What do you have to say in a medical biller cover letter that isn’t included in your resume? Plenty! While some may say that no one reads cover letters, that’s far from the truth. While recruiters may not read every word of every letter they receive, you can be sure that if they're on the fence, an excellent cover letter can push them in the right direction.
Medical billing is about more than dollar signs. It requires discretion, efficiency, and a firm knowledge of insurance practices and proper coding of fees.
Within a cover letter, you have the space to explain how you approach your work and your level of speed and accuracy. You can also highlight how you have improved systems to the benefit of your employer and helped patients understand their bills.
A medical biller cover letter contains standard sections. A firm understanding of each, before you begin writing, will help you focus your efforts and create the best document possible. Our library of cover letter examples is filled with stories from all sorts of professions. In this writing guide and corresponding medical biller cover letter example, we cover:
- Formatting the cover letter to frame your achievements
- How to tell the right marketing stories to secure an interview
- How to write a cover letter with no marketing director experience
- Mistakes to avoid if you want to be taken seriously
If you’re looking for additional inspiration for cover letter writing, you can check out our related healthcare cover letter samples:
- Pharmacist Cover Letter Sample
- Pharmacy technician Cover Letter Sample
- Case Manager Cover Letter Sample
- Dentist Cover Letter Sample
- Physical therapist Cover Letter Sample
- CNA Cover Letter Sample
- Medical receptionist cover Letter Sample
- Nursing Cover Letter Sample
- Dental assistant Cover Letter Sample
- Caregiver Cover Letter Sample
- Lab Technician Cover Letter Sample
- Veterinary Assistant Cover Letter Sample
- Phlebotomist Cover Letter Sample
- Physical Therapist Cover Letter Sample
- LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) Cover Letter Sample
Best format for a medical biller cover letter
A medical biller must create a structure to work within in order to get the job done efficiently. Using an outline to develop your cover letter shows that you are organized without you having to say it.
The format of a medical biller cover letter should contain the following elements:
- The cover letter header
- The greeting / salutation
- The cover letter intro
- The middle paragraphs (body of the letter)
- The ending paragraph of your cover letter (conclusion and call-to-action)
If you’re looking for a great overview, head over to our comprehensive cover letter guide. The advice in the guide below is designed specifically for medical billers
This medical biller cover letter example will give you a starting point for developing your unique letter:
Re: Medical biller role
Dear Mrs. Hodge,
Having worked in medical billing for four years, I am seeking a move to a bigger healthcare provider that will give me the opportunity to broaden my experience.
As a mathematics graduate, my eye for data made me gravitate toward this role. I helped Lyle Health to implement a comprehensive data validation system, which resulted in reducing billing errors by 40% within the first six months of its operation. This achievement not only improved our patient satisfaction but also increased overall efficiency.
My expertise ranges from coding medical procedures, coordinating with insurance companies, addressing patient queries related to their bills, and auditing billing data. I am proficient in medical billing software, insurance guidelines, and both ICD-10 and CPT codes. If you take your eye off the regulations, any lack of compliance can put patients at risk.
Additionally, I spearheaded a team effort to streamline our bill-processing protocol, which led to a 30% increase in processing speed, thereby reducing the payment cycle period. This also allowed us to maintain an error rate of less than 0.5%, well below the industry standard. In another instance, I collaborated with our internal team and a group of insurance providers to resolve a complex backlog of disputed claims. My contribution was instrumental in recovering over $1 million in previously denied claims within a 6-month period.
As a certified professional biller (CPB), I pride myself on being able to handle sensitive medical information with discretion and work to keep on top of HIPAA regulations. I have not breached confidentiality procedures once over my whole career.
I look forward to the opportunity of discussing the role at an interview as I know that there is much that I can contribute.
Sincerely,
Simon Grassley
Cover letter header
Is staring at a blank page a little daunting? Start with your header. Not only does it add a design element to that 8x11 vacuum, but it serves two very important purposes:
- It focuses the recruiter’s attention on your name, title, and contact information
- It helps create a united package with your resume when you choose the same or complementary designs.
A united application package offers a more professional look, because it sends the message that you can see the big picture as well as the details. Our expertly-designed cover letter templates have matching resume templates to make your entry into the job market that much easier.
Extras for your header
In addition to the best phone number and email address (avoid that cute email address you made up in high school and use some version of your name or initials), you may want to include other elements in your header. Consider your LinkedIn profile URL or any other professional social media accounts you maintain.
Cover letter greeting
“To Whom It May Concern.” Does that make you want to read on? Probably not. We’re not writing for just anyone, we’re helping you write a great medical biller cover letter and a great medical biller cover letter addresses the hiring manager personally.
If you can’t find a contact person’s name on the company website, try a phone call to ask. If all fails, or if you’re answering a blind ad with no contact person listed, you may try something like “Dear Billing Department,” or “Dear HR personnel.” Otherwise, your best bet is “Dear Mr./Ms./Dr. and the last name of your contact. Be absolutely certain you know what the correct courtesy title is. If you don’t know, you may default to “Dear” followed by the person’s full name.
Cover letter introduction
What do you want your prospective boss to know about you as soon as you meet? The introduction to your medical biller cover letter should relate exactly to that. Certainly, you want to tell them about your proudest career achievement and give a brief overview of your experience.
The intro paragraph sets the tone for the rest of your letter. Medical officers are serious places, so you want to remain professional, not chatty. That doesn’t mean you should sound like a robot, or veer into long sentences full of medical jargon, but keep in mind that you’re not talking to a friend, but a potential business associate.
If you are looking for your first job, no problem. Everyone has had one and since the healthcare industry is growing and the demand for medical billers along with it, you have picked a good time to enter the job market. Use your introduction to tell why you chose this field or what skills you bring as a newbie in the field – for instance, your up-to-date computer skills.
Offer a lead-in to a bigger story that you plan to expand on in the body of your letter. Any great writing keeps the reader moving forward with little cliffhangers or breadcrumbs of information that warrant further investigation.
Dear Mrs. Hodge,
Having worked in medical billing for four years, I am seeking a move to a bigger healthcare provider that will give me the opportunity to broaden my experience.
Cover letter middle part (body)
These paragraphs comprise the meat of your medical biller cover letter. If the recruiter has gotten this far, that’s a sign they are very interested and want to know the details of who you are as a professional and how you approach your work.
If you haven’t already, you definitely need to state confidently that you will add value to the billing team because your error rate is extremely low, you have an eye for process improvements, you have every medical procedure code memorized, or you’re the go-to person for patient questions about their bills and insurance. Whatever your strengths, play them up here. You have about three paragraphs to offer details that will entice a recruiter to extend an interview offer.
Try to avoid restating your resume. Instead, choose one or two of the bullet points from that document and expand upon your role and your results. If you feel that you must repeat something, alter the wording so that it sounds fresh and flows.
Within these paragraphs, keep the momentum going and the successes flowing so that the recruiter reads all the way to your conclusion.
As a mathematics graduate, my eye for data made me gravitate toward this role. I helped Lyle Health to implement a comprehensive data validation system, which resulted in reducing billing errors by 40% within the first six months of its operation. This achievement not only improved our patient satisfaction but also increased overall efficiency.
My expertise ranges from coding medical procedures, coordinating with insurance companies, addressing patient queries related to their bills, and auditing billing data. I am proficient in medical billing software, insurance guidelines, and both ICD-10 and CPT codes. If you take your eye off the regulations, any lack of compliance can put patients at risk.
Additionally, I spearheaded a team effort to streamline our bill-processing protocol, which led to a 30% increase in processing speed, thereby reducing the payment cycle period. This also allowed us to maintain an error rate of less than 0.5%, well below the industry standard. In another instance, I collaborated with our internal team and a group of insurance providers to resolve a complex backlog of disputed claims. My contribution was instrumental in recovering over $1 million in previously denied claims within a 6-month period.
As a certified professional biller (CPB), I pride myself on being able to handle sensitive medical information with discretion and work to keep on top of HIPAA regulations. I have not breached confidentiality procedures once over my whole career.
Avoid big blocks of type
We know that you want to cram as much into your medical biller cover letter as possible, but refrain from shrinking margins and filling out every line. Long paragraphs and wall-to-wall type are off-putting.
Instead, just as you do in your resume, create a bulleted list that highlights a few accomplishments that can be explained in a pithy phrase. Save the sentences for more complex examples.
How to close a medical biller cover letter (conclusion and sign-off)
This is where you finish strong. Because recruiters may read dozens of medical biller cover letters before their day is done, you need to remind them in your conclusion why you are an outstanding candidate for the position. Reiterate your main point, but don’t stop there.
If you have the space, add one more sentence that speaks to your interpersonal skills or highlights one last success that didn’t fit elsewhere. Remind the recruiter why this particular job is the one you want and how you will make the billing department better.
Finally, let them know that you are eager to speak further about the position and sign off with “Sincerely,” or “Regards,” and your full name. It is not necessary to add a signature to online letters, but if you so choose, you may put one in.
I look forward to the opportunity of discussing the role at an interview as I know that there is much that I can contribute.
Sincerely,
Simon Grassley
Remember the Applicant Tracking System (ATS)
It’s likely you will be applying online since most HR departments use ATS software designed to streamline their hiring process. While you may recognize that you need to use relevant keywords and phrases in your resume, you should not neglect them in your medical biller cover letter either.
Even if the ATS algorithm does not take your letter into account in its rankings, the recruiter will certainly notice that you took the time to address the hospital’s or practice’s needs directly.
Basic mistakes in a medical biller application letter (and how to avoid them)
- Beating around the bush. While you don’t want to sing your praises to the moon, you do want to clearly state your strengths with strong language. If you don’t have confidence in your own professional abilities, why would someone else give you a chance?
- Shifting tones. One of the most difficult aspects of writing is maintaining the same voice throughout. Often, letters begin professionally, in an almost stilted manner, but get more casual as the job applicant becomes more comfortable with the flow of writing. Avoid this trap by taking the time to read your letter aloud. If you have an audience, all the better. Tonal shifts are easier to hear than to see when reading silently.
- Errors in grammar, punctuation, and spelling. This one is perhaps the easiest to avoid. Use editing tools such as spell and grammar check, but don’t rely solely on them. If you have that audience listening to your letter, also have one of them proofread for you. Publishing is full of editors because it’s nearly impossible to edit your own work. (You know more than one set of eyes saw this guide before it was published.)
- Anecdotes that run too long. If it takes more than a couple of sentences of explanation, save it for the interview. It’s amazing that you completely reorganized the office, but the recruiter does not need a blow-by-blow of every chair you moved or every obstacle you encountered.
Key takeaways
- Yes, you definitely need a medical biller cover letter because even if some recruiters won’t read it, for others it will make all the difference in whether or not they proceed with your candidacy.
- Make your greeting as personal as possible, but be very sure you are addressing the contact person correctly.
- Use the middle paragraphs of your application letter to add details to the success you teased in your introduction.
- Don’t sign off without letting the recruiter know that you are very interested and would love the opportunity of an interview.
