| Today the health care industry has expanded | | | | so it will greatly help you ease your way |
| in such a way that medical office workers are | | | | into a work-at-home business. |
| overloaded. Because of this doctors have to | | | | |
| outsource their billing work to independent | | | | Check with your state licensing divisions and |
| medical billing and coding professionals who | | | | tax agencies to find out what state and local |
| work from home. If you've thought about | | | | licenses you'll need. |
| starting up a medical billing business at | | | | |
| home, here are some tips to help you start up | | | | Once you open your doors for business you can |
| a work at home business. | | | | plan on earning an average of $10,000 per |
| | | | year for each doctor client. This statistic |
| First of all, operating a business from home | | | | comes from the Electronic Medical Network of |
| takes concentration, self-discipline and a | | | | America. |
| positive attitude. You'll want to set aside | | | | |
| specific hours for work. You'll need to get | | | | If possible, set aside $1000 to $2000 to |
| rid of any distractions. You'll be wearing | | | | start up your home-based business. You'll |
| many hats including the medical billing and | | | | need medical billing software, office |
| coding work you do for your clients, | | | | equipment, a computer and hardware, office |
| marketing your business to gain more clients, | | | | supplies, licensing fees, business cards and |
| doing your bookkeeping or arranging for a | | | | fliers and possibly mailing costs for initial |
| bookkeeper and invoicing your clients. | | | | mailings to doctors and medical offices. |
| Eventually you may need to hire some | | | | |
| employees. | | | | Before you start up your business, make sure |
| | | | your local market is not already saturated. |
| You'll need to get medical billing training | | | | The EMBNA reports that for every 1,000 |
| of course. There are quite a few training | | | | doctors in your region, two or three may be |
| programs available for you to choose from. | | | | looking for your services. Check the yellow |
| You can earn a certificate or a degree. You | | | | pages in your phone book to see how many |
| can learn online from a program or course or | | | | medical billing services you see under the |
| from an online school or on a campus. You | | | | "Billing" or "Insurance Claim Specialists". |
| will need to check these out very carefully | | | | You'll want to get a rough idea of how much |
| before you commit. Check with the Better | | | | competition you'll have. |
| Business Bureau. If online try to find out | | | | |
| if there are any complaints about the company | | | | Once you get up and running you'll need to |
| on the Internet. Make sure you read the fine | | | | start marketing your business. You may want |
| print thoroughly and completely understand | | | | to start with fliers or letter mail outs to |
| any contract you sign. Question anything you | | | | local doctors and medical offices. Network, |
| don't understand. | | | | network, network. Consider joining |
| | | | professional organizations, medical |
| You will want to try to get some hands-on or | | | | organizations and any organization that has a |
| job experience. Medical billers and coders | | | | good concentration of health professionals. |
| are responsible for how and when doctors get | | | | Join your local Chamber of Commerce if you |
| paid by the insurance companies. Because of | | | | have one. And finally make sure to mail out |
| this you're more likely to gain some good | | | | press releases to the business section of |
| clients once you get some on-the-job | | | | your local newspapers announcing your medical |
| experience. If you can get a job in a | | | | billing business. |
| doctor's or medical office for six months or | | | | |