Registration specialist vs prior authorization specialist

The differences between registration specialists and prior 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 a prior authorization specialist. Additionally, a prior authorization specialist has an average salary of $36,120, 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 a prior authorization specialist are patients, customer service, and medical necessity.

Registration specialist vs prior authorization specialist overview

	Registration Specialist	Prior Authorization Specialist
Yearly salary	$30,422	$36,120
Hourly rate	$14.63	$17.37
Growth rate	-4%	-4%
Number of jobs	79,118	69,667
Job satisfaction	-	5
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
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 a prior authorization specialist do?

Prior Authorization Specialists are individuals responsible for the entire process of prior authorization for a client. They manage communication between stakeholders of clients, healthcare providers, and insurance companies to request for prior authorizations. Their duties include ensuring complete and updated patient and claim documentation, performing daily billings, auditing accounts for accurate submissions claim, and making sure patient treatment reimbursements are processed effectively. Prior Authorization Specialists also review outstanding accounts and handle reimbursement or billing issues to ensure clean billing claims.

Registration specialist vs prior authorization specialist salary

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

	Registration Specialist	Prior Authorization Specialist
Average salary	$30,422	$36,120
Salary range	Between $23,000 And $40,000	Between $27,000 And $46,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	Framingham, MA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Massachusetts
Best paying company	Deloitte	Washington State University
Best paying industry	Health Care	Health Care

Differences between registration specialist and prior authorization specialist education

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

	Registration Specialist	Prior Authorization Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 38%	Bachelor's Degree, 32%
Most common major	Business	Nursing
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	University of Southern California

Registration specialist vs prior authorization specialist demographics

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

	Registration Specialist	Prior Authorization Specialist
Average age	40	40
Gender ratio	Male, 14.5% Female, 85.5%	Male, 18.4% Female, 81.6%
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, 9.2% Unknown, 5.3% Hispanic or Latino, 23.0% Asian, 6.9% White, 54.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	7%	7%

Differences between registration specialist and prior 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.

Prior authorization specialist example responsibilities.

Utilize CMS and InterQual criteria to establish authorizations for members requiring medical services for a Medicare advantage insurance company.
Manage quality communication, patient support and service representation with patients and providers to establish equipment/procedures statuses and expedite orders.
Work with staff to ensure proper CPT codes are submit on authorization request.
Demonstrate compassion while obtaining patient demographics and personal health information.
Register patients into the emergency department or outpatients for surgery or procedures.
Register patients' demographics and insurance information; execute daily outpatient and surgery reports.

Registration specialist vs prior 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 prior authorization specialist skills

Patients, 18%
Customer Service, 8%
Medical Necessity, 8%
Medical Terminology, 6%
Clinical Resource, 6%
Authorization Process, 4%

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Registration Specialist
Registration Specialist vs Prior Authorization Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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