If you have been researching healthcare careers, you have probably come across both medical billing and medical coding. While these terms are often used together, they actually involve different tasks. Understanding the difference can help you decide if this career path is right for you.
What Is Medical Coding?
Medical coders review clinical documentation — things like doctor notes, lab results, and procedure reports — and translate them into standardized codes. These codes come from systems like ICD-10 (for diagnoses), CPT (for procedures), and HCPCS (for supplies and services). Every time a patient visits a doctor, gets a test done, or undergoes a procedure, a medical coder assigns the appropriate codes to describe what happened and why.
What Is Medical Billing?
Medical billers take those codes and use them to create claims that get submitted to insurance companies for payment. They are responsible for making sure claims are accurate, following up on denied or rejected claims, verifying patient insurance coverage, and collecting payments. Medical billers are essentially the financial backbone of any healthcare practice.
How Do They Work Together?
In larger hospitals and healthcare systems, coding and billing are often handled by separate teams. In smaller practices and clinics, one person frequently handles both roles. This is why training programs often cover both disciplines — it makes graduates more versatile and employable. Employers love hiring professionals who can handle the complete revenue cycle from documentation to payment.
Salary and Job Outlook
Both roles pay well and are in strong demand. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that medical records and health information roles have a positive job outlook with thousands of new positions expected each year. Salaries in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania area typically range from $38,000 to $55,000 depending on experience and certifications. Professionals with both billing and coding skills often command higher salaries because of their versatility.
How to Get Trained in Both
The Medical Transcription / Insurance Billing Specialist program at CDE Career Institute covers both medical billing and coding, along with medical transcription. The 940-hour program is offered 100% online, and it is approved for Title IV federal financial aid — meaning eligible students can receive Pell Grants and federal student loans. Students follow the school’s class schedule with monthly start dates available throughout the year.
Interested in learning more? Call CDE Career Institute at 866-260-4005 or visit the admissions page to get started.