Is There a Difference Between Medical Coding and Medical Billing?

Both the coding and billing phases of the healthcare industry are separate but interconnected tasks. Both play critical roles in the healthcare industry by informing commercial and government payers like BCBS and Medicare of patient diagnoses, procedures, and supplies. Coders and billers in the healthcare industry share the need to be familiar with medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology in order to interpret patient charts, physician notes, and operation reports. Coders in the medical field may work for billing services or in-house. In smaller medical facilities, it is not unusual for the same staff member to handle both medical coding and billing. Even though they serve different purposes in the healthcare revenue cycle, billing and coding are both essential.