Claims clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk

The differences between claims clerks and receptionist/billing clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a claims clerk, becoming a receptionist/billing clerk takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a claims clerk has an average salary of $32,815, which is higher than the $31,932 average annual salary of a receptionist/billing clerk.

The top three skills for a claims clerk include data entry, customer service and clerical support. The most important skills for a receptionist/billing clerk are patients, data entry, and customer service.

Claims clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk overview

	Claims Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Yearly salary	$32,815	$31,932
Hourly rate	$15.78	$15.35
Growth rate	-3%	-
Number of jobs	78,588	129,530
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 31%	High School Diploma, 31%
Average age	44	42
Years of experience	4	2

What does a claims clerk do?

Claims clerks review the forms and documents for insurance claims to check for missing information and attachments. The data they obtain is entered into their database for safekeeping and quick retrieval. They should know the answers to their clients' questions about the regulations, policies, and procedures covered by their insurance policy. These clerks prepare documents that their agents use to present to their clients. When working for this position, a person must have the ability to communicate well and be familiar with computer applications.

What does a receptionist/billing clerk do?

A receptionist/billing clerk is responsible for performing administrative and clerical duties as needed to maintain a smooth flow of operations for the business. Receptionist/billing clerks process the customers' payment transactions, manage account payables, releasing invoices, and immediately resolve account discrepancies. A receptionist/billing clerk must have excellent communication and analytical skills, responding to customers' inquiries and concerns, escalating high-level complaints to the billing management. They should also maintain records of financial documentation for reference and reconciliation as needed.

Claims clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk salary

Claims clerks and receptionist/billing clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Claims Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Average salary	$32,815	$31,932
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $39,000	Between $26,000 And $39,000
Highest paying City	-	Santa Maria, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Leggett & Platt
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between claims clerk and receptionist/billing clerk education

There are a few differences between a claims clerk and a receptionist/billing clerk in terms of educational background:

	Claims Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 31%	High School Diploma, 31%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Claims clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk demographics

Here are the differences between claims clerks' and receptionist/billing clerks' demographics:

	Claims Clerk	Receptionist/Billing Clerk
Average age	44	42
Gender ratio	Male, 17.5% Female, 82.5%	Male, 7.2% Female, 92.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 13.8% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.4% Asian, 3.9% White, 63.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%	Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 25.0% Asian, 5.7% White, 53.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	11%	6%

Differences between claims clerk and receptionist/billing clerk duties and responsibilities

Claims clerk example responsibilities.

Manage adding and removing vendors through claims automate system to ensure they are in compliance with IRS regulations.
File commercial, worker's comp, Medicare, and Medicaid claims to insurance carriers and employers.
Open and sort mail by claim types (HCPA UB 92 and T18).
Process medical HMO claims, POS claims, PPO claims and fee for service claims.
Review, scan, and file HCFA forms
Audit paper claims for accuracy in CPT and ICD9 codes.

Receptionist/billing clerk example responsibilities.

Assist office management and staff with administrative projects/responsibilities such as managing time-sensitive projects, filing, copying, and collating materials.
Obtain and track all insurance referrals for patients with HMO products.
Coordinate in-processing of all patients, to include accurate insurance information and payments are entered correctly into office computer system.
Move from SNF billing to HMO outpatient billing and keep a large alpha current.
Maintain confidentiality and adherence to HIPAA guidelines.
Develop effective billing strategies for Medicaid recipients according to HIPPA rules and regulations.

Claims clerk vs receptionist/billing clerk skills

Common claims clerk skills

Data Entry, 26%
Customer Service, 9%
Clerical Support, 7%
Computer System, 5%
Medical Claims, 4%
Process Claims, 4%

Common receptionist/billing clerk skills

Patients, 25%
Data Entry, 11%
Customer Service, 9%
Telephone Calls, 7%
Appointment Scheduling, 6%
Front Desk, 5%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Claims Clerk
Claims Clerk vs Receptionist/Billing Clerk

Updated January 8, 2025

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