Not too long ago, one could become a medical biller without much more than on the job experience. Nowadays, you really need to take a medical billing course. The demands of the occupation became more rigorous with the advent of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
HIPAA became the law when it was signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996. Within 10 years, it was fully implemented in the United States. Since then, standards have been in place to protect patients’ medical records and other health-related information. These are precisely the details that are routinely transmitted between health plans, doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers.
HIPAA certification focuses on compliance with the new standards regarding patients’ privacy rights and security of sensitive medical data. The objective is that all certified individuals will be accountable for meeting the criteria established by HIPAA.
Thorough knowledge of HIPAA is essential because the fine for willful violations of the law carries substantial financial penalties of as much as $250,000. In the worst-case, negligence can result in a prison term of up to a year.
Thus certification has become attractive to employers of medical billers, as well as for those in the field who are self-employed. Furthermore, HIPAA serves an additional purpose in the medical billing field. It is a deterrent to fraudulent activity.
Anyone interested in a medical billing career owes it to themselves to acquire the dual credentials of HIPAA certification and that of a Certified Medical Billing Professional (CMBP).
A convenient way to prepare for a career as a medical biller is to take the P1 Medical Billing Course with CMBP & HIPAA Certification offered by MedicalBillingCourse.com. They offer a path leading to HIPAA certification, as well as a dual program that will grant the CMBP certificate.
MedicalBillingCourse.Com offers affordable tuition. They provide flexible interest-free payment plans if needed. Yet another useful aspect of the course is that students are allowed to set their own pace at which to pass through the medical billing course.
The average income in the medical billing occupation is a healthy $53,000 a year. Demand for billing professionals in healthcare is expected to persist. Now is an excellent time to consider becoming HIPAA and CMBP certified and unlocking the door to a lucrative new career in health care.
