Michigan’s insurance includes 14 HMOs, the largest of these being the Health Plan of Michigan – which includes more than 285,000 members. Medical billing and coding in Michigan is primarily focused on the recent changes in health care plans and data transmission. Beginning in July of 2011, Michigan will offer physicians incentives for updating their medical records to include home visits as part of an HMO plan, a long requested benefit for those that have difficulty traveling to a hospital or clinic on a regular basis. According to the director of network development for Health Plan of Michigan, Sean Kendall, “We want to reimburse doctors for providing these extra medical home services. There are a lot of costs they incur to upgrade their electronic health records and disease registry, and the additional staff time and training. The bonus payments will help pay for those services.”
What this recent development means is that the 14 HMOs spread across Michigan will have an increased need for medical billing and coding professionals in order to cope with changes and a higher volume of medical transactions.
General Michigan Medical Billing and Coding Information
- Number of Medical Billing and Coding Employees in Michigan: 31,740
- Average Medical Billing and Coding Salary in Michigan: $35,620
- 90th Percentile Salary: $52,520
- 10th Percentile Salary: $21,760
Medical Billing and Coding Training and Education in Michigan
Jackson Community College
Medical Insurance Coder/Biller Certificate
This program is designed to prepare the student to work in a healthcare setting. There are 38 required credits, including courses such as Introduction to Computer Systems, Insurance Reports, Law & Ethics, and Basic Coding. Tuition depends on residency status and age, ranging from $40 per credit hour for senior citizens to $191 per credit hour for out-of-state students.
Medical Insurance Coder/Biller Associate in Applied Science
This program prepares students to work in healthcare settings and includes 150 hours of job experience in the form of non-paid externship. The program consists of 44 required credits. Tuition costs are exactly the same as they are for the Medical Insurance Coder/Biller Certificate.
Kalamazoo Valley Community College
Medical Coding Specialist Certificate
The Medical Coding Specialist certificate program prepares students for employment in the administrative side of a healthcare facility. The 31-credit program includes classes such as Medical Admin. Procedures, Medical Computer Applications, and a Coding/Reimbursement Externship. Tuition is $76.50 per credit hour for county residents.
Macomb Community College
Associate of Applied Science Degree in Health Information and Technology
This program at Macomb County Community College is designed to give students the knowledge and skills needed to work in various healthcare offices and manage patient data. The program is 72 semester hours in length and includes courses like Computer & Information Processing Principles, Legal Aspects of Health Information Management, and CPT/HCPCS & Outpatient Coding. Tuition depends on session and residency status, ranging from $80 to $167 per credit hour.
Schoolcraft College
Health-Coding Specialist Certificate
The Coding Specialist Program is designed to prepare students to translate diagnostic and procedural phrases used by healthcare providers into coded form. This 35-credit program includes classes such as Principles of Health Information Management, ICD-9-CM Classification, and Ambulatory Coding. Upon completion of this program, graduates can move on to the Health Information Technology Associate Degree Program. Tuition for residents is $84 per credit hour.
Michigan AAPC CPC Exam Information
- City: Ann Arbor
- Proctor Name: Susan Caley, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/05/2011
- Exam Date: 12/03/2011
- City: Ann Arbor
- Proctor Name: Christine A LaBelle, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/12/2011
- Exam Date: 12/10/2011
- City: Cadillac, MI
- Proctor Name: Cynthia Kay Hartline, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/12/2011
- Exam Date: 12/10/2011
Medical Billing and Coding Jobs in Michigan
Three significant employers of medical billing and coding professionals in Michigan are:
Allegan General Hospital
- Address: 555 Linn Street, Allegan, Michigan 49010
- Email Address: Webmaster@aghosp.com
- Phone Number: 269-673-8424
- Website: www.aghosp.org
Incorporated in May 1938, Allegan General has increased its capacity from 40 beds in 1945 to 80 in 1982. In 1994, Allegan General was the first hospital to offer mobile MRI services. Other services include bariatrics, cardiac rehab, chiropractic care, CPR training, diabetes education, emergency services, an infusion center, occupational health, radiology and more. Employee benefits include paid time off, paid holidays, a pension plan, retirement savings plans with employer match, life and disability insurance, and more.
Blodgett Hospital
- Address: 1840 Wealthy St. SE. Grand Rapids, MI 49506
- Email Address: Click here to access their contact form.
- Phone Number: 616774-7444
- Website: Blodgett Hospital
A 126-bed hospital founded in 1914, Blodgett Hospital has since expanded to add several new centers, 13,000 employees and physicians. In 1997, Blodgett merged with Spectrum Health. Services include adult critical care, surgical weight loss, digestive diseases, endoscopy, heart care, neurology, and more. Benefits of working at Blodgett / Spectrum Health include paid holidays, a variety of insurance plans to choose from, retirement options, flex spending accounts, paid time off, and more.
Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital
- Address: 224 Park Avenue, Frankfort, Michigan 49635
- Email Address: pomh@mhc.net
- Phone Number: 231-352-9621
- Website: www.munsonhealthcare.org
In 2009, POMH was awarded the Michigan Rural Health Quality Improvement Award of Excellence for outstanding emergency transfer and care. Their services include Da Vinci surgery, dialysis, emergency services, a healthy weight center, a hearing clinic, heart services, orthopedics, a pharmacy, radiology, stroke treatment and more. Benefits include retirement plans, sick days, paid time off, paid holidays, tuition reimbursement, medical, dental, vision, and life insurance coverage.
Top Cities in Michigan for Medical Billing and Coding Careers
1. Battle Creek, MI
Battle Creek employs about 60 medical billers and coders and has the highest average wages in the state. The hourly mean wage is $18.65 – almost two dollars higher than the national average – and the annual mean wage is $38,860, which is $3,850 more than the national average. The tenth percentile wage is $22,120 annually and the ninetieth percentile wage is $56,740, which is highest in the state and $4,200 more than the state average.
2. Jackson, MI
Only 70 medical billers and coders work in Jackson, but they have the second-highest average wages in the state. Workers there make an average of $18.65 per hour and $38.790 per year. The annual tenth percentile wage is below state and national averages at $20,920 and the annual ninetieth percentile wage is $52,540, which is just above the state average.
3. Ann Arbor, MI
About ten percent of medical billers and coders in Michigan work in Ann Arbor. There are roughly 510 workers who make, on average, $18.17 per hour and $37,800 per year. The tenth percentile wage is highest in the state at $26,310 per year, and the ninetieth percentile wage is $54,230 per year.
4. Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills, MI
The highest concentration of medical billers and coders in Michigan work in the Warren-Troy-Farmington Hills metropolitan area. These 970 workers make up about 20% of the state total. The hourly mean wage in this area is $18.06 and the annual mean wage is $37,560. Those in the lowest ten percent earn wages of $23,000 annually and those in the highest ten percent earn $52,540 annually.
5. Flint, MI
There are roughly 200 medical billers and coders in Flint. The average hourly wage is $17.57 and the average annual wage is $36,550. The highest and lowest wage brackets are both below national and state averages: the bottom 10% earn $21,170 annually and the top 10% earn $52,050 annually.
6. Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn, MI
In the Detroit-Livonia-Dearborn metropolitan area there are approximately 680 medical billers and coders. The average worker makes $17.45 per hour and $36,290 per year. The tenth percentile wage is $23,640 and the ninetieth percentile wage is $53,550, which is just above the national average.
7. Lansing-East Lansing, MI
Around 170 medical billers and coders work in the Lansing-East Lansing metropolitan area. The hourly mean wage is $17.16 and the annual mean wage is $35,680. Those in the lowest ten percent make $21,200 annually and those in the highest ten percent make $50,740 annually, both of which are below national and state averages.
8. Holland-Grand Haven, MI
The 70 medical billers and coders in the Holland-Grand Haven metropolitan area make an average of $17.04 hourly and $35,450 annually. The tenth percentile wage is second-highest in the state – $25,790 annually – and the ninetieth percentile wage is $49,330, which is lower than the national and state averages.
9. Niles-Benton Harbor, MI
In the Niles-Benton Harbor metropolitan area there are about 50 medical billers and coders. The average hourly wage is $16.65 and the average annual wage is $34,630, both of which are below the national and state averages. The top and bottom wages are slightly higher than national and state averages, with those in the bottom ten percent making $21,810 annually and those in the top ten percent making $54,290 annually.
10. Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI
The Grand Rapids-Wyoming metropolitan area employs about 220 medical billers and coders. They earn an hourly mean wage of $16.16 and an annual mean wage of $33,620. The tenth percentile wage is slightly above the national and state averages at $22,450 annually, while the ninetieth percentile wage is below the national and state averages at $50,980 annually.
About our expert. Jan Jacobs has worked in medical offices since the early 1980's. Ms. Jacobs has worked for M.D.'s and D.O.'s in primary care and specialty care. She is employed as a senior medical biller and has been at her current job for nearly 10 years, where she uses three different billing systems.
