Search for educational institutions that offer a one-year certificate program that prepares you for the medical collections field. Note that medical collections/billing typically are covered as part of a program that also addresses medical coding.
Apply to the medical collections school of your choice. Submit a copy of your high school diploma or GED along with a completed registration form and official transcripts. In addition, take placement tests in math and English so that your potential college's admissions team can determine your beginning skill level and confirm you are prepared for college-level coursework.
Take a class on medical terminology/human biology. Also, study topics such as Medicare and Medicaid, explanation of benefits, appeals and claims. Go over customer service and third party medical insurance as well as coding medical procedures.
Complete additional coursework on handling accounts receivables, aging reports and data entry. Study how to process rejections and denials to determine if medial claims need to be refiled or submitted for an appeal with the payer, and learn how to process doctor and insurance changes as well as financial assistance applications. Review medical records analysis and medical office management as well. Take a class on information technology, and master the use of word processing programs and spreadsheet software in addition to office equipment such as fax machines and copy machines.
Complete an internship in medical collections to gain real-world, hands-on experience in the field. Ask your college's career services department to help you search for an internship opportunity at a collection agency or with a healthcare provider. Practice contacting clients about overdue accounts and bills and creating individually tailored payment plans according to different individuals' financial situations. Also, learn how to handle situations in which you have to involve legal authorities and move forward with repossessing or wage garnishing.