Certified Patient Account Representatives administer the billing and payment issues for the patients in a medical setting. Their key responsibilities include keeping patient accounts updated, responding the billing and payment related queries, collecting payments, monitoring overdue accounts, communicating with insurance companies and helping patients for timely reimbursements from insurance providers etc. They conduct all these activities via telephone, mailed correspondence or in person.

Certified Patient Account Representatives are employed at variety of settings such as government and private hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, outpatient medical facilities, rehabilitation centers, specialty medical centers, insurance carriers etc. These professionals normally sit at a desk and use computers to provide their services. They work at a regular weekday schedule as well as weekend and night-shift time.

Educational Requirements:

To become a Certified Patient Account Representative, the aspiring candidates have to earn at least a high school diploma or GED. The students may pursue higher studies with the major coursework in mathematics, accounting, business administration or in a related field in order to find better job opportunities. In general, the candidates having some experience in medical billing, collections or financial analysis are preferred by the employers.

Certification and Licensing:

Though Certified Patient Account Representatives typically don’t need to be licensed or certified, some employers often prefer certified job applicants. The American Association of Healthcare Administrative Management and the Medical-Dental-Hospital Business Associates offer exam-based certification to these professionals.

Skill Set:

Apart from the basic knowledge in mathematics and medical terminology, Certified Patient Account Representatives possess a wide range of skills such as analytical and customer service skills, understanding of various insurance policies and procedures, ability to work with polite and friendly approach towards patients and their family members, excellent oral and written communication skills, knowledge in computer application etc.

Salary & Job Outlook:

Job outlook for a Certified Patient Account Representative remains excellent across the USA. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the growth rate for job opportunities in this profession may rise to 36 % during 2012-2022. The annual average salary of a Certified Patient Account Representative was $33,820 in 2013.