I have been in medical billing for 11 years, and quickly learned that those jobs are NOT from home too often, and spent my time learning other office activities to make myself more marketable. Most billing firms will pay about $14 an hour to start, which is nice, but often offer no benefits, and a set 7-3 schedule.
Am also wondering.... where did you take this course? An accredited academic institution or college, or one of those daytime TV ad places like Olympia College... this may also be part of the problem.
The ONLY time I have done billing from home is when I already had a relationship with an office (not a billing company) and they allowed me to work from home on an internet based program to do AR's and follow ups. Most coding is automated in specialist practices anymore, and in my opinion, your best bet is to specialize in something (peds, internal med, OB/GYN, Cardio, Surgery, etc), get a job, develop a relationship, and then barter for time to work from home.
American companies are not big fans of work from homers unless they can log in and check your productivity or supervise you some other way, or you are in sales and commission based.
I don't think you were 'duped', there is the possibility of working from home with these new internet based billing programs (which are popping up all over anymore), and electronic billing and crossover claims, but there may not be much market where you are at, and I must agree that one year of experience isn't really very much-- most of the billers I have met are lifers....
I wish I could be more helpful...perhaps look online for these internet based programs and offer your services to them? Or see if they will pass your info along? Or make a flyer you can mail to local offices that markets your services as non-invasive and from home, and try to work yourself out as an independent contractor.
Good Luck!
