7 Ways to Identify
Medical Billing Scams


Don't get taken in by medical billing scams. Software vendors, schools, online courses are plentiful due to the rapid growth of healthcare technology.

Naturally, there's bound to be a few bad apples. Here's how to spot them:


#1 Stay away from offers packaging training that includes expensive software client leads.

A few years ago, a friend of mine called to tell me about this wonderfully business opportunity (translation: medical billing scam) she was thinking of buying into. She found an offer online that was a great deal. It guaranteed she would make at least $50-$60,000 per year from home.

Their offer included state of the art medical billing software, a training package, marketing materials, and a list of potential clients. Guaranteed!

The price tag… $9,000.

What did I suggest to my friend? Don’t walk away, run!

Deep down, she knew this “great deal” was a scam which is why she called me in the first place. She needed someone to talk her out of it.

So why do people fall victim to this kind of scam?

The answer is fear. You want to strike out on your own, get away from working for someone else. But as much as you hate the 9-5 job, it provides the security of a paycheck.

Starting your own business can be a scary thing. There are lots of unknowns, many tasks to be performed. It’s difficult to know where to start. Even if you have some experience in the medical billing field, the prospect is still daunting.

What about finding business? This is a scary proposition as was the case with my friend. She already had plenty of medical billing experience, training, and experience with medical billing software. Like a lot of people, she had no marketing experience and didn’t know where to start.

Marketers prey on both negative and positive emotions. They know what your fears are. They know that you’re probably looking for a magic bullet, something to make the process easier and faster.

That piece of perfect software, great training tools, magical marketing pieces.

Their mission is to prove to you how their product can solve your all your problems.

Don’t fall for it. There are ways to succeed in a medical billing home business. This site offers you advice to do just that but it does take time and patience.



#2 Stay away from the ads “Earn $50,000 a year from Home. No Experience Necessary. Call 1-800…”

This is another common medical billing scam. If you make that call, there will be a slick salesman on the other end trying to convince you that his package will make the whole process easy. This approach is difficult to resist, so don't call in the first place.




#3 Watch out for ads that sell brand name, low end medical billing software plus marketing material.

These ads lure you with a commonly known software brand. For example, I’ve seen plenty of ads for starting a medical billing home business with Medisoft. The package includes an entry level version of the software along with some marketing material.

The price is usually around $500. It sounds great but what you are really doing is paying around $300 for a few marketing letters. The profits for these companies is huge.

What you need to know is entry level software isn't sufficient to handle all the medical billing needs for most practices. This software is a teaser to get you to buy a more expensive package.

Also, you still need training on the software which these companies seldom offer.



#4 Avoid the long two year medical billing training courses.

A structured course in medical billing only, should not take two years (unless self paced). These companies are just trying to stretch out the training in order to charge you a high fee. Medical billing classes should range between $500-$1000 in price.

To become a certified coder costs more, between $1000-$2500 depending on the type of corse you take.



#5 Avoid courses that offer you certificate of completion.

Don't be confused by this. A certificate of completion won't buy you anything. To become a certified coder requires extensive written exams given by either the American Medical Billing Association (AMBA), The American Academy Of Professional Coders (AAPC) or American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).




#6 Avoid companies that won't give you references.

Any reputable company should be able to give you references from current students or they should have testimonials on their website with contact information.



#7 Use on line medical billing forums, call some medical billers or medical offices.

Communicate with other medical billers. This is your best resource. People are usually happy to help you out.



In short, don't get taken in by medical billing scams. There are no magic bullets here. No get rich schemes.

Remember, slow and steady wins the race!