Medical claims processor vs certified medical technician

The differences between medical claims processors and certified medical technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a medical claims processor, becoming a certified medical technician takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a certified medical technician has an average salary of $38,859, which is higher than the $36,777 average annual salary of a medical claims processor.

The top three skills for a medical claims processor include patients, healthcare and data entry. The most important skills for a certified medical technician are patients, vital signs, and CPR.

Medical claims processor vs certified medical technician overview

	Medical Claims Processor	Certified Medical Technician
Yearly salary	$36,777	$38,859
Hourly rate	$17.68	$18.68
Growth rate	-3%	5%
Number of jobs	59,992	164,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Average age	44	44
Years of experience	4	12

What does a medical claims processor do?

A medical claims processor has working knowledge of medical billing and coding. The qualifications for this position include knowledge of current procedural terminology (CPT) and international classification of diseases (ICD) coding systems. They are responsible for processing claims forms, adjudicating the allocation of deductibles and copays, and following through with adjudication policies to facilitate proper payment of claims.

What does a certified medical technician do?

Certified Medical Technicians are specialists in medical diagnoses by performing laboratory testing and analysis for hospitals and physicians. Their duties include lab sanitization to prepare for testing and collection, recording medical samples for testing, specimen preparation, blood drawing for donation and testing, and assisting physicians with sample collection as well as equipment handling in surgical rooms. They must also understand how to use complex and sensitive testing equipment such as cell counters, analyzers, microscopes, and centrifuges.

Medical claims processor vs certified medical technician salary

Medical claims processors and certified medical technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Medical Claims Processor	Certified Medical Technician
Average salary	$36,777	$38,859
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $45,000	Between $28,000 And $53,000
Highest paying City	Dover, DE	Denton, TX
Highest paying state	Delaware	Alaska
Best paying company	Cognizant	Favorite Healthcare Staffing
Best paying industry	Government	Health Care

Differences between medical claims processor and certified medical technician education

There are a few differences between a medical claims processor and a certified medical technician in terms of educational background:

	Medical Claims Processor	Certified Medical Technician
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 29%	Bachelor's Degree, 28%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	-	University of Connecticut

Medical claims processor vs certified medical technician demographics

Here are the differences between medical claims processors' and certified medical technicians' demographics:

	Medical Claims Processor	Certified Medical Technician
Average age	44	44
Gender ratio	Male, 16.0% Female, 84.0%	Male, 20.4% Female, 79.6%
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, 15.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 14.6% Asian, 10.0% White, 53.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	11%	8%

Differences between medical claims processor and certified medical technician duties and responsibilities

Medical claims processor example responsibilities.

Enter UB 92 and 1500 HCFA medical claims into computer system manage and process insurance claims.
Manage cases by aggressively directing the litigation process.
Submit medical claims to commercial insurance companies, Medicare, and Medicaid for payment with use of ICD-9 and CPT coding.
Review and verify patient account information against insurance program specifications, analyze surgical procedures and diagnoses using CPT-4 and ICD-9 codes.
Acknowledge and enforces confidentiality in alignment with (HIPPA) guidelines.
Audit encounters and ICD-10 codes to ensure correct coding and maximum reimbursement.

Certified medical technician example responsibilities.

Maintain the cleanliness of storage areas, trays, centrifuges, refrigerators, freezers and work area.
Administer medications to patients according to their medication record as scheduled, as needed according to physician orders.
Perform laboratory test and procedures in areas including chemistry, hematology, urinalysis, coagulation, serology, and bacteriology.
Perform first aid and apply CPR when necessary.
Perform first aid or CPR during medical emergencies until paramedics arrive.
Assist the residents in their ADL needs and prepare their meals.

Medical claims processor vs certified medical technician skills

Common medical claims processor skills

Patients, 13%
Healthcare, 10%
Data Entry, 10%
Medical Insurance Claims, 9%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Customer Service, 3%

Common certified medical technician skills

Patients, 17%
Vital Signs, 12%
CPR, 8%
Administer Medications, 7%
Resident Care, 6%
HIPAA, 6%

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Medical Claims Processor vs Certified Medical Technician

Updated January 8, 2025

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