Wyoming (WY) Medical Billing and Coding Schools and Job Description

Attaining a valuable skill in an important field opens up lots of opportunities to find quality employment. It also helps to join a profession that is in demand. Medical billing and coding meets all the criteria and provides a bright future filled with job security. Competitive pay is another perk that comes with being a medical biller or coder and that line of work is constantly adding new professionals to fill positions in what has become a growing profession.

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Education Requirements

In the state of Wyoming, a high school diploma or GED equivalency can get students started on a medical billing and coding education. This provides students with the foundation for learning the skills that will be required to work as a medical biller or coder in Wyoming. Colleges may ask applicants for high school transcripts, although no college credits are needed to begin an educational path in medical billing and coding.

General Overview of a Medical Biller and Coder

Medical billers in Wyoming perform different job functions than medical coders. Medical billers retrieve all of the necessary patient information and then turn it into a claim, which is actually a legal bill. These claims are reviewed by medical billers in Wyoming and sent out to the responsible payer, which is usually an insurance company. Medical billers also conduct follow-ups to these claims. That could result in a collection of payments, referral to collections or the establishment of a payment plan.

Medical billers interact with patients and insurance companies on a regular basis. There are common patient questions directed to medical billers, who also deal with insurance carriers. Coordinating payments can take a good deal of back and forth and medical billers are often the intermediates.

The job of a medical biller involves its share of clerical work, but also requires a significant amount of communication. For those reasons, medical billers in Wyoming are organized, personable and detail-oriented. There is a lot that goes into the daily work assignments of a medical biller, making it necessary to multi-task. The volume of claims and all those specifics involved demand a good eye for detail among Wyoming medical billers.

Medical billers could not perform their job function without the codes that are used on every patient claim. These codes are provided by medical coders. Wyoming medical coders do not have to deal with the number of people medical billers encounter on a daily basis. Much of the medical coding work can be done independently.

Medical coders are provided with medical reports that detail all of the services provided to a patient. It is their job to take those reports and assign the appropriate codes. That translation is a skill that demands a sound knowledge in medical coding.

Medical coders also look into patient histories and sometimes confer with physicians in case some services are not clearly stated in the medical reports. Medical coders in Wyoming make use out of health documentation procedures while also maintaining confidentiality and abide by HIPPA guidelines. Medical coders are counted on to be very accurate, particularly since their work affects the financial reimbursement of a health care facility or private practice.

Wyoming License Requirements

There are various medical professionals in Wyoming that require a license to attain and maintain employment. However, medical billers and coders do not belong to that group. There is no license application, fee, or process that medical billers and coders need to concern themselves within the state of Wyoming. Medical billing and coding certifications do not count as licenses.

Medical Billing and Coding Certification Requirements

Medical billers and coders generally hold some form of certification or degree. This serves as proof that they have been properly trained to perform their respective job assignments. A certificate from a post-secondary school can be earned in 6-12 months, depending on the specific curriculum. Meanwhile, an Associate’s Degree of Applied Science in Medical Billing and Coding can be earned after completing four full-time semesters. That option usually takes two years.

Medical billing and coding are combined in certificate and degree programs as students learn the functions of each job. This gives students the option of becoming a medical biller, medical coder, or finding a job that combines the both of those duties.

It is up to each Wyoming health care facility to set their own standards for the hiring process. Normally, a certificate or degree is required to gain employment. There is also the option of adding to one’s credentials by passing a certification exam offered by the AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association) or AAPC (American Academy of Professional Coders).

There is no one certification that is mandatory throughout Wyoming for medical billers and coders. However, earning a certification or degree greatly increases the chance of landing a medical billing or coding job. Hospitals, insurance companies, nursing homes, physicians’ offices and medical centers employ medical billers and coders with some type of certification or degree.

Job Prospects and Potential Pay

Medical billers and coders in Wyoming are categorized as health information technicians. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the average salary of a Wyoming health information technician at $38,890 per year. The top end salary reported in Wyoming for health information technicians stands at $57,780 annually. The medical billing and coding profession is continuing to grow in Wyoming with a 13% job growth expected over the next eight years.

Wyoming cities with medical billing and coding education institutions: Cheyenne

Top Wyoming cities/areas for medical billing and coding careers: Casper and Cheyenne

A few potential employers of medical billers and coders in Wyoming:

Resources

Medical Coding Jobs in Wyoming

Browse through the many medical coding jobs in Wyoming and apply directly online.

Wyoming Medical Billing Jobs

Find one of the current medical billing job openings in Wyoming on this website.

Wyoming Health Information Management Association

Check out the Wyoming job board, calendar of events and other resources on the AHIMA’s Wyoming website.

Wyoming Hospital and Medical Centers

Browse through all the Wyoming hospitals and medical centers, complete with links to each website.

Steps to Become a Medical Biller and Coder