If you'd like to work at home but don't quite know what to do, consider starting a medical billing home business. This can be a rewarding career, although it's going to take work, patience, and perseverance. Beware of scams that tell you that you can simply do this without having to work. In other words, you're going to have to do more than "simply sit back and collect the payments!" As with any other kind of business it's going to take some dedication, perseverance, and a sense of responsibility.

First things first

You'll need to learn about medical billing and all that entails. Many technical colleges, for example, offer certification programs. The American Academy of Professional Coders, for example, offers a state-by-state listing of courses offered that you can take advantage of.

What you'll need to get certified

In addition to a certification course, there are several other absolute necessities if you want to be good and in demand. In general, you'll need a high school diploma or GED, and you'll need to be able to pass a background check. You'll also need to be able to demonstrate your command of English, particularly important because medical billing requires a very good command of the English language. Some courses, for example, will require you to complete an English composition test that is on the level of what you might do as a college freshman. If you've already got a bachelors or associates degree, you may be able to have some courses credited without having to retake them.

In your coursework, you'll study human anatomy, the fundamentals of health care delivery, and current procedural medical terminology coding. Additionally you'll study professional practice and health record documentation for health care professionals, and medical claims processing.

Professional organizations to join

As a medical billing professional, it's a good idea to join the American Medical Billing Association. The AMBA provides sources to look for work, provides online training, hosts a national conference, and -- most importantly -- offers a business start-up program for those who want to begin their own home businesses. If you're interested in a career, have taken the coursework and have become certified, post your resume and create job alerts through their Web site.

The American Academy of Professional Coders is also a good organization to join, with ongoing seminars, opportunities to network with other professionals, and a job board for those looking for employment.

Getting your resume ready

Once you've completed your coursework, put together a resume with your certification highlighted, as well as any other coursework, coding experience, or professional affiliations you have. Make sure you don't have any typos; this is VERY important, since medical billing professionals have to be very meticulous about their typing and language skills.

After this, contact local doctors' offices, clinics, and other health care practices to tell them that you have received your certification in medical billing and are looking for work. You can also peruse job boards online, both for local and for long-distance work. For more ideas on finding business, review my webpage on medical billing employment.

It's a good idea in many cases to get at least some experience in an office setting as a medical billing professional before you hang out your own shingle. You'll learn the business first-hand, after which you can go into business for yourself.