Registration specialist vs authorization specialist

The differences between registration specialists and authorization specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a registration specialist and an authorization specialist. Additionally, an authorization specialist has an average salary of $36,518, which is higher than the $30,422 average annual salary of a registration specialist.

The top three skills for a registration specialist include patients, customer service and medical terminology. The most important skills for an authorization specialist are patients, customer service, and insurance verification.

Registration specialist vs authorization specialist overview

	Registration Specialist	Authorization Specialist
Yearly salary	$30,422	$36,518
Hourly rate	$14.63	$17.56
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	79,118	71,831
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Average age	40	40
Years of experience	4	4

What does a registration specialist do?

A registration specialist is responsible for managing patient information, including the verification of their insurance details and medical treatment schedules. Registration specialists assign admission rooms and processing payments for discharge. They also assist patients with the completion of medical forms by helping them fill-out papers with the most accurate information. A registration specialist performs administrative and clerical duties as needed, requiring them to have excellent data management skills to process information and provide the highest quality care services for the patients.

What does an authorization specialist do?

An authorization specialist is responsible for reviewing insurance claims and determining the necessary settlement for the clients and involved parties. Authorization specialists file documents and gather the required information for further investigation and analysis. They coordinate with the insurance agency and the medical institution and ensure that the correct communications are being sent out for reference. An authorization specialist must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing authorization requests and resolve claims timely and efficiently.

Registration specialist vs authorization specialist salary

Registration specialists and authorization specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Registration Specialist	Authorization Specialist
Average salary	$30,422	$36,518
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $28,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Milford, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Deloitte	Guidehouse
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between registration specialist and authorization specialist education

There are a few differences between a registration specialist and an authorization specialist in terms of educational background:

	Registration Specialist	Authorization Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 33%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Pennsylvania

Registration specialist vs authorization specialist demographics

Here are the differences between registration specialists' and authorization specialists' demographics:

	Registration Specialist	Authorization Specialist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5%	Male, 15.4% Female, 84.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 10.7% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.0% Asian, 6.0% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.8% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 22.6% Asian, 6.9% White, 53.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between registration specialist and authorization specialist duties and responsibilities

Registration specialist example responsibilities.

Attain and authenticate patient insurance information, counsel patients on changes in insurance policies, verify patient demographics.
Help patients through the registration and admitting processes and also contribute to the PBX department.
Input data entries for insurance billing; adding CPT codes and diagnosis from face sheets as patients arrive.
Act as hospital PBX operator.
Complete all charge entry, enter all CPT and ICD-9 codes for billing for multiple doctors each day.
Enter patient information and verify information according to HIPAA regulations.

Authorization specialist example responsibilities.

Demonstrate knowledge of HIPAA by appropriately managing patient confidentiality.
Utilize CMS and InterQual criteria to establish authorizations for members requiring medical services for a Medicare advantage insurance company.
Build authorization, match ICD-10 codes with there procedure codes
Provide patients with patient registration forms in order to follow up on patient check-in and check-out utilizing a proprietary management system.
Obtain verification of insurance coverage and authorizations for clinical visits and surgical procedures for patients.
Perform all components of the office registration including arrival, check-in and future appointments.

Registration specialist vs authorization specialist skills

Common registration specialist skills

Patients, 25%
Customer Service, 14%
Medical Terminology, 8%
Patient Registration, 5%
Insurance Verification, 4%
Data Entry, 4%

Common authorization specialist skills

Patients, 20%
Customer Service, 10%
Insurance Verification, 6%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Insurance Eligibility, 4%
Veterans, 4%

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Registration Specialist
Registration Specialist vs Authorization Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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