Work from Home - Boca Raton,FL

Updated on November 06, 2014
A.G. asks from Boca Raton, FL
14 answers

I need to bring in some extra income but I already work a full time day job and take care of my two kids in the evening and weekends. I was thinking that getting into medical coding and billing might be a good option. What do I have to do to get "certified" for this type of job? I see associate degrees online as well as $99.00 courses. Do I need a degree or do I just have to pass a test. I already have a double master not applicable to that field. Is this the type of job I can work on for two hours a night after the kids go to bed and a few hours on the weekends? Any tips on getting started as well as starting pay would be appreciated. Or if you have another suggestions for part time work, I would appreciate it. Btw I plan on working after the kids go to bed.
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Featured Answers

C.V.

answers from Columbia on

Be careful about medical billing and coding. It seems like a lucrative career, but do a search for job postings on Monster. Most billing agencies want billers/coders who have experience. 2 years or more, usually. So, if you're a newbie, you're not going to find a position.

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J.S.

answers from St. Louis on

Okay so you have teaching degrees. Just saying that so others don't have to dig through your questions to find it.

We have four biller/coders and two part time that just happen to be the children of those four. Shocking I know. Not one of them has any certification beyond what we have sent them for. None of them work from home, none of them are paid all that well. If you do not know anyone here you have no chance of being hired.

So I am saying find something else, this is not the job you are looking for.

5 moms found this helpful

W.W.

answers from Washington DC on

A.,

I'm sorry. Working from home means WORKING. It doesn't mean someone is going to pay you to "work" while you take care of your kids.

Medical coding and billing - due to 0bamacare and HIPPA laws - is NOT being done remotely that much anymore.

If you have a double masters - what do you do? What CAN YOU DO that would allow you to make extra money on the evenings?? Marketing? Advertising?

If you have talent - or are a teacher - try tutoring people. If you have language skills - consider ESOL or translation.

Good luck

4 moms found this helpful
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K.F.

answers from Salinas on

I am not sure why so many responses are calling you out as someone who wants to work while watching your kids. You clearly state you would be working while they are asleep or occupied.

It is not easy to find legitimate and lucrative opportunities but the part where you actually work around your children's schedule is not all that hard. I have done it since my children were born with great success. When they were little I hired a Mom's helper (HS school girls) to spend time with the kids at home when I was especially busy. I worked in the evenings when my husband was home and could easily find time to answer emails or make a business call on the weekends or afternoons.

Now if you're already working full time that will make it harder but not impossible. It sounds like the medical billing isn't a viable choice. What about tutoring, if you have degrees in education? I pay $50-$60 and hour for tutoring in math and ACT test taking for my oldest. It's a company so it's more expensive than an individual but over the years we've used teacher tutors and always paid upwards of $30-$40 per hour.

3 moms found this helpful

D.D.

answers from New York on

Medical coding and billing isn't a simple job where you can just take a test and work a couple hours a night after the kids go to bed. Real courses cost a couple thousand dollars and then you have to pass a test. There are a lot of jobs out there for coders and in billing however since it's pretty complicated it takes a while to be good at it. Not something you can pick up and do well right away.

Add in that since you are reviewing charting on patients its not something that's usually done in a home setting due to hippa requirements. I work for a health insurance company and I have a long list of things I have to comply with for hippa. If I do something wrong and a complaint is filed I can personally be held financially responsible and be fined.

Can you use your 2 degrees or a hobby to do something to bring in money? If you have a craft you could get involved in craft shows pretty easily. Or hit up tag and yard sales to find collectibles to sell on ebay. Is there something you could tutor or teach?

3 moms found this helpful
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O.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

Nowhere in your question do I see that you want to "get paid while you watch your kids." You want a few hours extra per day AFTER the kids are in bed and on weekends, while they are, I assume, taken care if by dad or Grammy. Geez, do people even read the posts anymore?!
I digress...

Take heed of what others are warning about the "easy course/great job" promises with medical coding.
In what do you hold your degrees?
My best suggestion is to use those skills, on a freelance basis to capitalize in the greatest income potential.
If you're an accountant, find someone that needs bookkeeping done for their business.
Graphic design? Get a few freelance clients.
Is there a possibility for any OT work at home with your current job?
Have you ever done eBay for baby/child items? If you have a lot of nice stuff? It can be quite lucrative as a side income.
If you're desperate for some extra cash and you have someone at home to care for the kids--maybe a PT retail position? Everyone is hiring for the holidays!
Good luck!

3 moms found this helpful

B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

Working from home while watching your kids means you can take in some baby sitting.
No other job is going to work if you don't have someone watching the kids - and child care will eat up what you earn for part time work.
An at home job is just like an office job without the commute.

Look into your community college to see if they offer a medical coding certificate program - you'll have to take a few courses - and there's no guarantee you'll find work after you get a certificate.
No it's not a 2 hours per night job and you do not start at working from home - you gradually prove yourself in the field and work up to working from home.
I got this certificate about 10 yrs back and spoke at length with one of the teachers who runs her business and teaches it to others.
(I took it as a back up plan as my employer was laying off many, but I ended up never using it).
Not every certificate program is worth the expense or the paper it's printed on.
There are a lot of junk certificate/degrees out there.

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M.C.

answers from Seattle on

I am a medical biller and do it from home. I don't have an issue with Hipaa regulations and I have several biller friends that do it from home. Just thought I'd throw that out there :) That said, just because you take a course doesn't mean you have clients. The company that provides the certification does not provide you with clients..you have to find those on your own. I agree with another of the answers where they said that this isn't an easy business - it takes years to learn the ropes and all of the intricacies.

2 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

What kind of "double master" do you have? Sorry, I did not go back and read your previous postings.

Working from home is WORK. So IF you happen to find something that is legit, Hard to do, then you will have to work when your children are in school, in bed, or in the care of someone else. As someone who owns a company and works from home, I will not hire someone to work for me while they are watching their children. I could never do my job with children around because it is critical to not make a mistake or I could cost our company (family) thousands of dollars. We are in raw materials and distribution and one screw up could shut a manufacturer down which could result in lawsuits as well. You have to have the A game on 24/7 when working at home with NO distractions (including pets).

If anyone ask you for money so you can go to work for them or get qualified, RUN it is a scam. You already know that.

Look at your "double masters" and how can they help you. Are you a teacher? Numerous opportunities are available for qualified tutors of academics, languages, instruments, etc.

Figure out your niche... are you crafty? Create and sell on Etsy.

Just beware of anything that comes close to indicating that you will be paid high dollar for little work. Network with your friends, friends of friends, LinkedIn and other social media so people know your qualifications and desire to have extra work.

There is always the option of going retail for the season but of course you have to offset child care so weigh those options carefully.

Best wishes to you.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.H.

answers from Dallas on

I'm not trying to oversimplify your situation, but if you are working full time (and have two degrees and experience) and don't make enough to pay the bills, do you have any options for a job change or advancement at your current workplace? If it's at all possible, is there a lower cost of living place you can live with more job prospects?

I say this as someone who had to move away from 'home' 5 years ago in order to be financially stable. The state we lived in just did not have the jobs or cost-of-living that would allow my family to be OK.

2 moms found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Don't just take a course if you don't know if it's applicable. There are legitimate services and there are places that will take your money. You also don't know what the job opportunities are in your area - maybe there is already a huge glut of people looking for work.

Start with friends and associates who may do this. I have a friend who does it but she's found that her hours have been cut. Also, the coding changes periodically in different states so don't just use someone else's old books to study from.

Put something out via email or even Facebook asking who does billing/coding - don't say you need more money or make a big thing of it, just ask who do you know who does this. Ask your doctor what service they use - maybe you can even ask his/her biller/coder how they got trained. You need to find out what the minimum number of hours is that the services expect - there are deadlines and not every employer is willing to wait until you get the kids down to bed for all that data to be entered.

Network network network before you spend any money.

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W.X.

answers from Boston on

Are you a baker. I am an okay cook, but a terrible baker. I would pay this time of year for baked goods.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.C.

answers from Seattle on

I am a medical biller and do it from home. I don't have an issue with Hipaa regulations and I have several biller friends that do it from home. Just thought I'd throw that out there :) That said, just because you take a course doesn't mean you have clients. The company that provides the certification does not provide you with clients..you have to find those on your own. I agree with another of the answers where they said that this isn't an easy business - it takes years to learn the ropes and all of the intricacies.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.B.

answers from Dallas on

I think someone said your a teacher. Tutoring older kids, tutoring om line, on line teacher. Is there something in quite you can make and sell ie on etsy.

1 mom found this helpful
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