A Top Career for Stay-At-Home Moms
Being a stay-at-home mom is a noble choice, but given the current economy, you may need to consider ways to bring in some extra cash.
According to SmartAsset’s Inflation Calculator, what you could pay for with $100 in 2014 now costs $133, on average, in 2024—a 32.51% cumulative inflation rate. Maybe you could live on one income 10 years ago but today you are looking to supplement your family’s income.
If you are a stay-at-home mom looking for a flexible, remote career with good earning potential, you may want to consider medical billing and coding. Medical billing and coding is an accessible career field that stay-at-home moms can break into without an advanced degree.
What is medical billing and coding?
The field of medical billing and coding involves processing patient data and is part of the healthcare profession. A medical billing and coding specialist makes sure that healthcare providers are reimbursed accurately and efficiently for the services provided. Since all of the data is processed on a computer and no patient interaction is necessary, this career is very remote-friendly, perfect for stay-at-home moms.
Medical billing and coding job responsibilities include:
- Accurately coding for services, procedures, diagnoses, and treatments
- Preparing and sending invoices or claims for payment
- Correcting rejected claims
- Tracking payments
- Following up with patients and insurance companies about outstanding bills
What will I make?
According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, the annual median salary in 2023 was $48,780. This means that some medical billing and coding specialists earned less than this amount, and some made even more. The top 10 percent of earners in the field made more than $77,810. What you will make depends on a variety of factors, including how many hours you plan to work during the week. Many medical billing and coding specialists work full time, but you do not have to. You may choose to work part-time to be more available for your kids if you are not the sole breadwinner.
Another piece of good news from the Occupational Outlook Handbook is that the field is expected to increase by eight percent from 2022 until 2032, which is an above average rate of increase. This looks promising for those looking to obtain employment in the medical billing and coding field.
Medical billing and coding has the potential to bring in a significant amount of cash flow for your family, without needing to leave home.
How do I get started in the field?
There are multiple pathways to enter the enter the medical billing and coding field, but an easy way to start is by completing an online career training program. You can complete an online career training program to learn the skills and prepare for an industry recognized certification exam. This provides a clear pathway for you to move forward.
Blackstone’s AAPC aligned Medical Billing and Coding Program
We offer a self-paced, online career training program, ideal for stay-at-home moms. With no live meetings, you can work on your program at a time that works for you, even while your kids are sleeping! When you enroll with Blackstone, your tuition is all-inclusive, meaning we include your online textbooks, an AAPC Coding Book Bundle, an AAPC membership, a CPC® study guide and practice exams, and a CPC® exam voucher (2 attempts). What this means for you is you don’t need to separately purchase textbooks or preparation materials for the CPC® examination or pay for the CPC® examination on your own.
Below is how to achieve certification through Blackstone’s program:
Admissions Requirements
Unsure if you’re qualified enough to take the program? Think again! You only need a high school diploma or GED/high school equivalent to enroll.
You must also pass a Reading Assessment as the first step in your program. For more details, see our admissions requirements page.
What You Will Learn
Our accredited Medical Billing and Coding Program is designed to prepare you for an entry-level position as a medical billing and coding specialist. The curriculum includes CPT, HCPCS and ICD-10-CM coding with hands-on practice coding real world, redacted medical records using CPT®, ICD-10-CM and HCPCS Level II code sets. We want to give you the skills and hands-on experience needed to enter the field upon graduation.
Program Outcomes
- Define and explain different learning styles and learning strategies
- Identify the parts of a computer and explain how technology is used in the office
- Identify common word elements in medical terms
- Identify common medical terms related to the organization of the body and the various body systems
- Analyze medical terms to determine their meaning
- Identify the parts of speech, the parts of sentences, and sentence type
- Demonstrate correct English usage by choosing the correct part of speech in a sentence
- Evaluate written communications to identify problems and suggest solutions
- Explain and identify types of health insurance
- Understand the life cycle of an insurance claim
- Demonstrate an understanding of ICD-10, HCPCS II, and CPT coding
- Study medical office procedures
- Evaluate resumes and cover letters to identify problems and offer solutions
- Consider ways to proactively search for work as a healthcare professional
If you are interested in an affordable, accredited, and certification aligned program and want to learn more, you can request information here. We want what is best for you and your family. If you are wondering if Blackstone is a good fit for you, you are welcome to call us at 800-826-9228 during our office hours and ask to speak with an admissions advisor.
Disclaimer: Blackstone Career Institute, an accredited school, cannot guarantee employment, job promotion prospects, or income increases.
