More people now than ever have a chance to work at home.
You might have this opportunity after a few years of working as a billing and coding specialist for a reputable health care facility.
Positions may become more competitive after 2030, however.
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State Medical Billing and Coding Requirements
Illinois apparently does not require medical billing and coding specialists to have a license to practice.
Instead, the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) set the protocol for professionalism within the state.
You can prepare to receive as many specialized certificates as you please.
For instance, you maybe will want to receive one of these certifications: Certified Professional Coder, Certified Outpatient Coder, or Certified Inpatient Coder.
Keep in mind that billing and coding are two different occupations.
You will however increase your chance of becoming hired if you learn procedures for both of these positions.
Exam eligibility requirements do vary, just so you know.
Each one does require a certain number of hours of practical training in a medical setting where you would learn how to input codes.
You also need classroom training to learn the medical terminology used to process patient paperwork.
In addition, you are going to need to understand insurance matters before accurately processing insurance claims.
5 Medical Billing & Coding Schools Illinois
AAPC Training
The AAPC sets the standards for billing and coding specialists and also has 11 training stations throughout Illinois.
Certificate classes might take place at the Chicago Center for Arts and Technology, CPSI in Tinley Park, or Midwest Medical Institute in East Peoria.
Your training sessions may include exam preparation assistance for each coding specialization.
For instance, you might update your skills for work in different environments.
If you do, you will prepare yourself for the differing coding or billing standards, such as ones occurring within a doctor’s office or emergency room.
Rasmussen College
One of the best is Rasmussen College, which has campuses in Aurora, Chicago, Rockford, and additional locations.
This school offers an Associate’s degree in Health Information Technology, and they also have a Medical Coding & Billing certificate program.
If not at the physical campus, try online.
Ultimate Medical Academy
The UMA offers training accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).
You could sign up for available online certificate training or enroll in a health information technology associate program.
You do not have to live near the main campus of UMA Clearwater, Florida to train at UMA.
Course availability does change from time to time, however.
This school does provide an excellent medical billing and coding career guide.
Purdue University
This school provides students with health information technology training that may help them when processing medical claims.
For instance, you could learn these required certification topics: Anatomy & physiology, pharmacology, ICD-10 diagnosis codes, HCPCS procedure codes, medical office procedures, and more.
They also do have a medical billing and coding certificate track.
Midwest Technical Institute
This school has three Illinois campuses, which you would find in Springfield, Peoria, and Moline.
It has received recognition from the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools & Colleges (ACCSC).
In addition, the U.S. Department of Education acknowledges it as a credible school.
MTI has a long list of health care and medical assistant certificate and associate degree specializations.
You could even become an administrator after working as a medical coder or biller for at least a few years.
Billing and Coding Schools in Illinois – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in Illinois
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| AAPC Training | 5050 Kingsley Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45227 |
| Rasmussen College | 6000 E State St, Rockford, IL 61108 |
| Ultimate Medical Academy | 1255 Cleveland St. Clearwater, FL 33755 |
| Purdue University | 550 W Van Buren St FL 7 Chicago, IL, 60607-3827 |
| Midwest Technical Institute | 2731 Farmers Market Rd, Springfield, IL 62707 |
Salary
You can earn about $57,830 as a medical billing and coding specialist, depending on what your primary job duties are.
Learning as many medical terms as possible and receiving advanced health care information technology training may award you the highest-paying opportunities.
Look for jobs in locations such as Chicago, Aurora, Rockford, and several other locations.
Annual Salary Range:
Average Salary of Medical Biller and Coders in Illinois
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Chicago | $43,500 |
| Rockford | $40,400 |
| Aurora | $43,200 |
| Naperville | $42,700 |
| Peoria | $39,600 |
| Springfield | $37,900 |
| Joliet | $42,400 |
| Elgin | $42,800 |
| Waukegan | $41,100 |
| Cicero | $43,500 |
Regional Salary in Illinois
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | 40 | $47,760 | $22.96 | $65,830 | $30,370 |
| Carbondale-Marion, IL | 120 | $50,320 | $24.19 | $66,620 | $31,960 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | 90 | $45,400 | $21.83 | $61,950 | $31,200 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 3,320 | $56,150 | $26.99 | $79,710 | $37,420 |
| Danville, IL | 40 | $60,100 | $28.89 | $82,910 | $36,550 |
| Decatur, IL | 40 | $47,130 | $22.66 | $61,490 | $35,130 |
| Kankakee, IL | 40 | $60,300 | $28.99 | $89,010 | $40,300 |
| Peoria, IL | 270 | $51,370 | $24.7 | $69,570 | $37,200 |
| Rockford, IL | 160 | $51,230 | $24.63 | $62,780 | $34,730 |
| Springfield, IL | 130 | $51,680 | $24.84 | $68,970 | $38,330 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Schools by City
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to complete the billing and coding training?
If you try for one certificate at a time, training for the exam may only require a few months.
However, you may need to keep gaining experience before landing a full-time position.
If you work toward an associate degree, you might complete it in as little as 18 months.
Graduates become prepared for careers as billers, coders, or claim processors depending on the training focus.
What is the billing and coding job outlook?
The Medical Records and Health Information Specialists job category still has a 9% job outlook until 2030.
This comes out as fast as average.
It may award you more opportunities than if you were to try to become a legal secretary, for instance.
Are billing and coding jobs still in demand?
Some medical billing and coding jobs may still have a higher demand predicted than for nonmedical administrative assistants.
For instance, legal assistant needs have declined by 22%, and the need for general secretaries or assistants has declined by 7%.
You might face some fierce competition, however.
After all more people learn that they may have the chance to work at home in this profession.
It is probably time to decide to prepare for this career before everyone else does.
That may give you an advantage over less-experienced people within the next 10 years as of 2020.
