Medical Billing and Coding Schools in Montana

  • Flathead Valley Community College

    Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, Mont., was founded in 1967, and has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Schools since 1970. Flathead Valley Community College offers a medical billing and coding certificate program with course work in healthcare delivery, medical terminology, medical law and ethics, computerized medical billing, and medical office procedures.

  • Miles Community College

    Miles Community College was founded in 1939 in Miles City, Mont., as Custer County Junior College, and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Miles Community College offers an associate degree in healthcare informatics with course work applicable to medical billing and coding.

  • Montana State University – Great Falls College of Technology

    Montana State University – Great Falls College of Technology has been accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities since 1979. Montana State University in Great Falls, Mont., offers two associate degrees – health information technology and medical billing and coding specialist – and a medical billing specialist certificate for medical billing and coding training.

  • Montana State University Billings

    Montana State University Billings was founded in 1927 and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Montana State University Billings offers a certificate program in medical coding and insurance billing available both online and on campus.

General Montana Medical Billing and Coding Information

  • Number of Medical Billing and Coding Employees in Montana: 980
  • Average Medical Billing and Coding Salary in Montana: $31,800
  • 90th Percentile Salary: $47,010
  • 10th Percentile Salary: $21,000

Salary Averages – Mountain Region

Employment prospects are a bit better in Montana than they are nationwide. Unemployment for the state was at 6.3% as of May 2012, compared to 8.2% nationally, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The state saw minimal employment growth from May 2011 to May 2012, increasing 1%. The greatest growth was in the area of construction, which grew 15% during that time period. Education and health services was on par with growth statewide with an increase of 0.9%, though employment of medical records and health information technicians is expected to grow by 21% nationwide through 2020, according to the BLS, buoyed by an aging population that is expected to demand more medical tests and procedures.

Salaries for medical billers and coders in Montana are less than the national average for the profession. According to the BLS, the national mean annual wage for medical records and health information technicians was $35,920 as of May 2011, compared to $31,800 for those in Montana.

Those looking for the best employment opportunities are encouraged to seek medical coding certification. According to the BLS, most employers prefer to hire medical records and health information technicians with professional certification. This is available through the AAPC, which offers a certification exam. Many online programs in medical billing and coding prepare students for this exam and some even include the option of taking it at the end of the program.

Medical Billing and Coding Jobs in Montana

Two significant employers of medical billing and coding professionals in Montana are:

Billings Clinic

  • Address: 801 N. 29th Street, P.O. Box 37000, Billings, MT 59107
  • Email Address: careers@billingsclinic.org
  • Phone Number: 406-238-2500
  • Website: www.billingsclinic.com

Billings is a not-for-profit health care organization that is the community’s largest employer, with more than 310 physicians on staff at the 272-bed facility. The organization’s services include neonatal intensive care, a 15-bed transitional care unit, a Level II emergency and trauma center, inpatient cancer care, and a surgery center. Employee benefits at Billings include medical, pharmacy, dental and vision coverage, spending accounts, long-term disability, employee assistance, and paid time off.

Wheatland Memorial Healthcare

  • Address: 530 3rd St. NW, PO Box 287, Harlowton, MT 59036
  • Email Address: Click here for the center’s contact form.
  • Phone Number: 406-632-4351
  • Website: www.wheatlandmemorial.org

This 31-bed facility has served Wheatland County and the surrounding areas for more than 60 years. Its services include acute inpatient treatment, swing bed, x-ray services, an emergency room, therapy, and telehealth. Benefits at Wheatland include paid time off, a 401(k) plan, health, life and dental insurance, cancer coverage, direct deposit, tuition assistance, a longevity incentive, clinic and hospital service discounts, and an employee assistance program.

Top Cities in Montana for Medical Billing and Coding Careers

Below is a list of the top Montana cities that employ medical billers and coders. Information is derived from the BLS.

  1. Billings, MT

    Billings has the largest number of medical billers and coders in the state, employing 240 in total, according to the BLS, and they earn the highest wages. The average hourly wage in Billings is $16.96, which translates to an average annual salary of $35,270. The tenth percentile earns $22,030, while the ninetieth percentile earns $55,590.

  2. Missoula, MT

    Missoula employs the second largest number of medical billers and coders in Montana and has the second highest wages. There are 150 billers and coders here, according to the BLS, and they make an average of $27,210 per year, or $13.08 per hour. The tenth percentile earns $20,060, and the ninetieth percentile earns $37,830.

  3. Great Falls, MT

    There are 60 medical billers and coders in Great Falls, according to the BLS and, on average, they make $30,700 per year. This is equivalent to an hourly rate of $14.76. The tenth percentile earns $20,840, while the ninetieth percentile earns $42,280.