A billing representative is responsible for maintaining customer databases, issuing bills, and handling billing-related communications. Billing representatives are used by many utilities, medical offices, and other service providers to manage their billing and payment systems. Beyond a high school diploma, there are usually no special educational requirements for this job, though some offices do require relevant experience in administrative support and billing. Depending on your experience, training, and location, you may have a variety of job options.
The billing representative enrolls new customers or clients by collecting basic information, recording it, and noting any special concerns. This could include things like insurance coverage or other payment options. Billing representatives may offer counseling to customers, reminding them of their responsibilities when they accept products and services and offering tips on how to save money. If a patient has insurance, the billing representative at a medical office might suggest getting advance approval for certain procedures or treatments.
The billing representative generates bills and sends them to the appropriate party as the company provides services. This could be a company that provides insurance, a government agency that provides services, an employer, or another organization. The client is responsible for any remaining balance on the bill. Billing reps can work on payment plans and other strategies for dealing with large, unexpected bills. They keep client accounts in good standing and keep in touch with clients who owe money to increase the chances of collecting the full amount owed.
This job may entail insurance verification, as well as checking to see if clients are covered and determining the scope of their coverage. Billing representatives may need to be familiar with the coding procedures that are used to identify services and procedures using a standardized system. Depending on where bills are sent, a single company may use multiple systems. Insurance companies, for example, may have their own codes that must be entered correctly in order to receive payments.
A billing representative may be in charge of the initial collections on client accounts that appear to be in arrears. Establishing correct contact information, issuing payment demands, and providing information about payment methods are all examples of this. If customers do not respond to collection attempts, the company may, for a fee, turn them over to a third party who will use more aggressive tactics. The third party may be able to increase the collection rate by focusing solely on collections, as opposed to a billing representative who handles a variety of tasks.