You may think an individual with a different race or national origin is peculiar or has strange habits. I find that all people, regardless of race, national origin, gender, or age, want the same things. All people want a safe place to live and employment that gives them the ability to provide for themselves and their family. What a boring world this would be if we all dressed the same, acted the same, and had the same ideas.

If you have an attitude of discrimination against a co-worker because of their national origin, race, gender, or age, I’m not going to try to change your mind. I WILL advise you that if you want to succeed at work, you better at least act like you are on the diversity bandwagon.

The real difficulty in relating to fellow employees comes from differences in emotional maturity, intelligence, and level of dedication to the job. Emotionally immature people may not want to cooperate with you because they feel threatened. They feel that if they help you or reveal any aspect of their job function they may lose job security.

Other symptoms of emotional immaturity are the inability to accept criticism, feeling that the company should do things the way that makes THEIR job the easiest, and just plain bossiness. Other people’s emotional maturity is one of the most difficult things to deal with on the job.

It’s also difficult to deal with co-workers who don’t have, or don’t want to have, the intelligence required to do the job. Sometimes people fain ignorance in order to avoid work or responsibility. Sometimes an individual is in a job position that they are not suited for.

Your job may provide your life with meaning and purpose. Professionalism and pride in your work may be important to you. But don’t expect everyone to have those same values. Some people are more focused on friends, family, or other preoccupations outside of work. They come to work only for the paycheck. They want to make the least amount of effort required to get the paycheck.

Your happiness and success at work requires you to accept and embrace the uniqueness of other individuals. You need to form good relationships with any co-worker whose cooperation you need in order to perform your tasks. The best way to do that is to care about them. Engage in small talk and learn what their interests are and what motivates them. Approach them with an optimistic attitude, praise, and compliments. People gravitate towards other people who make them feel good.

You must impress upon them that you are not a threat. You will not criticize them, nor threaten their job security. Help them understand that cooperation would be mutually advantageous. Let others in the company compete and vie against one another, while you team up with your co-workers for your mutual success at work.

Permission is granted for the article to forward, reprint, distribute, use for ezine, newsletter, website, offer as free bonus or part of a product for sale as long as no changes are made and the byline, copyright, and the resource box below is included.

Copyright(C)2004 Bucaro TecHelp.

To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Website and make money on the Web visit techelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter visit http://bucarotechelp.com/search/subscribe.asp

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Stephen_Bucaro

Tweet This Post

Medical billers and coders know this and feel good about the support they provide to physicians, clinics, hospitals, and patients. They know they play an important role in the business office where they are employed. Their work consists of submitting the proper documentation to a number of insurance companies and federal agencies for reimbursement in order for their employer to financially succeed and avoid fraud charges. Their specialized training and expertise lets them find work any place, any time. Numerous opportunities for trained individuals exist in medical offices, clinics, hospitals, insurance companies, and in form of freelance home-based businesses. Advancement opportunities are unlimited!

The U.S. Department of Labor states that continued employment growth for medical coders and billers is spurred by the increased medical needs of an aging population and the number of health practitioners. The Occupational Outlook Handbook reports that earnings vary widely and pay levels are governed chiefly by experience and qualifications.

Healthcare Careers Offer Job Security, Personal Satisfaction, Challenges, and Rewarding Experiences

Many interested in a career in the healthcare field decide to specialize in the medical billing and coding profession. Medical billers and coders are no longer restricted to only the doctor’s or dentist’s office but are now working in hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes, mental healthcare facilities, rehabilitation centers, insurance companies, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), consulting firms, and health data organizations, or even from home.

These highly skilled professionals are earning impressive wages everywhere they are. Typical duties of medical billers and coders include:

Explaining insurance benefits to patients and clients
Office bookkeeping and other administrative duties
Accurately completing claim forms
Explaining insurance benefits to patients
Handling day to day medical billing procedures
Adhering to each insurance carrier’s policies and procedures
Prompt billing of insurance companies
Documenting all activities using correct medical terminology
Scheduling appointments

Other job opportunities for medical billers and coders include:

Billing Specialist
Patient Account Representative
Electronic Claims Processor
Billing Coordinator
Coding Specialist
Claims Analyst
Reimbursement Specialist
Claims Assistant Professional
Medical Collector
Claims Processor
Claims Reviewer

What is Medical Billing?

Medical billing is better described as medical practice management and a doctor’s key to getting paid. Although most doctor’s offices request that payment be made at the time a medical service is provided in order to minimize billing, every medical office has a need to maintain patient financial accounts and for collecting money.

In a small family practice or suburban clinic this task may be simple and assigned to the medical assistant or nurse but in bigger practices and clinics this is the medical biller’s job!

Medical billers and coders usually work forty regular office hours from Monday through Friday on a desk in the billing office or billing department of the professional healthcare office. They must know the different methods of billing patients, understand various collection methods, ethical and legal implications, have a good working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, medical billing and claims form completion, and coding. They also must understand database management, spreadsheets, electronic mail, and possess state-of-the-art word processing and accounting skills, be proficient in bookkeeping, and be able to type at a speed of at least 45 words-per-minute.

The work area of medical billers and coders usually is in a separate area away from the patients and public eye. However, even though they are not involved in the actual process of doctors and healthcare professionals providing medical care they need to possess excellent customer service skills when it comes to making contact with clients, insurance companies, and often patients. Medical billers must know how to explain charges, deal with criticism, give and receive feedback, be assertive, and communicate effectively without becoming confused as the person is asking questions. Patients can quickly become frustrated when trying to deal with healthcare providers and bills over the phone.

While an increasing amount of patient care is being funded through HMO related insurance, where the patient makes a small copayment at the time of service and the doctor bills the managed care company for the balance, a number of patients still need to make arrangements to pay for their medical services over a period of time. Part of the medical biller and coder’s job is to contact some of these patients from time to time regarding a past due bill. Incoming calls from patients who have questions regarding a bill are also directed to the medical biller’s office. The way s/he communicates over the phone can make or break business relationships.

Other specialties closely related to the medical billing and coding profession are:

Medical Coders/Coding Specialists
Patient Account Representatives
Electronic Claims Processors
Billing Coordinators
Reimbursement Specialists
Claims Assistant Professionals
Medical Claims Analysts
Medical Claims Processors
Medical Claims Reviewers
Medical Collectors

What is Medical Coding?

Every healthcare provider that delivers a service receives money for these services by filing a claim with the patient’s health insurance provider or managed care organization. This is also referred to as an encounter. An encounter is defined as “a face-to-face contact between a healthcare professional and an eligible beneficiary.”

Codes exist for all types of encounters, services, tests, treatments, and procedures provided in a medical office, clinic, or hospital. Even patient complaints such as headache, upset stomach, etc. have codes which consist of a set of numbers and combinations of sets of numbers. The combination of these codes tells the payer (health insurance companies or government entities) what was wrong with the patient and what services were performed. This makes it easier to handle these claims and to identify the provider on a predetermined basis. In addition, the services rendered (CPT) codes have to match the diagnosis (ICD) codes to justify medical necessity.

To do this correctly for each third party payer choices have to be made from a combination of 3 coding systems totaling over 10000 codes, and which change annually. In addition, a completely new coding system, ICD-10, is proposed for reimbursement purposes in the near future.

Tools of the Trade

CPT books provide all the procedural terminology and ICD-9-CM code books have the most up-to-date information on medical diagnosis coding. The medical coder must stay current on any new ICD-9 code changes that would impact code accuracy and claims submission. HCPCS books contain the complete lists of HCPCS Level II codes with descriptions. They will guide the medical coder through current modifiers, code changes, additions and deletions. HIPAA books help to develop an effective HIPAA compliance plan and DRG books are needed for Medicare’s classification of inpatient hospital services based on principal diagnosis, secondary diagnosis, surgical procedures, age, sex, and presence of complications.

Training

Training of the medical billers and coders can range from two to four years of college, a technical school diploma, certificates from correspondence courses, to simple home study programs. Upon completion of such training many coders may seek professional certification.

Though not necessary, it is recommended and national associations are available for the certification processes.

Vocational Training

Professional medical billers and coders are in very high demand. Billing for services in healthcare is more complicated than in other industries. Government and private payers vary in payment for the same services and healthcare providers and organizations provide services to beneficiaries of several insurance companies at any one time.

Therefore, to reach proficiency in this business, basic training, clinical supervision and continued professional development is essential!

Typical Course Requirements are:

Medical Office Procedures
Medical Keyboarding
Medical Terminology
Health Structure and Function
Health Care Records Management
Medical Insurance
Survey of Pathology
CPT-4 HCPCS II, III
Healthcare Laws and Ethics
Basic Coding ICD-9-CM
Basic Pharmacology
Medical Transcription
Externship
National Exam
General Education Requirements

Professional Advancement Opportunities

A recent American Hospital Association survey showed that about 18% of billing and coding positions remain unfilled due to a lack of qualified candidates. Most companies and practices are looking for schooling and experience mostly because of the legal ramifications of incorrect billing practices.

However, medical billers and coders are also able to work independently out of their homes where they established a home based billing office. There are plenty of electronic billing programs available that can be set up through home office computers. Also, there is the possibility to become an independent insurance specialist or consultant who helps patients understand their insurance bills and what they should be paying.

Opportunities also exist as patient account managers, physician office supervisors and management, various types of personnel managers in the healthcare industry, health claims examiners, and medial billing and coding instructors. The more education the individual has, the more employment options are available and advancement opportunities become virtually unlimited!

Professional Certification

As in so many healthcare professions certification in the medical billing and coding field is not required but highly recommended. The days of the single family practice medical assistant or nurse typing out an invoice after office hours are history. Even the smallest offices and clinics have changed to computer billing because it offers greater coding accuracy, saves time, and can be used by administrators and auditors to ensure that visits are being coded to the appropriate levels which increases revenues.

Understandably, these offices and companies are looking for individuals who are certified in their field to ensure the employer that the individual whom they hire is competent and proficient.

There are numerous well known and well respected organizations sponsoring these types of examinations. Intersted candidates should research each one and find the one that most suits your needs: American Association of Medical Billers (AAMB) offers Certified Medical Biller (CMB) and Certified Medical Billing Specialist (CMBS) examinations. The National Association of Claims Assistant Professionals (NACAP) offer Certified Claims Assistance Professional (CCAP) and Certified Electronic Claims Professional (CECP). The examinations for Certified Procedural Coder (CPC), Certified Coding Specialist (CPS), Accredited Record Technician (ART), and Registered Record Administrator (RRA), are administered through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). The National Healthcareer Assosciation (NHA) is offering their Medical Billing and Coding (CBCS) credential.

If your objective is to work for a medical office, group practice, healthcare provision network, or hospital as the medical billing and coding specialist keep in mind that most private practices, organizations and hospitals throughout the country not only prefer but often require national certification as a competency standard.

To learn more about this very rewarding career visit the Medical Billing and Coding Net web site at http://www.medicalbillingandcoding.net

© 2003 Danni R. of the Medical Billing & Coding Net. Reprint permission available by request.

Article must be complete and must include all contact information.

About The Author

Danni R. is a certified medical assistant through the AAMA and NHA, and MA Instructor at such well known vocational training institutions. Her background is a unique blend of healthcare sciences and freelance web design and graphic arts, which makes her the ideal author for medical assisting articles, web sites, and various online courses. It is this fusion of contrasting disciplines that makes her work so successful on the Internet! You may also visit her web sites at http://www.certmedassistant.com, http://www.medicalassistant.net, and http://www.medicalbillingandcoding.net to get better acquainted with her work!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Danni_R

Tweet This Post

Getting a medical assistant education can be completed at many community college and online programs. In as little as a year, you can begin a program and graduate as a certified medical assistant (CMA). This diploma program is popular with recent graduates and those looking to upgrade their career to become part of an office environment.

As a CMA, you will learn to become familiar with computer systems that are used in an office environment. Patients phoning to book an appointment will have to be entered into a database program. A CMA must be proficient with the database program to enter new patient information into the program, update contact information, as well as booking future appointments. Often, training will be completed on these general types of programs in CMA training programs and experience with these programs will help the graduate when they are trying to find jobs.

Other office duties that are important for a CMA are taking patient information once they have entered the office and charting notes such as height, weight or the reason for the visit at that time. A CMA will chart this information, so it is able to save time for the doctor to complete the exam, talk with the patient and prescribe medication or create an appointment with a specialist. Often, these tasks can save valuable minutes when the doctor sees the patient. Be sure to note whether the doctor prefers the measurements in pounds, or kilograms and inches or centimeters.

Being able to assist with other procedures is essential when preparing for a CMA career. Often, these procedures include assisting with yearly physicals, or completing eye tests within the office for medicals. Along with these procedures, medical instruments must be cleaned and sanitized within the office to ensure that the patients are protected when procedures such as stitching, or stitch removal within the office. Highly specialized sanitizing tools are used to sanitize these instruments. Steam is used to clean the instruments and sanitize them so they are safe for use with another patient.

Medical terminology is an essential part of preparing. The terminology used will allow you to converse with specialist offices when booking appointments for the patients, or to understand laboratory results when they have arrived in the office. This way, you can determine whether lab results are critical and must be attended to immediately.

The first step to getting a job as a CMA is applying for a Medical Assistants Degree The medical assistant program will not only open the door to many CMA jobs, but also allow the student to increase their medical knowledge and gain valuable contacts within the medical industry.

Learn how to get a job as a medical assistants with a Medical Assistants Degree

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ari_Alhadeff

Tweet This Post

This morning I rushed out of the house before the kids got
up. I walked into the office at 8am there was a pile of
notes on my desk relating to people who had called yesterday
(I took the day off to visit my mother in hospital and to
wait for a sofa to be delivered). I did take some work home
with me, but didn’t manage to even open my briefcase. When I
saw all the messages on my desk, I wondered how I was going
to get through the day, let alone the rest of the week.

Just as I tackle one task, my mind tends to wander off on to
what I haven’t done. Sometimes I feel so guilty that I can’t
get my act together. I seem to have continual 24-hour
chatter going on in my head. I’d love to find a way to stop
my head buzzing. I find my inner critic so unhelpful,
telling me to get a grip on my life. If only I could!

At work I know I have achieved such a lot. In some ways, I
have more than exceeded my dreams, promoted several times,
but my hours and responsibilities have increased. I have 3
children (all boys, 7, 9 and 15) and consciously made a
decision not to work until my youngest started school. More
and more I am worried that I may be neglecting them. My
family used to be so proud and supportive of me, but now
they can’t understand why I continue to work.

My husband, who until recently has been so supportive, read
me the riot act at the weekend. My family were visiting from
India. I had spent all day Saturday cooking, and then
promptly fell asleep in the chair just after dinner. I feel
so embarrassed that I can’t manage my own life, the life I
dreamed of has fallen apart.

Every so often I question why I need to spend so long at the
office, but I have worked so hard to get where I am that I
tend to dismiss this question very quickly. Now I’m
beginning to wonder if everyone else is right. Should I give
up working? The truth is I am drowning; I am torn in all
directions. I do worry about work. I worry that I am not a
good wife. I worry that I am not a good mother. I am often
so distracted that I don’t listen to what the boys say
anymore. I want to stop all this stress, but I don’t know
how.

Is it time to look in the mirror?

In writing this email to you, I am beginning to realise that
I can’t continue life at this pace. I used to think I was
being very effective by working 16 hours a day. I have
placed so many expectations on myself, I am not doing
anything well. But I think if I can be more refreshed at
work, have more fun at home, I will find my work so much
more rewarding.

Is it only me that finds it so hard? I love my job, so I
don’t just want to give it up. I’m sure there must be
another way that I just can’t see right now, to lead a less
stressful life without sacrificing everything I have worked
so hard to achieve.”

Nadia’s story is a classic example from someone who is too
caught up in her hectic lifestyle to realise what may appear
obvious to others who are reading this. It is much easier to
look from the outside; it is tough when it’s your own life!

If you feel that your life is veering out of control, it may
be time to face your own truth. Sometimes it takes family
intervention to turn our attention to how bad things have
become, which is what Nadia’s husband did. Sometimes it
takes huge debts, losing a job, becoming seriously ill, or
losing a good friend or partner.

What will it take for you to pay attention to the stress in
your life?

It takes courage to change our lives, especially if we are
not sure what to do, how to do it, whether we will like the
changes, or if we are worried about what others will think
of the new us.

It takes bravery to ask searching questions because we may
not be ready to hear the answers. I call this ability having
a ‘Courageous Conversation’ (CC) with yourself. What are
CCs? Questions we may have been thinking about for a long
time but have been reluctant to answer.

Let’s switch back to Nadia for a moment. Why wasn’t she
being honest and having a CC with herself? Why did it take
so long for her to reveal how she was really feeling? It
seemed pointless to tell herself the truth about how unhappy
she was, because she had tried cutting down her hours before
and it hadn’t worked. The only possible solution she could
see was to give up work totally and she really didn’t want
this. So she had put off her CC because she couldn’t
envision a viable solution.

Too busy to think straight?

As Nadia started to think about her working week, she
realised that over the last year she had rarely taken a
break at any time during the day. In order to manage her
mountains of work, she always ploughed straight through. Yet
she often questioned how effective she was, with her head
full of things she hadn’t got round to doing.

She decided to take a 30-minute break each day – no matter
how overloaded she felt. Near to her office was a small but
vibrant park and, most lunchtimes, she would take a walk and
sit quietly for 15 minutes. By allowing a little time each
day for this quiet reflection, she began to realise that, in
the same way that she had taken care of her family, she had
fallen into the trap of taking care of everyone at work as
well. Unfortunately, everyone had been taking advantage of
her kindness. She spent most of the day answering questions
and finishing off work that hadn’t been completed by others.
As a result, she always ended up staying late each day just
to keep up with her own work.

I once asked a client this simple question: Are you living
the life you want to live? His answer was honest: I am not
going to answer that question because, if I do, I will be
forced to do something about it.”

You have the answers but are you brave enough to ask the
right questions? When Nadia finally summoned up the courage
to share her honest feelings with me, she started being
honest with herself. Everyone has their own truth waiting to
be recognised, and that includes you. Is it time you took a
few minutes to ask yourself some honest questions?

About The Author:

Carolyn Matheson is a nationally recognized Coach, Speaker and Author of “Yes to Less Stress”, available online from http://www.areustressed.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Carolyn_Matheson

Tweet This Post

If you are lucky enough to have those resources, though, or find you can start with something part-time, here are some great ideas to research and look into.

1. Do you want to stick with childcare? Become a daycare owner or perhaps a doula.

2. Do you enjoy writing? Mix it up with one of your other passions by becoming a travel writer, a mystery writer, a published writer, a book editor or a children’s book author.

3. Do you enjoy food and wine? There are options for becoming a food critic, a caterer or personal chef or even a wine merchant.

4. Do your passions lie in the fields of health and beauty? From home you can become a makeup artist, a yoga teacher, spa owner or you can venture not far from the home to become a boutique owner.

5. Do your strengths lie in organizing and planning? Think event planner, party planner, professional organizer or wedding planner.

6. Do you like to spend time around the home, but need to make money? Investigate your options for becoming an interior decorator, home stager or redesigner, become the owner of a bed and breakfast or a real estate agent.

7. Do you have green fingers? Start a landscaping company or become a florist.

8. Are you that person that inspires people to be better? Become a motivational speaker, a life coach or an image consultant.

9. Have I missed something? Try starting a nonprofit business or pet-sitting business, become an antique dealer, personal shopper or secondhand store owner.

Maybe look into virtual assistant jobs?

Of course all these options require further investigation, research and looking into, but hopefully you got at least an idea or two and that’s a start, isn’t it?

Tweet This Post

Start by being realistic, only you know when they nap, how long they nap, what time they go to bed and how long after that you are willing to stay up to work. A very good place to start is to establish a strict routine – children of all ages flourish with routines – plus it will make planning any kind of work from home a lot simpler for you. If there are household tasks you prefer to do while your child is sleeping, remember to factor those in too.

Once you have established these points, dedicate yourself fully to each situation. When you are working do whatever it takes to be able to focus on the task at hand 100%, and equally when you are spending time with your child don’t count on getting any work done. You will quickly realize the trying to work while your child is awake is only frustrating. You will constantly be distracted and you’ll just feel guilty for getting frustrated with your child all the time.

Thinking that you can spend more time working than you realistically can, very quickly leads to failure and is probably one of the main reasons why jobs for moms is often considered a myth and methods claiming it is possible, considered spam. Most any business requires some investment to be successful and takes time to establish, so to get on the right path to success start by determining a realistic amount of time you can spend on it and don’t expect to be making a bunch of money overnight.

Tweet This Post

The next step: find that job. From bookkeeping to secretarial jobs, moms can find a part time or full time job that can be done at home. Show your uniqueness; now is your chance to create a product or service you are passionate about, that reflects your personal goals and values. You will decide, if you want to work alone or with a hand-picked team of people, you admire and respect. Telecommuting jobs for moms are very popular. There are also a host of jobs for moms on the internet; for example, network marketing, telemarketing, selling your products on bidding website. Finding a job to fit you and your kids schedule is not impossible.

If you want to work outside of the home, look for jobs that accommodate your needs; for example, some jobs offer babysitting or after school care. Start with local schools, some may require you to take a civil service exam. The hours working in a school, are advantageous to you because you and your children will have the same hours, holidays and vacation time. Hospitals working hours are also flexible. Hospitals, as well as other organizations have volunteer programs, which are a great way to network and also apply for future jobs. For mom having a job is possible, just make sure you take time for yourself.

Tweet This Post

What about you?

Are you one of the victims? Are you giving up your financial freedom?

Please don’t.

Don’t go chasing every internet marketing rabbit trail. The internet is literally so big, and there are so many marketers trying to make a quick buck from YOU, that you could spend ALL day, every day just chasing illusions of internet riches.

If you only chase after those hyped up illusions every day, then you will NEVER find what you’re looking for.
There does come a point where you have to take a small leap of faith and “try” something. In other words, you will have to do some work.

The problem is, whose method should you try? After all, your time is valuable and you don’t want to waste it on hype.
The best advice I can give you is to find someone who has done it already, and do what they do. I’m not talking about someone who “says” they know some secret method. I’m talking about
someone who IS making money.

That person could be me, or it could be another internet marketer that you’ve grown to trust. The bottom line is, there’s just too much crap out there for anyone to find the right way on their own. It took me years to find the right way, and today there’s exponentially more hype and junk on the internet than when I started.

If I had to do it all over again today, starting with zero knowledge, I’d be totally lost.

Thankfully, there’s a simple program that’s going to save your time and money.

This company has been in business since January 2005.
HonestEonline.com, Trust-Guard.com and Truste.org have *PERSONALLY* reviewed this program and said it is not hype – it’s the real deal.

Finally!

Please, don’t waste your time on programs that don’t work for you. There are so many opportunities out there that there’s no need for you to waste your time on the ones that aren’t working.

I hope that this advice will put you into the right frame of mind as you read this letter.

Have a great day!

P.S. There’s also a proof of income that I’d like to show you on the website with glowing testimonials from our members. You owe it to yourself to at least check it out.

Tweet This Post

Tweet This Post