A medical billing and coding specialist is responsible for accurately recording and processing data about patients, such as treatment records, insurance information, bills, and received payments. He or she codes a patient's diagnosis and requests payments from the insurance company or directly from the individual. A medical billing and coding specialist may work in a hospital, doctor's office, physical or mental rehabilitation facility, or other health care institution.

The health care industry depends on skilled medical billing and coding specialists to accurately record and register patient information, verify their insurance policies, and keep track of patient accounts. Frequently, data entry and organization is conducted on computer systems, though some organizations maintain paper documents to keep tabs on patients. A medical billing and coding specialist will often speak directly with patients about their statements and payment options.

A medical billing and coding specialist organizes all of a patient's records, bills and statements and confirms that they are free from errors before coding information. Coding involves taking the diseases and diagnoses recorded by physicians and transcribing them into a format recognized across the entire health care industry. Specialists frequently correspond with insurance companies to verify policy information and obtain payment for patient services. When additional payments not covered by insurance are required, specialists set up payment plans and submit bills to patients.

To become a medical billing and coding specialist, a person must typically have at least a high school diploma, though many employers seek professionals who have obtained an associate or bachelor's degree in business administration, accounting, or a related field. Most medical billing and coding specialists receive on the job, paid training to learn about the different aspects of their careers. Some professionals choose to obtain certification from a nationally recognized organization, such as the American Medical Billing Association in the United States, to improve their credentials and further their understanding of the job. Certification tests can be taken at many community colleges and universities, and through accredited online programs.

Job opportunities for new medical billing and coding specialists are generally abundant across the health services industry, especially in large hospitals and public health clinics. The duties and responsibilities of specialists are changing as computer technology becomes more prevalent in medical institutions. There is a constant demand for knowledgeable, qualified medical billing and coding specialists to transfer data from existing paper records to computer files, and to establish more efficient billing and coding systems.