Medical billing clerk vs medical collector

The differences between medical billing clerks and medical collectors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a medical billing clerk, becoming a medical collector takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a medical collector has an average salary of $36,235, which is higher than the $33,566 average annual salary of a medical billing clerk.

The top three skills for a medical billing clerk include patients, medical billing and healthcare. The most important skills for a medical collector are patients, healthcare, and customer service.

Medical billing clerk vs medical collector overview

	Medical Billing Clerk	Medical Collector
Yearly salary	$33,566	$36,235
Hourly rate	$16.14	$17.42
Growth rate	-3%	-8%
Number of jobs	164,870	73,797
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 24%
Average age	46	46
Years of experience	2	12

What does a medical billing clerk do?

A medical billing clerk is primarily in charge of processing payments and creating billing arrangements in clinics and hospitals. Among their responsibilities include gathering and verifying patient identification, handling insurance information, coding, updating databases, and maintaining records. It is also their responsibility to assist patients by filling out forms, answering their inquiries, and referring them to other services. Moreover, a medical billing clerk must monitor patient accounts and follow-up on delinquent patient accounts, coordinating with collection agencies as needed.

What does a medical collector do?

A medical collector deals with collection of bills related to medical services. They handle healthcare-related debt, collect patient insurance information, and develop repayment plans to accommodate debtors that are unable to settle their accounts. Qualifications for this position include knowledge of accounting and training in insurance, business or finance.

Medical billing clerk vs medical collector salary

Medical billing clerks and medical collectors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Billing Clerk	Medical Collector
Average salary	$33,566	$36,235
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $40,000	Between $30,000 And $42,000
Highest paying City	San Leandro, CA	Arlington Heights, IL
Highest paying state	Washington	Illinois
Best paying company	iCare	Addison Group
Best paying industry	Health Care	Finance

Differences between medical billing clerk and medical collector education

There are a few differences between a medical billing clerk and a medical collector in terms of educational background:

	Medical Billing Clerk	Medical Collector
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 30%	Bachelor's Degree, 24%
Most common major	Health Care Administration	Business
Most common college	Stanford University	-

Medical billing clerk vs medical collector demographics

Here are the differences between medical billing clerks' and medical collectors' demographics:

	Medical Billing Clerk	Medical Collector
Average age	46	46
Gender ratio	Male, 11.3% Female, 88.7%	Male, 18.0% Female, 82.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 21.9% Asian, 6.8% White, 55.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 13.6% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 22.6% Asian, 3.3% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	7%	8%

Differences between medical billing clerk and medical collector duties and responsibilities

Medical billing clerk example responsibilities.

Accept and process healthcare claims and confidential medical records; verify patient eligibility and manage the Medicare and Medicaid billing process.
Interact with patients as part of the quality assurance process (follow-up, EHR confirmation, billing confirmation).
Reconcile insurance and patient payments while researching and resolving incorrect payments, EOB rejections, and assort issues with outstanding accounts.
Utilize medical terminology and follow HIPAA guidelines.
Bill Magellan through Nextgen system.
Double checked CMS-1500 form before posting it out to the insurance companies.

Medical collector example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPAA and clinic.
Perform as a mediator between insurance companies and patients collecting nationwide extensive medical bills.
Utilize A/R reports and identify accounts that are past payments.
Maintain a filing system of clients' medical records and disclosure following HIPPA guidelines.
Post appropriate adjustment types and carrier payments to accounts for true A/R account balance reflection.
Maintain strict confidentiality; adhering to all HIPAA guidelines/regulations.

Medical billing clerk vs medical collector skills

Common medical billing clerk skills

Patients, 18%
Medical Billing, 10%
Healthcare, 7%
Data Entry, 7%
Customer Service, 6%
Medicaid, 5%

Common medical collector skills

Patients, 22%
Healthcare, 9%
Customer Service, 7%
Medical Collections, 5%
Appeals, 5%
Medicaid, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Medical Billing Clerk
Medical Billing Clerk vs Medical Collector

Updated January 8, 2025

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