What is Medical Coding?

When we think of medical professions, our minds naturally drift to the faces of healthcare: doctors, nurses, pharmacists—anyone a patient meets face to face with. But so many others work hard behind the scenes to ensure everything runs efficiently. One group we often don’t hear about are medical coders. While patients may never physically see them, they’re a key part in seeing the medical billing process to fruition. 

What is Medical Coding?

We’re glad you asked! Medical coding might sound intimidating, and it’s a fairly complex process, but to put it simply, medical coding is the process of translating patient data, healthcare diagnoses, and medical services performed into universal codes for billing purposes. The purpose of having these codes is for a seamless transfer of medical data from one facility to another. It makes the billing process a much simpler one and makes it possible to track medical trends and data across the country. 

What Do Medical Coders Do?

Medical coders are the people responsible for translating medical reports into a simple, coded report used for medical billing. These individuals are the ones who wrap up all the gathered data, diagnoses, services performed, and more into a cohesive bill for insurance providers—one that can simply be transferred to Medicaid billing software for submission. Without medical coders, or medical codes for that matter, information could easily become jumbled or mistranslated, resulting in more rejected and denied claims. 

How Do You Become a Medical Coder?

Anyone interested in the field can become a medical biller, but the position requires specific training and certification, making the job a very valued one. While most medical professions require years of schooling and training, medical billers can earn certification in less than a year through online courses. This timeframe shouldn’t undermine the importance of the job or the skill sets required, but rather should encourage those interested to look further into it and see it as an achievable and rewarding career. 

Explore More Possibilities With BillPro

If you’re in the medical billing and coding industry, specifically related to Medicaid, you’re going to want to check out BillPro, our NY Medicaid billing software. Find out how our software can increase productivity and streamline your workload. Get in touch with our team today!