Starting a Medical Billing and Coding Career in Atlanta, Georgia

Starting a Medical Billing and Coding Career in Atlanta, Georgia

Overall, job growth in the United States is steady, but the Atlanta metro job market is thriving. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the region had over 120,000 job openings in April 2019. The outlook is even better for job seekers in the healthcare industry! In fact, healthcare employers listed more than 17,000 openings at that time. But one of the clear winners in the field is the medical billing and coding field.

Here’s what you need to know about starting a medical billing and coding career in the Atlanta, GA region:

Medical Billing and Coding is in demand in the Atlanta, GA Area

The Atlanta Business Chronicle said healthcare is a “clear leader” among metropolitan Atlanta’s major industries. By 2024, the healthcare and technology industries are expected to create approximately 55,000 new jobs in the region. But to get specific, there were over 5,000 medical billing and coding jobs listed in Atlanta last year alone. Hospitals, walk-in clinics, and other medical facilities are in need of skilled employees to fill both clinical and non-clinical openings.

The Atlanta area is home to some of the largest healthcare systems in the US

Emory Healthcare is the largest healthcare employer in the Atlanta metro area, but several other world-class facilities regularly hire medical billing and coding professionals. For example, Ciox Health was in need of healthcare professionals with a background in billing, coding, and records management.

Additionally, WellStar Health System in Marietta (one of the region’s largest healthcare employers) and the Navigant Consulting office in Atlanta were among the top employers for the specialty. Both listed a number of remote certified inpatient coders positions throughout the year. Beyond these healthcare organizations, these were some of the other well-known employers hiring medical billing and coding specialists in the Atlanta metro area:

• Anthem Blue Cross
• Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
• Dekalb Medical Group
• Fresenius
• Hospital Corporation of America
• Humana
• Northside Hospital
• Rotech Healthcare

Many different healthcare jobs in the ATL area use medical billing and coding skills

Broadly, medical billing and medical coding are two unique skillsets used by a number of healthcare professionals. For instance, the Marietta-based WellStar Health System was in need of billing specialists, patient access representatives, remote inpatient coders, and account resolution specialists — different roles that all use medical billing and medical coding skills.

In fact, some of the top healthcare roles listed in the Atlanta area include:

• Patient account representative
• Medical records clerk
• Billing and claims specialist
• Charge capture specialist

Healthcare employers prefer certified billers and coders

While Atlanta is a hotbed for new medical billing and coding jobs, you still need the skills and knowledge to join the field. Beyond this, many employers are looking for certified medical billers and coders, which demonstrates that you can jump in and make an immediate impact on the job.

The three most common certifications are the CPC, CAA, and CBCS.

• The Certified Professional Coder (CPC) emphasizes physician-based medical coding and demonstrates that you are skilled in assigning codes and following reimbursement guidelines.
• The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) credential emphasizes competency in coding and proven ability to assign codes with a high level of accuracy.
• The Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) demonstrates competency in both billing and coding skills, including assigning codes, submitting claims and conducting billing audits.

Certified billers and coders can also earn more money than their uncertified peers, making certification a worthwhile investment.

You can take an online medical billing and coding certifications course in Atlanta, or anywhere

Taking a certification course is the best way to prepare for the CPC, CCA, or CBCS exams. Online courses are both convenient and flexible. Instead of commuting to a classroom each week, you can study wherever you have web access — which makes learning as a working adult more accessible.

Likewise, it’s even possible to enroll while living in one state and finish the online course after moving to another state. So, you could live and work in Roswell and still earn your certification from UGA!

Our online courses are taught by instructors with extensive experience in the medical field, giving students real-world insight into this profession. Students learn about medical insurance, legal issues, medical terminology and advanced coding principles.

Top medical billing and coding schools in Atlanta, GA

We partner we several outstanding universities and colleges in the greater Atlanta metro area to offer online medical billing and coding training. In fact, some of our partners include:

• University of Georgia
• Atlanta Technical College
• Gwinnett Technical College
• University of West Georgia

Start your medical billing and coding career in the Atlanta, Georgia area today!

Your career in medical coding and billing starts with a certification course!

To learn more about enrolling with one of our regional partners, give us a call at (855) 520-6806  and we’ll get in touch immediately.