the health care industry as numerous recent state and federal reforms will make health care available to many more people. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the number of jobs for medical records specialists in the U.S. will increase by 7% between 2021 and 2031. The New York State Department of Labor projects that the number of jobs for medical records specialists in the state will increase by 16% between 2020 and 2030.

For more information on projections of Billing and Posting Clerks by New York labor regions, 2018-2028, click here.

Educational Requirements

Most jobs in this occupation require only a high school diploma; however, many employers prefer to hire workers who have a degree or have completed some college courses such as communication, accounting, and basic computer courses.

Medical billers can obtain training in a variety of ways, including on-the-job or through certificate or associate degree education programs and Web-based learning. Many community colleges and other colleges offer certificate programs in medical billing that generally take between two and three semesters and usually consist of courses in medical terminology, accounting, basic anatomy and physiology, and medical reimbursement methods.

Traditionally, billers have either been trained on-the-job or have been medical coders who do both the coding and billing. However, the shortage of coders and the growing demand for skilled medical billing specialists have employers looking for professionals who know billing basics.

New York Licensure Requirements

While New York does not require medical billers to be licensed or certified, national professional groups, such as the American Medical Billing Association, offer certified medical reimbursement specialist (CMRS) certification. Please visit AMBA’s website for more information: www.ambanet.net/AMBA.htm. In addition, the American Academy of Professional Coders, http://www.aapc.com/, also offers medical billers credentials based on passing a qualifying exam and experience and education.

Financial Support

It may be possible to obtain financial assistance for training and education from an employer. Also, colleges and organizations that provide training for those wishing to become medical billers may have scholarships.

Education Programs in New York (subject to change)

Most jobs in this occupation require only a high school diploma, though many employers prefer workers with some billing, accounting, or customer service experience.

Information about education programs is offered by AMBA on their Web page “Medical Billing 101”: ambanet.net.

Many educational programs to become medical billers are offered online or on campus through BOCES schools, community colleges, and City University of New York (CUNY) schools, and State of New York (SUNY) colleges. Contact these agencies or search your geographic area online to find medical billing education programs convenient to you.

A sampling of programs are listed below. 

Borough of Manhattan
Community College-CUNY
Center for Continuing Educ & Workforce Dev
25 Broadway, 8th FL
New York, NY 10004
(212)346-8410
ABC Training Center
1 East Fordham Rd. 2nd floor
Bronx, NY 10468
(718) 364-6700
Berkeley College
3 E 43rd St &
12 E 41st St
New York, NY  10017
(866) 317-6087
Also, campuses in Brooklyn
& White Plains, NY
College of Staten Island
Office of Continuing Education
130 Merrill Ave
Staten Island, NY 10314
(718) 982-2182
Bryant & Stratton College
Programs available at Albany, Amherst,
Buffalo, Greece, Henrietta,
Southtowns, Syracuse, and
Liverpool campuses.
(866) 948-0571
Schenectady County Community College
78 Washington Avenue
Schenectady, NY 12305
(518) 381-1200
Hostos Community College
500 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10451
(718) 518-4444
Hudson Valley Community College
80 Vandenburgh Ave.
Troy, NY 12180
(518) 629-4822
Hunter Business School
3601 Hempstead Turnpike
Levittown, NY 11756
(516) 796-1000
or
3247 Route 112, Bldg # 3
Medford, NY 11763
(631) 736-7360
Westchester Community College
75 Grasslands Road
Valhalla, NY, 10595
(914) 606-6661
Branford Hall Career Institute
1100 North Broadway
Amityville, NY 11701
(631) 608-9113
New York Medical Career Training Institute
36-09 Main Street, 5th floor
Flushing, NY 11354
(718) 460-1717
or
500 8th Avenue, 5th floor
(between 35th-36th Streets)
New York, NY 10018
(212) 947-4444
Plaza CollegeNew York Institute of Career Development118-33 Queens Blvd
Forest Hills, NY  11375
(718) 505-4188
Kingsborough Community College2001 Oriental Boulevard
Brooklyn, NY 11235-2398
(718) 368-5200
Bronx Community College
Workforce Dev & Continuing Educ
2155 University Ave
Bronx, NY  10453
(718) 289-5170
Elmira Business Institute
Langdon Plaza
303 N. Main Street
Elmira, NY 14901
(607) 733-7177
or
Vestal Executive Park
4100 Vestal Road
Vestal, NY 13850
(607) 729-8915
Ace Institute of Technology
312 W 36th St. 2nd Fl.
New York, NY 10018
(212) 695-9700
or
4040 75th St., Ste. 4038
(718) 575-3223
ASA College
Manhattan Campus
Herald Center Mall
1293 Broadway (One Herald Center)
New York, NY 10001
or
Brooklyn Campus
81 Willoughby Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(866) 990-6148
Brooklyn Educational
Opportunity Center
Certificate Program
111 Livingston St.
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 802-3358
Queens Educational Opportunity Center
Certicate Program
15829 Archer Ave.
Jamaica, NY 11433
(718) 725-3320
Hunter College
695 Park Ave
New York, NY 10065
(212) 650-3850
Swedish Institute
College of Health Sciences
226 West 26th St.
New York, NY 10001
(212) 924-5900 ext. 199
Lehman College
250 Bedford Park Blvd W
Bronx, NY 10468
(718) 960-8000
LaGuardia Community College
31-10 Thomson Ave
Long Island City, NY  11101
(718) 482-7244
EBI Career College
4100 Vestal Rd.
Vestal, NY  13850
(607) 729-8915
Queensborough Community College CUNY
222-05 56th Ave
Bayside, NY  11364
(718) 631-6262

 
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