I see a lot of ads on how you can work at home as a medical biller. The company I'm thinking of going with offers the software for $300 and a list of clients is provided. I don't have small children at home, but I am the owner of 6 exotic birds which is the same as having 6 four-year-olds. I thought this would be a way to give them the care they need without being away 40-plus hours a week for little pay. Would the initial investment be worth the money They provide online training, and I do have experience filing paper claims. Have you heard much negativity about this field Thanks for your time and interest.

Unless you have a medical billing background, this business can be hard to start. Now I'm not saying it's impossible. I'm just saying that if you don't already have these billing skills, this business is likely to take time to grow. The only medical billers that I know who work from home, and I know three, work for their husbands or relatives. Usually an ad will state that there are doctors out there eager to outsource their billing. This is usually not true, something you'll find out once you have purchased your billing software and try to find doctors who are interested in hiring you. [These companies may provide a list of doctors, which can be found in most yellow pages, but those doctors may not be interested in hiring medical billers. It may be best to contact doctors in your area first to see if you can find any who may have an interest in using your services.]

"The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has brought charges against several companies for misrepresenting the earnings potential of medical billing centers, and failing to provide certain key pre-investment information the law requires."

The way the scam works is that you are promised by this company that you'll receive software, training, technical support and a list of doctors. You can spend hundreds to thousands of dollars for this and are told that you don't need experience to make around $50,000 a year.

What happens "The FTC has found that few consumers purchasing a medical billing business opportunity are able to find clients, start a business and generate revenues -- let alone earn a substantial income and recover their investment. Competition in the medical billing market is very strong among a number of large and well-established firms."

You mentioned something in your e-mail that caught my eye. You sound like you have a real interest in exotic birds. Have you ever thought of turning this into a home business Sounds like you already have a lot of skills in this area and a real passion for this interest.

Usually the home business you should start is staring you right in the face, but you just don't see it. Don't get caught by the ads that scream you'll bemaking EASY money FAST. This is usually a lie. Even if you start a business in the area you really enjoy -- it too will take time. BUT the key factor here is that you'll enjoy it and will stick it out when times are slow because you love what your doing.

Remember when you were little and you played the game Truth or Dare. It seemed easy to decide between your choices then. Yet when considering the options of work at home medical billing, the choices can be a little more scary and your decisions a bit more daring. There are a number of companies out there looking to lure you in and take your money, but there is still the potential for a work at home medical billing business.

The Federal Trade Commission has sent out stern warnings to people when it comes to the advertisements they see to start their own work at home medical billing business. There are a number of advertisements out there for pre-packaged work at home medical billing businesses. These advertisements will tell you that there is a shortage of medical billers, and doctors are clamoring to outsource the work to trained work at home medical billing experts.

Many of these companies promoting these pre-packaged businesses for a work at home medical billing business make big promises like providing you with a list of clients along with training and software. The truth is, most doctors will hire larger companies to handle their medical billing, and the list of clients given are just doctors names that you need to contact and to whom you need to promote your work at home medical billing services. The false claims by these companies that you can make significant money from a work at home medical billing business by using their packages has prompted the FTC to file suit against those companies.

If you are considering a work at home medical billing package, you will want to asks some questions from the promoter. You will need to ask for names of previous purchasers of the work at home medical billing program so that you can contact them for references. You can also discuss the work at home medical billing field with doctors and other medical billing professionals to learn about the potential of the business in your area. Also, the Attorney Generals Office and other consumer agencies like the Better Business Bureau can give you insight into the promoter.

Still, there is an opportunity out there for you to start your own work at home medical billing business if you have the experience, contacts, and wiliness to market and network. If you have worked as a medical biller for years and have a number of medical contacts, starting your own work at home medical billing business could be a viable option if you are looking to work from home. You will need to be prepared at first to do battle with larger firms as you build up your work at home medical billing business.

When you start your own work at home medical billing business, make sure that you examine whether or not you really have what it takes to run your own work at home medical billing business. It may sound like heaven to work at home, but you will need to learn to discipline yourself to get work done and manage your time effectively. You will also have to make sure you do not get so caught up in your work at home medical billing business that you forget to have your own personal life.

If you are passionate about starting your own work at home medical billing business, and you are willing to put in the work to build your business, then go for it. Just beware of purchasing a work at home medical billing business when you have no contacts or experience.