A billing officer, also called a billing clerk or billing agent, among other titles, is in charge of carrying out the billing and collections functions of an office, notably although not necessarily in the healthcare field. Although experience in and special knowledge of industry terminology and billing practices and codes are necessary for this job, a college education is not mandatory.

Duties

A billing officer is in charge of the billing and collections of an office, which comprises several functions. You should be able to maintain billing records in adherence with the policy of the particular office you work for. Typical duties include typing in billing data into a computer for all services rendered with proper coding, filing claims submissions, allocating collections and filing receipts, calculating closing and balancing on a daily and monthly basis, and basic bookkeeping.

Salary

The average salary of a billing officer is $54,000 per year, according to the Simply Hired website. Salaries can vary dramatically according to geographic location, industry, company, experience and benefits. For example, the average salary of a hospital billing officer is $63,000 per year.

Job Skills

Billing officers should be able to multitask, communicate and work well with others, and work well and quickly under pressure. You should have some knowledge of and experience in bookkeeping and office management. Computer proficiency is essential.

Education and Experience

A billing officer should be a high school graduate or have a GED as well as training or experience with bookkeeping and should know the industry's terminology. Billing officers working in medical offices must have an understanding of CPT (Current Procedural Terminology), which are codes published by the American Medical Association for medical services, and of the ICD-9-CM (International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification) coding system for health-related details such as diseases and conditions, injuries and symptoms.