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The differences between claims support specialists and claim specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a claims support specialist, becoming a claim specialist takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a claim specialist has an average salary of $43,164, which is higher than the $37,033 average annual salary of a claims support specialist.
The top three skills for a claims support specialist include data entry, dictation and claims support. The most important skills for a claim specialist are customer service, litigation, and patients.
| Claims Support Specialist | Claim Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $37,033 | $43,164 |
| Hourly rate | $17.80 | $20.75 |
| Growth rate | -4% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 120,650 | 29,505 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 6 |
Claims support specialists are the ones who make sure that the right amount of reimbursement rates is paid based on their client's contracts. Their job includes processing medical record requests and reviewing the secondary and tertiary claims for legitimacy. Working with physician and billing office employees to find resolutions for outstanding claim issues is a part of their responsibilities as claim support specialists. They also make follow up calls about unprocessed or denied insurance claims. And having good communication skills and knowledge in healthcare receivables and collections will help them succeed.
A claims specialist is responsible for processing insurance claims, reviewing insurance coverage, and analyzing claims cases. Claims specialists' duties include negotiating claims settlements, validating claims to prevent fraud, creating court testimonies as needed, developing claim review plans, and checking necessary documents and related resolve claims. A claims specialist must have strong analytical and critical-thinking skills to authorize claim payment and investigate complex and unusual claims. Claims specialists should also have extensive knowledge of the insurance processes to handle various cases, following legal policies and regulatory procedures.
Claims support specialists and claim specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Claims Support Specialist | Claim Specialist | |
| Average salary | $37,033 | $43,164 |
| Salary range | Between $28,000 And $47,000 | Between $27,000 And $67,000 |
| Highest paying City | Rancho Cordova, CA | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | W. R. Berkley | W. R. Berkley |
| Best paying industry | Insurance | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a claims support specialist and a claim specialist in terms of educational background:
| Claims Support Specialist | Claim Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between claims support specialists' and claim specialists' demographics:
| Claims Support Specialist | Claim Specialist | |
| Average age | 40 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.3% Female, 77.7% | Male, 31.0% Female, 69.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 6.8% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.1% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 7% | 10% |