Medical Billing and Coding Salary

Of the many medical jobs in the health care industry, a profession as a medical billing and coding expert is one which does not involve direct communication and interaction with patients. Though a career opportunity as a medical biller and coder is from the health care sector, a major part of the job includes administrative and record keeping work.

These medical experts have to obtain all relevant documents regarding the patient's treatments and expenses, and submit it to health insurance companies for the purpose of claiming payment, owing to the medical services rendered by the facility. They are supposed to work for a standard 40 hour a week; however, they may need to work extra time depending on the claims to be processed. Along with medical billing and claims; they are even well versed in handling matters of insurance, financial analysis, medical malpractices, etc.

Factors Affecting the Salary Range

Years of Experience
The main factor is the amount of experience the individual has. Those new to the field or working for up to a year can expect a yearly pay of approximately $23,000 to $36,000. A medical billing and coding specialist with one to four years of experience can be eligible for an annual salary of about $25,500 to $37,000. A scale from $27,500 to $40,500 is for those who possess work experience of five to nine years. For professionals with 10 to 19 years of experience in the industry, the range starts from $30,000 to $40,500 annually. Those with over 20 years of experience can demand an annual pay of $34,000 to $46,000.

State of Employment
The salary differs widely depending on the state of employment. New York and California are recorded to be the highest paying states for medical billers, with a yearly remuneration from $30,000 to $44,500 and $29,500 to $42,000 respectively. On the other hand, the least paying states are Georgia and Florida with a range of $25,000 to $35,000 and $25,500 to $36,000 respectively. The widest salary range was reported to be of Texas; from $19,000 to $40,000. New Jersey and Pennsylvania offer a pay scale of $32,000 to $40,500 and $23,000 to $37,000.

City of Employment
The city also has a major part to play in the medical billing salary. Los Angeles has the highest pay range for medical coders; from $25,500 to $47,000. New York City and Philadelphia have a similar pay range from about $30,000 to $46,000. Houston, Atlanta, and Denver are considered to have a pay range from $19,000 to $40,000; $25,000 to $36,000; and $25,000 to $40,000. St. Louis had a per annum pay range of $29,000 to $33,000. Similarly, the salary varies largely from city to city.

Miscellaneous Factors
Self employed medical billers and coders have a lower salary prospects than those working in hospitals and other medical facilities. The salary range was around $28,000 to $40,000 for all those working in hospitals, private clinical facilities, non profit organizations, etc. The salary prospects may even increase if the person has a certification in the same field. In a research, it has been observed that the median salary for certified professionals falls near $38,000 per annum, as compared to $30,000 for non-certified individuals.

If you are thinking about the per hour salary, the median rate comes near $15. Note that the salary ranges for job as medical billers and coders mentioned above are current records and are subject to change over time, depending on several aspects.