Medical Billing and Coding Schools in Georgia

In this article, we outline the requirements for aspiring medical billing and coding professionals in the state of Georgia. We also analyze how candidates can start their careers through effective preparation and specific training destinations.

From there, we explore what candidates can do to enhance their career prospects after completing a training program and the potential organizations to consider for certification.

Finally, the guide concludes with an overview of the salary brackets that medical billers and coders in Georgia can fall into, as well as the key factors that influence their annual earnings.

How to Become a Medical Biller and Coder in Georgia

The steps outlined below are necessary to become a medical biller and coder in the state of Georgia.

Proper Education

To develop technical proficiency, interested individuals must complete a formal medical coding and billing program. However, unlike a few other professions in the industry, prospective medical billers and coders have the luxury of completing online programs without having to set foot on an actual campus.

The majority of training programs will also be certification-oriented, meaning that they will be designed to prepare students for key certification examinations.

While it is possible to complete a medical billing and coding program in around 2 years to lead to an associate degree, the majority of training arrangements can be completed in just a few months, leading to a certificate.

Professional Credentials

Like most disciplines in allied healthcare, candidates can separate themselves from the competition by becoming certified. For medical billing and coding, certification has become so important that virtually everybody does it, and those who don’t are at a significant disadvantage.

Individuals should be glad to know, however, that there is no law requiring the pursuit of a specific credential. As such, candidates may pursue a credential offered by their desired certification organizations.

We dive deeper into the top options to consider in the next section.

Employment & Certification

After proper education, individuals in Georgia can begin their job search by updating their resumes and applying for open positions. Proper certification can be key to making this process as straightforward as possible.

Below, we analyze the general certification options for medical billers and coders in Georgia.

Explore trades with similar paths:

• Learn how to become a pharmacy technician in Georgia

Licensure & Certification Requirements

Certification is absolutely vital for prospective medical billers and coders in Georgia. Candidates must choose a nationally recognized professional organization to ensure that their credentials are properly recognized and respected by peers and institutions.

These include the American Academy of Professional Coders, the American Health Information Association, and the National Healthcareer Association. All of these organizations have excellent credentials, enabling candidates to secure employment with top organizations and establishments across the country.

Some training programs are designed to prepare candidates for a specific credential from a particular organization, while others have no unique focus. Students must be prepared to pass certification examinations and periodically renew their credentials.

Top Medical Billing and Coding Schools in Georgia

Candidates may attend any of the programs below to start their medical billing and coding careers in Georgia.

Explore medical billing and coding schools in Georgia by city:

• Medical billing and coding schools in Atlanta

Salary & Career Outlook

Several factors influence how much a medical biller and coder in the state of Georgia can expect to take home at the end of the year. However, without focusing on any singular factor, a general analysis of the profession reveals that candidates in the median-earning category can expect an annual average salary of $34,681.

Some candidates can fall into the bottom-earning category at the start of their careers, with an annual average salary of $27,501. Those who ultimately manage to be among the top earners in the state can take home up to $43,736 per year.

Conditions that determine where a candidate ends up include experience, credentials, specific employer, industry/work environment, and, of course, location.

Medical billers and coders earn the highest annual average salaries in Georgia, specifically in Alpharetta and Duluth, at $38,798 and $37,456, respectively. Those who work in Augusta manage an annual average salary of $37,035.