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The differences between reimbursement specialists 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 specialist and a health information technician. Additionally, a reimbursement specialist has an average salary of $38,273, which is higher than the $34,604 average annual salary of a health information technician.
The top three skills for a reimbursement specialist include patients, customer service and appeals. The most important skills for a health information technician are patients, medical terminology, and customer service.
| Reimbursement Specialist | Health Information Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $38,273 | $34,604 |
| Hourly rate | $18.40 | $16.64 |
| Growth rate | 11% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 32,292 | 120,786 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | Associate Degree, 41% |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Years of experience | 12 | 12 |
A reimbursement specialist is responsible for analyzing insurance documents, processing reimbursement claims, and releasing accurate billing statements for insurance claims. Reimbursement specialists must have excellent analytical skills, especially on performing clerical tasks to evaluate insurance cases, investigate cases, and update the account information of the clients on the database. They should also have impeccable communication skills and understanding of the insurance processes to be able to coordinate with the clients, explaining the procedures of their claims accurately, and coordinate with the insurance management to improve the claims processes.
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 specialists and health information technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Reimbursement Specialist | Health Information Technician | |
| Average salary | $38,273 | $34,604 |
| Salary range | Between $29,000 And $49,000 | Between $26,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Lynchburg, VA | Fairbanks, AK |
| Highest paying state | Virginia | Alaska |
| Best paying company | Novartis | Stifel Financial |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Government |
There are a few differences between a reimbursement specialist and a health information technician in terms of educational background:
| Reimbursement Specialist | Health Information Technician | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 40% | 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 specialists' and health information technicians' demographics:
| Reimbursement Specialist | Health Information Technician | |
| Average age | 45 | 45 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 15.2% Female, 84.8% | Male, 16.5% Female, 83.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 16.9% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.3% | 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% |