What are Some of the Best Techniques for Finding Medical Billing Jobs?

Medical billing jobs are an integral part of the health information management and health information technology fields. Because there are so many medical billing job scams advertised, particularly on the Internet, job seekers must proceed with caution and hone their job search techniques using only credible resources.

Generally speaking, persistent networking and research are the overriding key techniques needed forfinding legitimate entry level medical billing jobs. More specific examples of job hunting techniques for finding medical billing jobs include:

1. joining an accredited certifying organization
2. taking advantage of government employment programs, and
3. volunteering your services.

Join an Accredited Certifying Organization

Visit the websites of accredited certifying organizations geared to health information management professionals. Consider joining one or more that may be right for your skills. All of these organizations offer networking opportunities for job seekers. These organizations include the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the Professional Association of Healthcare Coding Specialists (PAHCS), the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC), and the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA).

1. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) serves 61,000 members. Networking opportunities include their Community of Practice (CoP) online forums where AHIMA members share issues, problem solve, and keep up to date on the latest professional trends. They also offer their Career Assist database, described as a “repository for available positions in the medical coding field.” Note that medical billing jobs fall within the field. AHIMA also offers a career coaching serve, particularly useful for new job seekers.
2. The Professional Association of Healthcare Coding Specialists (PAHCS) is an organization geared toward healthcare information professionals seeking work in specialized medical areas such as cardiology, gastroenterology, pediatrics, emergency medicine, dermatology and general surgery. PAHCS holds an annual conference that includes educational and networking sessions for health care coding professionals in those specialized areas.
3. The American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC) offers member job resources for health information management (HIM) specialists. Medical billing jobs fall within this vocational category. AAPC job seeker resources include their Health Care Jobs Database and their Employment Forums with online networking opportunities among more than 100,000 members. You can also join an AAPC chapter, if there is one near you, for local face-to-face networking opportunities. They also offer Project Xtern, a professional internship program aimed at newly certified HIM professionals.
4. The National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA) offers peer networking opportunities among cancer registry professionals via their Interactive Online Discussion Forums. NCRA’s website also offers a job bank where members can create a free personal account for their job search. Medical billing jobs can fall within the Cancer Registrar Technician specialty area.

Take Advantage of Government Employment Programs

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (AARA) was created to save existing American jobs and create new ones. AARA’s website offers a database where you can find jobs by entering “medical billing” into the search engine. Available jobs can include medical billing jobs posted by companies that are prime recipients of Recovery Act awards.

You can also search for jobs at the websites of specific states that offer their own Recovery Act-specific job searches. As of 2011, these states include Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Massachusetts and North Carolina. All other state websites have their own non-Recovery Act job search databases.

USAJobs.gov is another available federal government job search database. Just enter “medical billing” and select a U.S. city, state or zip code to find medical billing jobs near you.

Another government job opportunity is the U.S. Department of Labor’s Registered Apprenticeship Programs geared to job seekers with a high school diploma or equivalent. Many states offer training for medical billing and related jobs as part of Apprenticeship Programs. Note that most states have apprenticeship program websites. Aspiring apprentices should visit these websites for more program information.

Volunteer

For newly certified jobseekers, try volunteering your services at a hospital, a physician’s office or a related healthcare professional setting. The object is to get your foot in the door to get an inside networking advantage when a medical billing job becomes available.