Patient accounts clerk vs patient access representative

The differences between patient accounts clerks and patient access representatives can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a patient accounts clerk and a patient access representative. Additionally, a patient access representative has an average salary of $33,603, which is higher than the $31,951 average annual salary of a patient accounts clerk.

The top three skills for a patient accounts clerk include patients, medical terminology and patient demographics. The most important skills for a patient access representative are patients, customer service, and medical terminology.

Patient accounts clerk vs patient access representative overview

	Patient Accounts Clerk	Patient Access Representative
Yearly salary	$31,951	$33,603
Hourly rate	$15.36	$16.16
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	161,780	151,077
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

What does a patient accounts clerk do?

A Patient Accounts Clerk is primarily in charge of computing, billing, and collecting payments in hospitals, clinics, and other medical facilities. They may assist patients or families by answering inquiries, explaining payment procedures, and processing requests. Aside from serving as the point of contact regarding payment concerns, a patient accounts clerk is also responsible for liaising with health care providers and insurance companies, gathering and reviewing data for submissions, preparing and processing the necessary documents, and maintaining accurate records.

What does a patient access representative do?

A Patient Access Representative is the first point of contact of a patient in a hospital facility. Among the duties include the checking-in and out of a patient, gathering a patient's information for the Doctors and Nurses to use, communicates with the patient's family or caregivers, and processes insurance billing. Most of the time, A Patient Access Representative encounters the critically ill or injured which is why one must possess great communication skills and compassion.

Patient accounts clerk vs patient access representative salary

Patient accounts clerks and patient access representatives have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Patient Accounts Clerk	Patient Access Representative
Average salary	$31,951	$33,603
Salary range	Between $26,000 And $38,000	Between $27,000 And $41,000
Highest paying City	-	Springfield, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between patient accounts clerk and patient access representative education

There are a few differences between a patient accounts clerk and a patient access representative in terms of educational background:

	Patient Accounts Clerk	Patient Access Representative
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 28%	Bachelor's Degree, 36%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Patient accounts clerk vs patient access representative demographics

Here are the differences between patient accounts clerks' and patient access representatives' demographics:

	Patient Accounts Clerk	Patient Access Representative
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 13.9% Female, 86.1%	Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 20.0% Asian, 6.0% White, 55.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 12.5% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 6.5% White, 55.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between patient accounts clerk and patient access representative duties and responsibilities

Patient accounts clerk example responsibilities.

Develop and execute policies and procedures that effectively manage the information needs of the organization and always following HIPAA guidelines.
Research ICD-9 and CPT codes on reject claims.
Adhere to all company policies, processes and procedures in compliance with HIPPA.
Practice HIPAA compliant rules and regulations while updating the patient information and entering the charges.
Verify charges on claims and assign valid ICD-9 and CPT codes to ensure appropriate reimbursement.
Research, appeal and resolve claims, rejections and denials with Medicare, Medicaid and private insurances.

Patient access representative example responsibilities.

Use EMR software to manage patient records and files; reinforce and uphold patient confidentiality as required by HIPPA and clinic.
Conduct intensive screening of all Medicare, Medicaid and manage care patients for provider service eligibility.
Educate eligible applicants about Medicaid manage care and how to access benefits in a manage care environment.
Run internal reports to ensure ICD 9 and CPT procedure codes are accurate for billing for Medicare and Medicaid patients.
Deliver quality customer service and compassion while obtaining demographic and financial data from patients seeking emergency medical services.
Operate front desk check-in, preparation of charts, receive payments and balance books at the end of the day.

Patient accounts clerk vs patient access representative skills

Common patient accounts clerk skills

Patients, 24%
Medical Terminology, 14%
Patient Demographics, 9%
Customer Service, 8%
Data Entry, 7%
PBX, 4%

Common patient access representative skills

Patients, 20%
Customer Service, 13%
Medical Terminology, 9%
Patient Care, 5%
Patient Registration, 5%
Insurance Verification, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Patient Accounts Clerk
Patient Accounts Clerk vs Patient Access Representative

Updated January 8, 2025

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