Monday, October 25, 2010

Medical Coding & Billing - General Duties and Jobs

What are the various duties that the medical coding and medical billing professionals have to do? Computerization and globalization has greatly helped in successfully managing the country's vast health care and health insurance needs of the people. The fast growing community of medical coders and billers is a force to reckon with. Here is a list of some of the duties that they may have to handle in the course of their work.

    * Insurance benefits presentation to patients / clients
    * Administrative work / bookkeeping
    * Completion of claim forms
    * Medical billing procedure handling
    * Signature verification
    * Data entry
    * Supervision work
    * Adhering to each insurance carrier's policies and procedures
    * Software based medical data/charts analysis
    * Interaction with healthcare providers
    * Billing work of insurance companies
    * Documenting all activities using the right medical terms
    * Scheduling appointments

What are the different jobs and designations that medical coders / billers can get? Depending on the type of work specialization, and the employer, these are some of the different job titles the qualified medical coders/ billers work may work under.

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

We know that while claiming the reimbursement for the medical bill from an insurance company it is necessary to prove the medical necessity of the case! It is the medical coder who needs to scan all patient data / record and then prove that all the rendered services were justified.

One of the interesting aspects of working in this sector of the health care industry is that the requirements for the medical biller /coder's job is never limited by either location, gender, race, religion, or physical disabilities. It is well known that the demand for medical and pharmaceutical services is ever increasing and therefore medical coders and billers are getting good employment opportunities.

Insurance Risk Management Jobs - What Does A Risk Manager Do?


In the insurance sector the job of a risk manager in simple terms is to work out how likely someone is to claim and what premium would be required should they need to pay out on the policy.

An example of risk management in work could be, given the recent changes in the UK law, anyone found using a mobile phone whilst driving is liable to a fine and penalty points on their license. The idea follows anyone who has been found using their mobile and received penalty points is more likely to have an accident & claim on their policy. If they have disobeyed traffic laws in the past this implies they might do again in the future. Therefore their premium is higher to cover the greater likelihood of a claim.

The role of a risk manager typically goes through four stages

Planning - normally this involves understanding the process or what happens that needs to be insured. By understanding the detail a risk analyst is able to understand the potential outcomes of a situation and make reasoned judgments & recommendations.

Mapping out - this involves working out the various stake-holders and to what extent each risk needs to be assessed based upon the likelihood of the risk & consequences of that event.
Defining a framework - now that the risk itself has been identified a framework is important to understand & explain your findings.

Developing an analysis - here is where the experience & training really becomes important. It is the analysis & recommendations that are created during risk management that helps those creating premiums understand the situation even if they may not be familiar with the intricacies of that specific case.

However the role of an experienced and qualified risk manager can be a lot more complex & challenging. Field assessments as well as the production of detailed risk reports are all part of the job.

Given the important role insurance has within every area life an insurance job offers real potential for future growth. There are a number of organisations which risk analysts can become members of, which provide support, training & professional opportunities to their members. Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) is one of the main organizations and they offer a variety of specific qualifications which would be worth considering as part of your ongoing development in risk management.

Arkansas Insurance Adjuster - 3 Steps to Become a Licensed Adjuster in Arkansas


Arkansas residents interested in becoming an independent claims adjuster working catastrophic claims across the country should strongly consider first obtaining their resident Arkansas adjuster license. Non-residents interested in working claims in Arkansas may be required to obtain this license before being allowed an assignment. There is an exam required and a stipulation regarding experience. Follow these 3 steps to obtain and maintain your adjuster license in Arkansas.

Step 1) Observe the Requirements

Individuals applying for an Arkansas adjuster license must be 18 years of age or older. According to the Arkansas Department of Insurance, if you are a resident of Arkansas you must have "at least one year of experience in claims adjusting or must work under the direct supervision of an Arkansas licensed adjuster for 1 year after licensure to maintain the adjuster license." Finally, residents must pass an insurance adjuster exam administered by Promissor.

Step 2) Obtain the License

To successfully become a licensed Arkansas adjuster, you will need to fill out and submit the Adjuster Application Form AID-LI-ADJ and accompany it with a $60 licensing fee. Page 5 of the application requires your consent to allow the State Police to conduct a criminal record search and release any results to the Arkansas Insurance Department. This, however, only applies to resident applicants. Arkansas grants reciprocal licensing privileges to non-resident adjusters holding a license in their home state. Unfortunately, if your home state does not require a license to be an adjuster, you must then pass the Arkansas adjuster exam.

Step 3) Maintain the License

Licensed Arkansas adjusters must renew their license once yearly by submitting a renewal application and a $35 renewal fee. There are no Continuing Education requirements mandated by Arkansas for the proper maintenance of the adjuster license.

Summary: Ultimately, residents of Arkansas will want to obtain their resident Arkansas adjuster license - whether you intend to work claims there or not. Independent catastrophic adjusters who work outside the state but have their primary residence in Arkansas should strongly consider obtaining this license. Many states will not allow you to reciprocally obtain their license if you are not licensed in your resident state. This is not your prototypical risk state for disaster, but as it borders the tornado belt, and with frequent hail storms and flooding, non-resident applicant interest should remain stable. For additional licensing information, refer to the complete Arkansas insurance adjuster requirements.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daniel Kerr has served as a career and training consultant for thousands of experienced and aspiring professionals in the insurance claims adjuster industry. In addition to his work as a catastrophic claims adjuster, Daniel acted as the V.P. of Operations for one of the most successful adjuster licensing companies in the country - helping to grow the business into the most recognized brand in the industry.

Top 5 Jobs Which Require Life Insurance!

Life insurance is an important aspect of everyone's lives and is something which everyone will have to face at some point in time throughout their lives. This point may come sooner rather than later for some individuals because of the job they perform on a daily basis.
While some individuals start everyday by putting on their suits and racing to get to the coffee shop for their morning coffee, others are strapping on their work boots and preparing themselves for a day of excruciatingly hard labor. As scary as it may sound, there are many individuals who are willing to put their lives in danger every single day when they get up and go to work.
The following is a list of the top 5 jobs which are considered to be the most dangerous jobs in the world. Individuals who perform these jobs are highly recommended to have a life insurance plan incase (god forbid) anything goes wrong on any given day. These are the 5 occupations which made the list:
1. Police/Detectives - Police Officers face life threatening situations almost everyday. They are highly trained to defend themselves and are equipped with protective equipment at all times. Life insurance and disability insurance are crucial for individuals working in the field of policing.
2. Airplane Pilots - Believe it or not, airplane pilots require life insurance because they are dealing with such powerful machines which have been known to have mechanical glitches. Airplane pilots are also highly trained in their field to make sure they do their best to fly safely.
3. Construction Workers - Construction workers are somewhat unappreciated for the amount of hard work they do everyday. They not only put their lives in danger from all the machinery they are expected to operate, but they also face many factors which will affect their health in the long run. Overexposure to sun, heat and excessive lifting are just a few of these factors.
4. Farm Workers - Much like construction workers, farm workers are at high risk of injury or death due to the fact that they are constantly operating heavy machinery. There are hundreds of farm work related deaths a years and thousands of injuries for individuals working in farm fields. Life insurance and disability insurance are important for individuals in this occupation.
5. Fire Fighters - It is a known fact that fire fighters put their lives on the line everyday to save the lives of others. Knowing the potential consequences and performing the job anyways indicates that these workers deserve the highest level of respect from others. Individuals who have chosen careers in firefighting are also likely to have a life insurance policy.
Is your job dangerous? Is your life on the line everyday? Maybe not, but there are many other factors other than your occupation which may indicate you need life insurance. Life insurance is a plan which will ensure your loved ones are taken care of incase anything happens to you. Wouldn't you like to know your family would be looked after should this type of situation occur?

Legitimate Work From Home - Christian Work at Home Jobs


Almost any job that is done from home will involve working over the internet. If you are looking over christian work at home jobs and are seeking honest work without taking any chances of falling into one of the many scams you've heard of, read on. There is a way to search safely with built in ways to double check for legitimacy and honesty.

The world wide Web is in its infancy like the lawless west of the old days. Laws are being passed, but how will they be enforced in a global environment? The bottom line: you have to be careful when you decide to work from home.

Here are just a few of the legitimate types of jobs that exist on the internet:

    * Medical transcription. This one is growing quickly because a large percentage of the population is aging.
    * Typing for lawyers' offices.
    * Customer service desk.
    * Counseling of every kind if you are qualified to do so.
    * Do it yourself help desk if you are a tradesman and associated with a store selling items in your field of expertise.
    * Write articles for web masters.
    * Copywriting for newspapers and newsletters.
    * Order taker.
    * Researcher for insurance companies, lawyers, banks and such.

There are many more and these are all legitimate work from home. The first thing I suggest you do is decide, at least temporarily, what you would like to do. Use this as a starting point only.

Here are the steps to finding all kinds of new possibilities along with the assurance that what you end up with are legitimate, honest and christian work at home jobs:

Step 1. Do optimized searches on items you think might interest you. Optimized means in quotes. Your search might look like this: "insurance company secretarial work". The quotes filter out a lot of the trash like spam.

Step 2. The above should of generated some ideas. Now, fine tune your search putting a plus symbol between terms of value to your search. Lets say that the auto insurance industry seems interesting to you. Your search will now look something like this: "insurance company secretarial work+automotive".

Step 3. The above will bring in many results. Now, fine tune some more. You want a laser focus in your search now. The personal injury part of the insurance industry seems to be drawing you now so, you enter a new search: "insurance company secretarial work+automotive+personal injury". Again, more results. The search is narrowing down.

Step 4. You want to find honest work from home so you do a new search which will add the following; work at home+christian+forums: "insurance company secretarial work+automotive+personal injury+work at home+christian+forums".

I have just given you the keys to the kingdom! You may have to make several tries with slightly different keywords, but you will end up on forums which is where birds of a feather congregate to share experiences on christian work at home jobs.

You will find a community of friendly people that work from home that are doing christian work at home jobs. They will tell you where the honest work is, what to watch for and probably have a bunch of new ideas you never thought of!

Step 5. Learn the ways of the World Wide Web. The internet is a vast ocean of christian opportunity. It is available to those who are willing to take the time to learn its secrets.

Physical Therapy Travel Jobs Can Mix Work and Pleasure




If you enjoy traveling in the south, then combine pleasure with work by looking at some available physical therapy travel jobs on different medical websites. Maybe you are interested in the west cost or being in the Midwest for a change. Taking a position like this provides you with the ability to mix work and pleasure. It helps you experience a new way of life for a short period of time.

Some opportunities are in a hospital-based facility, while others provide care in a nursing home setting. Sometimes it is an inpatient setting, and the therapist mainly helps adult patients. Other times it is helping children. The nice thing about physical therapy travel jobs is they tend to be a 13-week assignment. This is ideal if you enjoy traveling around the country. It also allows you to meet new people and see new locations. There is less stress and pressure than a full time position, which is something many appreciate. Plus, it's a good way for a college graduate to get some quality work experience. It's the same for someone who hasn't been in the workplace long enough.

These types of jobs tend to offer wonderful benefits, including medical and dental insurance, as well as life insurance and a 401(k) retirement savings plan. The pay can also be extremely competitive and there are bonuses and incentives for quality work. All of these jobs are covered under professional liability insurance.

Pros:
* 13-week positions are perfect for those who enjoy traveling.
* Extra incentives for quality work.
* Wide range of benefits provided.

Cons:
* It is hard to do if you're not a physical therapist.
* You may need specialized training to work in certain settings.

Physical therapy travel jobs are ideal for those who enjoy traveling and experiencing the country.

Insurance for Construction Jobs Is Extremely Vital for All Companies to Have

A lot of employers don't consider all the of the risks associated with various construction projects, and they need to identify the policies in place that will help to insure the specific risks associated with each job.

To effectively assess the risks posed, an insurance underwriter needs to obtain a full description of the project as well as other essential information specific to the job as a whole. The projected site's location, including its topographical and geographical circumstances, are considered, along with the construction techniques to be employed. The constructions drawings are examined, along with the estimated project completion date; the contractor's knowledge in the particular technique of construction used is also considered.

Material Damage refers to any destruction that accidentally occurs as a result of the contractor, which is an expected part of the construction process. There are many policies that can protect the contractor from this exposure to liability. Contractors Plant and Machinery All Risks, Erection All Risk, Contractors All Risk, and Civil Engineering Completed Risks are some of the kinds of policies that cover the Material Damage that contractors face.

In addition, there is a chance that you will be required to disburse recompense for assertions from third parties for harmed property or personal damage. These claims are covered by Liability Insurance. This type of coverage also includes Workman's Compensation and other types of Employer's Liability, as well as Public Liability/General Third Party Liability.

Under the terms of the contract he holds and indemnity, a contractor may also default. The Material Damage Insurances help protect construction projects from losing money in several different situations. Damages include loss as a result of burglary, theft, fire, earthquake, hurricane, flood impact, civil unrest, riot, or strike.

If a project is not completed on time, the employer may turn for compensation to the Advance Loss of Profits policy. In order to calculate the amount that will need to be covered all of the Contractor's All Risk or Erection All Risk policies will need to be considered. Both of these offer coverage for compensation on personal injuries to third parties, harm done to the project and harm caused with the property as a result of the contractor's negligence.

On major construction sites, many representatives of legally independent companies typically work together. Placating third parties who consider themselves injured is the biggest challenge. The claimants may be staff on the project, owners, sub-contractors, or neighbors that could all be involved.

Hopefully, they will help establish which individuals are actually culpable for their injuries or losses. From there, they will then try to investigate whether the situation was due to someone's negligence. This is what presents the typical public liability or third party.

Public liability policies work by reimbursing the contractor for any amounts that they are legally liable to pay in these situations. This payout will be the compensation paid to the third party for any damages done to their property or any personal bodily injury incurred. In order for a payment to be made, the claim must arise because of the contractor's negligent behavior or because of an accident that arises on the construction site.

The employer's liability is akin to the public liability policy. The difference is that this type of policy allows employees to be compensated by the contractor should their property be damaged or they suffer personal injury. Similarly, these conditions needs to be caused because of nuisance or negligence related to the project.

Legally under the factories act and other regulations, contractors have a statutory responsibility to guarantee safety to all those they employ. This includes employers providing a safe working condition that includes safe pant, equipment and tools for the project. Sufficient supervision by people qualified to do so both on the site as well as for the work is the employer's responsibility.