Medical biller coder vs health information technician

The differences between medical biller coders and health information technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a medical biller coder and a health information technician. Additionally, a medical biller coder has an average salary of $38,756, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.

The top three skills for a medical biller coder include patients, medical billing and ICD-10. The most important skills for a health information technician are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.

Medical biller coder vs health information technician overview

	Medical Biller Coder	Health Information Technician
Yearly salary	$38,756	$34,604
Hourly rate	$18.63	$16.64
Growth rate	11%	11%
Number of jobs	54,861	120,786
Job satisfaction	5	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 30%	Associate Degree, 41%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	12	12

What does a medical biller coder do?

A medical biller coder is responsible for handling the billing processes and insurance within a hospital, clinic, or similar facility. They must gather patient information and records to analyze and translate them into codes according to the insurance and medical guidelines. Moreover, it is crucial to verify all patient forms and ensure their accuracy as it will serve as a basis on essential documents and medical record-keeping. There may also be instances where a medical biller coder must devise payment plans for patients, communicate with families and guardians, and coordinate with physicians.

What does a health information technician do?

A health information technician is primarily responsible for managing and handling patient information, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality. They coordinate with various health care workers to gather patient data, laboratory results, test findings, and medical histories, encoding them in clinical databases in a timely and efficient manner. They must analyze every information to detect any inconsistencies, performing corrective measures right away. Furthermore, as a health information technician, it is essential to utilize particular software and systems when processing information, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and regulations.

Medical biller coder vs health information technician salary

Medical biller coders and health information technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Biller Coder	Health Information Technician
Average salary	$38,756	$34,604
Salary range	Between $30,000 And $49,000	Between $26,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	San Francisco, CA	Fairbanks, AK
Highest paying state	California	Alaska
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Stifel Financial
Best paying industry	Professional	Government

Differences between medical biller coder and health information technician education

There are a few differences between a medical biller coder and a health information technician in terms of educational background:

	Medical Biller Coder	Health Information Technician
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 30%	Associate Degree, 41%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Health Care Administration
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Southern California

Medical biller coder vs health information technician demographics

Here are the differences between medical biller coders' and health information technicians' demographics:

	Medical Biller Coder	Health Information Technician
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 10.0% Female, 90.0%	Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 8.0% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%	Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between medical biller coder and health information technician duties and responsibilities

Medical biller coder example responsibilities.

Manage chart completion (ICD-9-CM and CPT coding), chart assembly and analysis and patient information privacy/security.
Use EMR software to manage patient records and files reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Manage chart completion (ICD-9-CM and CPT coding/abstracting), chart assembly and analysis, patient admission and patient information privacy/security.
Bill insurance claims using HCFA 1500 and UB-92 form.
Review coding, verify the diagnosis codes (ICD-9) and procedure codes (CPT) are congruent and clinically appropriate.
Have experience in all commercial insurances and government insurances including Medicare and Medicaid.

Health information technician example responsibilities.

Maximize ROI by effectively managing the microfiche process.
Assist patients and staff on filling out ROI's, and explain what exactly are being release or obtain.
Perform analysis and assembly of emergency room and surgery records and release records according to HIPAA regulations and confidentially.
Input data into a windows base in-house system.
Scan medical records in the EHR using the NEXTGEN software.
Attend advanced SQL coding workshops to optimize and refine database infrastructure.

Medical biller coder vs health information technician skills

Common medical biller coder skills

Patients, 17%
Medical Billing, 5%
ICD-10, 5%
Customer Service, 5%
CPT-4, 4%
HCPCS, 4%

Common health information technician skills

Patients, 20%
Medical Terminology, 13%
Customer Service, 9%
HIPAA, 9%
Patient Care, 7%
Data Entry, 5%

Medical Biller Coder vs. similar jobs

Medical Biller Coder related careers

Medical Biller Coder related jobs

What similar roles do

Zippia Careers
Healthcare Practitioner and Technical Industry
Medical Biller Coder
Medical Biller Coder vs Health Information Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs