Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between reimbursement analysts and health information technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a reimbursement analyst and a health information technician. Additionally, a reimbursement analyst has an average salary of $65,489, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.
The top three skills for a reimbursement analyst include patients, medicare and medicaid. The most important skills for a health information technician are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.
| Reimbursement Analyst | Health Information Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $65,489 | $34,604 |
| Hourly rate | $31.49 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 10,216 | 120,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A reimbursement analyst is responsible for determining patients' billing statements and approving reimbursement claims. Reimbursement analysts review reimbursement requests, respond to patients' inquiries and concerns, and resolve billing discrepancies. They also validate patients' information and medical documents to support claims and process reimbursement efficiently. A reimbursement analyst must have excellent analytical and communication skills, as well as have extensive knowledge of the reimbursement policies and procedures to release payments and manage the patients' eligibility for reimbursement.
A health information technician is primarily responsible for managing and handling patient information, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality. They coordinate with various health care workers to gather patient data, laboratory results, test findings, and medical histories, encoding them in clinical databases in a timely and efficient manner. They must analyze every information to detect any inconsistencies, performing corrective measures right away. Furthermore, as a health information technician, it is essential to utilize particular software and systems when processing information, all while adhering to the hospital's policies and regulations.
Reimbursement analysts and health information technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reimbursement Analyst | Health Information Technician | |
| Average salary | $65,489 | $34,604 |
| Salary range | Between $48,000 And $87,000 | Between $26,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Quincy, MA | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | Massachusetts | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Tufts Health Plan | Stifel Financial |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Government |
There are a few differences between a reimbursement analyst and a health information technician in terms of educational background:
| Reimbursement Analyst | Health Information Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Most common major | Business | Health Care Administration |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | University of Southern California |
Here are the differences between reimbursement analysts' and health information technicians' demographics:
| Reimbursement Analyst | Health Information Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.4% Female, 72.6% | Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 8.4% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.6% White, 59.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |