Medical billing and credentialing for medical providers are two different categories in the healthcare world. Before any medical billing can even be completed, the healthcare provider needs to be credentialed with insurance companies in order to be an approved provider of services. Becoming credentialed as an in-network provider dictates the set amount of reimbursement that provider can expect back.
After the credentialing process has been completed the healthcare provider is then able to start treating patients in that network and sending claims for reimbursement. A medical biller will use CPT and ICD-10 codes on the claim to describe to the insurance companies what treatment the provider has given. They will then follow up on the claim to make sure that it has been properly paid by the insurance company.
That’s the difference between medical billing and credentialing.