Medical billing and coding are one of the most pivotal parts of the healthcare industry. Medical practitioners hire billers and coders across the United States of America in order to have their medical billing and coding sorted by the experts.
Medical coders and billers work in medical facilities, healthcare centers, nursing homes, and of course hospitals. Just like any other state, medical billers and coders work in Florida also. In this article, we will be discussing what is the medical billing and coding salary Florida-based professionals earn on average.
The medical coders and billers can be found sitting behind their computers all day long fixing the bills and putting up different codes for the designated medical procedures and services.
The data which is generated by the coders and billers is considered a vital part of any organization, especially the management and information systems. This data is further used by the national and the local government along with the international agencies and different private organizations and healthcare institutes.
The data gathered by the coders and billers is often used further for the research in the medical and healthcare sector along with the resource allocation and the epidemiological studies related to medical health.
Let’s have a detailed look at the medical billing and coding salary Florida offers, and determine their worth in terms of the pay scale.
Medical billing and coding salary Florida
The salary of coders and billers in the state of Florida ranged from $13 to approximately $26. The average per hour rate hovers around $15. If we talk about the yearly income of the coders and billers in Florida, it varies somewhere between $27,034 to $53.223. The average yearly income of coders and billers in Florida ranges around $37,652.
Like other fields, the income of medical coders and billers also increased in the year 2021. The average income was somewhere around $40,220 whereas the income varied from $37,429 to about $43,988. This was a good income considering that the world was awakening from the horrific time of the coronavirus pandemic. The top tier earners of the medical coders and billers had a good income especially if you were an expert then the income was very good.
The salary range of medical coders and billers varied in different cities of Florida as a lot of important factors contribute to the salary such as health, education, experience, certifications, and some extraordinary skills as well.
Salary of medical coder and biller in Florida
The average salary of the medical coder and biller in Florida is $15.84 per hour. This is less than the national average salary of medical coders and billers. It is approximately 5% less than the national average.
The medical coders and billers also get the benefits that same professionals receive in other states of America. The most common benefits received by them are:
- Health insurance
- Vision insurance
- Dental insurance
- Paid time off
- Reimbursements
- Schedule flexibility
The medical coding and billing jobs are not looked upon as boring jobs. The reality is that it is simply a tedious job that needs a lot of attention, diligence, and concentration. One of the perks of working tirelessly in this field is that the salary is good and it is considered the most sorted field in the healthcare and medical industry.
The roles of medical billers and coders are almost the same across the world. The standard codes used by the billers and coders are CPT, ICD, and HCPCS.
Expert medical billers and coders
To receive the top salary bracket of medical coders and billers, one needs to work really hard day and night to reach the level of expert medical biller and coder. This is when a person becomes a specialist in billing and coding. Some of the key attributes of a special medical biller and coder are:
- A medical billing and coding expert can review and verify the bills
- He can vouch for the medical bills and the invoices for the patients
- He is the one to confirm that the record is up to the mark and without any ambiguity.
- He can make changes in the information system
- He can make new amendments to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the whole billing procedure.
With great power comes great responsibilities. The responsibilities increase when a person becomes an expert in his field, the same case is for the specialist medical coder and biller. They are supposed to fulfill the responsibilities such as:
- Become a firm bridge between the doctors and the patients
- The bills should be in complete compliance with the policy of medical coding
- Extract complete and relevant information about the patients
- Assign ICD-10-CM and CPT
You don’t become an expert in one day. It takes time, experience and knowledge to become an expert medical biller. The educational requirements to become a specialist in medical coding and billing are:
- Experience of at least 1 to 3 years in the field of medical billing and coding
- Training and supervision of under-trained staff
- High school diploma
- Certification or degree in the same field is a bonus point
- Excellent communication skills
- Computer skills
- People skills
- Confidentiality maintenance
The average salary of an expert medical coder and biller is $66250 in America. Interestingly, the demand for these professionals is increasing rapidly. A recent survey conducted by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics showcased that the demand for jobs in this particular field has grown about 15% in recent years.
Job opportunities
The job opportunities for medical coders and billers are in abundance across Florida. Places like Naples, Corvee, Michigan, Palm Beach Gardens, Hialeah, Saint Petersburg, and West Palm Beach offer a lot of employment and job opportunities to medical coders and billers.
The average salary for medical billers and coders in different cities in Florida re as follows:
- Alachua was $38471
- Canal Point was $41500
- Citra was $38353
- Coconut Creek was $41113
- Myers was $36990
- Clarksville was $37605
- Beverly hills were $38268
- Destin was $33390
- Gainesville was $34840
- Ormond Beach was $33530
- Lakeland Haven was $37200
- Jacksonville was $33800
- Pompano Beach was $32980
- Clarcona was $40275
- Miami was $30170
Salary based upon educational qualifications
The salary of medical billers and coders varies a lot depending on their education and certifications. We have listed below the average salaries with reference to their educational qualifications:
- Salary range with a technical certificate or a high-school diploma – $40890 to $42633
- Salary range with no diploma or a certificate – $40671 to $42337
- Salary range with a bachelor’s degree – $41153 to $42929
- Salary range with an Associate’s degree – $41021 to $42751
- Salary range with JD/MD/Ph.D.- $41460 to $41343
- Salary range with a master’s degree – $41372 to $43225
Apart from the above-mentioned educational qualifications, there are a lot of different certifications that can let you get an increment in the salary. The certifications are listed below:
- Certified documentation expert – $69,028 per year
- Certified coding specialist – $61,279 per year
- Certified Risk Adjustment coder – $61,285 per year
- Certified outpatient coding expert- $59,124 per year
If you compare the salaries of a simple diploma holder and a Ph.D., you will notice that there is not much difference but you can see that the certification changed the complete ball game. If you have done the certifications and cleared the exam, you can expect an increment in your salary in Florida, the United States of America. Therefore, if you are planning to make it a career and earn more in it then you need to earn these certifications. These certifications will enable you to earn $60,000 more than the annual salary of a non-certified medical coder and biller.
Certifications in medical coding and billing
A medical billing and coding certificate is a name given to a certain credential or a certification that a person can earn if he is planning to take the medical coding and billing profession to a next level. There are a lot of different certifications available in the market from which the person can choose.
Let’s have a detailed look at some of these courses to have an idea of how these certifications boost the earnings of medical billers and coders:
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS): It is a certification that provides accuracy and quality in the data by coding outpatient and inpatient records at any practitioner’s office.
Certified documentation expert outpatient (CDEO): This is a certification that provides an expert level of experience in the documentation of outpatients with efficient and effective coding.
Certified outpatient coder (COC): It is the best certification for the coding of outpatients in the medical industry. Once a person has cleared this certification it immediately gives a payment boost to him.
Certification risk adjustment coder (CRC): This is the certification that helps a person in reading the medical terms and chart and also aids him in assigning the adjustment models of coding promptly.
It is up to a person whichever certification he wants to choose and get accustomed to. It is mandatory to pass an exam after the certification. It boosts the salary as well as grants top-tier skills in the field of medical coding and billing.
Like any other state of the United States of America, the demand and salary of medical coders and billers vary according to their expertise level. So, if a person is planning to adopt this profession in Florida, he needs to check which certifications are worthy the most of them opt for it. This will be a career-changing move as the effects of certifications will have a long-lasting effect on his career as well as his salary in long term.
The average work time of a medical coder and biller is 40 hours per week. A person can work in his off-hours as well according to his own will. There are great opportunities to expand your worth and net salary with the help of your supervisors or managers. You can earn more if you work more.
Final thoughts
A medical coder and biller are one of the most sought-after professions in the field of medical and healthcare. The need for medical billing and coding experts is never going to end and If you are somebody who is looking for a decent salary with little or no qualification to support your college fees then this is your go-to–profession.
It might be possible that in the beginning, you get a very basic salary like $15 per hour but once you understand the dynamics of the field and improve your understanding and communication skills, that’s why your average pay scale will increase.
The medical billing and coding salary Florida based experts earn is different from other states but nonetheless, with the benefits that come with this profession, it is worth giving it a shot!