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Shannon Lee
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The healthcare field continues to see major growth in the United States, creating demand for managers to coordinate medical services and improve patient outcomes. One of the best ways to take on these roles is to earn a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. Many accredited colleges offer their bachelor’s degrees in healthcare administration online, making the path to a successful career more convenient. Using data from more than 7,700 colleges (from IPEDS and the colleges themselves), EduMed has researched, analyzed, and ranked the top online healthcare administration bachelor’s degree programs in the country. Check out each top program below.
| # | School Name | Type | Cost | Online Programs | More Details | School Information | Online Students | Academic Counseling | Career Placement | Students w/Institutional Aid | Median Earnings 10yrs After Entry | Accreditation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | National American University-Ellsworth AFB ExtensionEllsworth Air Force Base, SD | Private for-profit | $$ | 1 | Those looking to get their bachelor’s in healthcare management online should consider the program from National American University. While hosted by the Ellsworth campus, all courses are offered online. Online courses are synchronous and designed to be collaborative. Additionally, all classes are capped at a certain size, giving students the benefits of learning in smaller class sizes. When students finish this degree, they’ll be ready to enter into a variety of healthcare fields such as healthcare management, administration, medical office management, healthcare finance management, health insurance, and assisted living management. There is also a shorter program option available for those who already have their associate’s degree. Program Highlights: Bachelors of Science in Healthcare Management
|
Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio5/1 |
AccreditationHLC | |||
| 2 | Weber State UniversityOgden, UT | Public | $$ | 1 | Weber State University offers a flexible Bachelor’s of Science in Health Administration. With this degree, students will be ready to enter a variety of entry-level healthcare fields including healthcare management, administration, healthcare finance, health insurance management, and more. The program provides flexible course delivery and students can choose between online, in-person, or independent study courses. Online and in-person courses are at a set time and require in-class participation. The independent study option is asynchronous and can be completed online. Not all courses are offered in the independent study format, though the course can be completed online with minimal campus visits. Program Highlights: Bachelors of Science in Healthcare Administration
|
Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio21/1 |
AccreditationNWCCU | |||
| 3 | University of Alabama at BirminghamBirmingham, AL | Public | $$ | 1 | The University of Alabama offers a highly ranked online bachelor’s in healthcare management. While this bachelor’s degree is housed at the Birmingham campus, there is a fully online option with this course. It’s important to note the online version of this program has synchronous class times and requires some infrequent campus visits during the four-year program. The program recommends checking with them about how often you’d have to come to campus before applying. While this program could lead to a couple career fields or to further graduate studies, it’s designed for those looking to enter healthcare management upon graduation. Program Highlights: Bachelors of Science in Healthcare Management
|
Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio20/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | |||
| 4 | University of Louisiana at LafayetteLafayette, LA | Public | $$ | 1 | The bachelors of health services administration from the University of Louisiana might be housed at their Lafayette campus, but students have many flexible learning options. In fact, this degree can be taken fully online. To add increased flexibility, students can choose between taking courses on an eight-week accelerated class schedule or a normal sixteen-week semester schedule. Since course timeframes are customizable, many classes are offered in an asynchronous format, though some may be offered synchronously and require in-class participation. They also offer 24/7 assistance and online resources to help all online students succeed in their course of study. Program Highlights: Bachelors of Science in Health Service Administration
|
Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | |||
| 5 | Brazosport CollegeLake Jackson, TX | Public | $ | 1 | Brazosport College offers an online bachelors of applied technology in health service management. This degree is perfect for anyone who wants a flexible course of study and is looking to enter the healthcare field. All courses are fully online and delivered in an eight-week course format. This format allows students to finish their degree faster than in the traditional sixteen-week course format. Students can also choose the 4+1 program and get their master’s degree and undergraduate degree fully online in less than five years. After graduating, students will be ready to enter the healthcare management or healthcare technology fields. Program Highlights: Bachelors of Applied Technology in Health Service Management
|
Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio12/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | |||
| 6 | University of Central FloridaOrlando, FL | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio31/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 7 | Florida International UniversityMiami, FL | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio25/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 8 | Montana State University BillingsBillings, MT | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1 |
AccreditationNWCCU | ||||
| 9 | Southern Illinois University-CarbondaleCarbondale, IL | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio11/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 10 | Midland CollegeMidland, TX | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio13/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 11 | Southeast Missouri State UniversityCape Girardeau, MO | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 12 | Norfolk State UniversityNorfolk, VA | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 13 | Tennessee State UniversityNashville, TN | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio12/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 14 | Northeastern State UniversityTahlequah, OK | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 15 | Middle Georgia State UniversityMacon, GA | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 16 | St. Petersburg CollegeClearwater, FL | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio23/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 17 | Radford UniversityRadford, VA | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio14/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 18 | Wichita State UniversityWichita, KS | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 19 | Jackson State UniversityJackson, MS | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio14/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 20 | Western Kentucky UniversityBowling Green, KY | Public | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 21 | Sam Houston State UniversityHuntsville, TX | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio21/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 22 | Portland State UniversityPortland, OR | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1 |
AccreditationNWCCU | ||||
| 23 | Louisiana State University-AlexandriaAlexandria, LA | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 24 | Metropolitan State University of DenverDenver, CO | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 25 | SUNY College of Technology at AlfredAlfred, NY | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1 |
AccreditationMSCHE | ||||
| 26 | University of Virginia-Main CampusCharlottesville, VA | Public | $$$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 27 | SUNY College of Technology at CantonCanton, NY | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1 |
AccreditationMSCHE | ||||
| 28 | South Texas CollegeMcAllen, TX | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio22/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 29 | Oregon Institute of TechnologyKlamath Falls, OR | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1 |
AccreditationNWCCU | ||||
| 30 | State College of Florida-Manatee-SarasotaBradenton, FL | Public | $ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio30/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 31 | Southern New Hampshire UniversityManchester, NH | Private not-for-profit | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio21/1 |
AccreditationNECHE | ||||
| 32 | Winona State UniversityWinona, MN | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 33 | Baker CollegeOwosso, MI | Private not-for-profit | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio8/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 34 | Liberty UniversityLynchburg, VA | Private not-for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 35 | Minnesota State University MoorheadMoorhead, MN | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 36 | University of Minnesota-CrookstonCrookston, MN | Public | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio18/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 37 | Coastal Carolina UniversityConway, SC | Public | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio17/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 38 | Columbia CollegeColumbia, MO | Private not-for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio23/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 39 | Texas Tech University Health Sciences CenterLubbock, TX | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio7/1 |
AccreditationSACSCOC | ||||
| 40 | Granite State CollegeConcord, NH | Public | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio20/1 |
AccreditationNECHE | ||||
| 41 | ASA CollegeBrooklyn, NY | Private for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio11/1 |
AccreditationMSCHE | ||||
| 42 | City College-Fort LauderdaleFort Lauderdale, FL | Private not-for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio9/1 |
AccreditationABHES | ||||
| 43 | American National University-PikevillePikeville, KY | Private for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio19/1 |
AccreditationABHES | ||||
| 44 | Monroe CollegeBronx, NY | Private for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio16/1 |
AccreditationMSCHE | ||||
| 45 | Rasmussen University-North DakotaFargo, ND | Private for-profit | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio15/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 46 | DeVry University-TexasIrving, TX | Private for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio6/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 47 | Husson UniversityBangor, ME | Private not-for-profit | $$$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio12/1 |
AccreditationNECHE | ||||
| 48 | Trine University-Regional/Non-Traditional CampusesFort Wayne, IN | Private not-for-profit | $$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio7/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 49 | National American University-Rapid CityRapid City, SD | Private for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio7/1 |
AccreditationHLC | ||||
| 50 | Rasmussen University-FloridaOcala, FL | Private for-profit | $$$ | 1 | Academic CounselingYes |
Career PlacementYes |
Student/ Faculty Ratio12/1 |
AccreditationHLC |
Profiling the Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration
If you’re looking for an online program, you need to do your homework. Learn about the online coursework, program expectations, time to completion, and overall cost. To help you understand what that all looks like, we’ve profiled two of today’s most popular bachelor’s degrees in healthcare administration online. Get the inside scoop on these programs below.
Grand Canyon University
Grand Canyon University (GCU) is a private nonprofit university and one of the largest Christian universities in the world. Chartered in 1949, GCU has grown from a school of roughly 100 students to now more than 60,000, and that’s just the online student body. With more than 200 programs to choose from across both undergraduate and graduate levels, students have a variety of academic areas of study to delve into, including healthcare administration. Available both online and on-campus, GCU’s online healthcare administration bachelor’s degree program is designed to be completed in four years and focuses on the five specific areas of:
- Communication and relationship management
- Leadership and professionalism
- Healthcare environment and business acumen
- Financial management, information technology, and risk management
- Organization dynamics and human resources
Each online course lasts seven to eight weeks and students must complete 120 credit hours to graduate. However, up to 90 of these credits may be transfer credits, which can drastically reduce the time necessary to graduate. Most online students can expect to pay $470 per credit hour although veterans (both active duty and reserve) will get a discount and pay only $250 per credit hour.
National University
Founded in 1971, National University (NU) is the largest non-profit private university in San Diego, California. Unlike many traditional colleges and universities, NU’s primary mission is to provide post-secondary education and training to adult students. So it’s no surprise that NU offers a robust online and on-campus curriculum, with more than 100 programs to choose from. Ninety of these programs are entirely online, including the Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration (BSHA). NU’s BSHA program is also an associate member of the Association of University Programs in Health Administration, also known as the AUPHA.
To provide the flexibility that nontraditional students demand, NU offers most of its courses in a special four-week format. This allows students to complete their course requirements faster and fit them more easily into an already busy schedule. To graduate, students must complete 180 quarter units. Healthcare administration students can also attend class on-campus at one of the 20 locations in California and Nevada.
Getting Familiar with the Online Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration
Learning online provides maximum flexibility for those students who need it most. Each school tailors its online healthcare administration bachelor’s degree program curriculum to make it as easy as possible for students to take classes whenever, wherever, and however they want. Given the relative hands-off nature of the healthcare administration field of study, this means many online programs can be finished entirely online, with no campus visits or in-person curriculum requirements necessary.
Prospective students can expect a course load that allows them to graduate in less than four years or in as many as five or six. For instance, at some schools, classes are only four weeks long. This makes it easier for students to fit in classes into their busy lives. Classes will often be asynchronous to allow students to take classes on their own schedule. This flexibility means one of the biggest challenges for online students is maintaining the discipline necessary to stay on track with coursework and degree requirements. Read our FAQ section below to learn more about the curriculum of online bachelor’s healthcare administration programs.
What are the main topics that will be covered?
Before graduation, you should expect to cover several foundational topics, regardless of which program you choose to attend or what electives you decide to take. Examples include:
- Leadership and management
- Organizational communication
- Legal and moral conflicts in healthcare
- Financial considerations of a healthcare organization
- The application of information technology
- Evidence-based healthcare services
- Healthcare policy
Some of these topics may have their own dedicated class. Others might be learned through a combination of courses. Either way, these topics will provide a comprehensive overview of how to successfully manage a healthcare organization.
What are the key skills I will learn by the time I graduate?
Upon completion of an online bachelor’s program in healthcare administration, graduates can expect to be well-versed in the challenges and necessary duties that come with operating and leading a clinical or medical organization. Some of the unique skills students will have at graduation include:
- Interpersonal and mediation skills to facilitate communication and cooperation among various departments and individuals with wide-ranging talents and educational backgrounds.
- The ability to recognize ethical and moral dilemmas, as well as how to either resolve them or find experts to help make the best of an unwinnable situation.
- Proficiency with accounting tools to analyze financial statements, projections, and billing processes.
- Understanding of federal, state and local regulations and laws and how they apply to the healthcare setting.
- Take statistical and epidemiological data and apply them to an existing clinical setting to improve patient and worker outcomes.
What are some common classes I should expect to take?
Each school will create its own curriculum for an online bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration. However, there will be some common classes that most students can expect to take, regardless of which school they choose. For example, there will be classes that cover the ethics, legal issues, and financial challenges of the healthcare environment. Let’s take a look at some of these courses in more detail.
Healthcare Finance
Core
Year 2
This class is a primer for the basic concepts of accounting, budgeting, and billing within the healthcare context. Students learn how to use financial analytics to review expenditures, create management assessments, and measure productivity.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Healthcare
Core
Year 2
Students learn the fundamental principles and rules concerning laws in the healthcare realm as well as ethical principles that govern management decisions in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Students also study the guidelines that help them navigate the moral and legal dilemmas that commonly arise in a healthcare delivery setting.
Information Technology in Healthcare Management
Core
Year 3
By taking this course, students learn the basics of information technology, including principles of the internet, e-commerce, data management. This class will also teach how to apply these technologies and theories to maximize the effectiveness of healthcare delivery services.
Organizational Behavior
Elective
Year 3
This class examines the theories underlying how workers interact and operate within an organization. Students analyze the principles of group dynamics, human psychology, motivation, culture, politics, work environment, and technology, specifically within a business setting.
Management Principles for Healthcare Administrators
Core
Year 4
This course teaches students the proper and effective management of healthcare human resources. Concepts cover a range of management contexts, including recruitment, hiring, firing, training, increasing diversity, and healthcare operations.
Capstone Project
Core
Year 4
In this writing-based course, students demonstrate the integration and synthesis of concepts learned in previous classes by applying them to an actual issue or concern in the healthcare industry.
What are the typical admissions requirements?
Because the bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration is an entry-level degree, college admissions requirements typically match requirements for other bachelor’s degree programs, such as:
- Completion of an application.
- Payment of an application fee.
- Submission of academic transcripts, such as from high school or other post-secondary institutions.
- Admission exam scores, such as from the ACT or SAT.
Entry into the actual healthcare administration program may be a separate process and require completion of basic general lower-division education coursework and prerequisites with a minimum GPA. There are usually no requirements for prior experience in the clinical or healthcare field. However, such experience will be very useful when looking for post-graduate employment.
How long does it take to earn a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration?
Online degree programs offer tremendous flexibility in how and when a student completes coursework. Therefore, the time it takes to complete a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration can vary greatly. For example, a full-time student will usually be able to earn a bachelor’s degree in approximately four years of study. In contrast, a part-time student may take five or six years to complete the healthcare administration bachelor’s degree. But this longer timeline has the advantage of allowing students to continue working or take care of other personal or family responsibilities while attending school.
Accreditation for Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Healthcare Administration
Accreditation is the process by which an independent body reviews a school or program to confirm that it meets a basic level of education quality. At the postsecondary level, there are two primary types of accreditation: institutional and programmatic.
Institutional accreditation can be broken down into two types: regional and national. Most schools will have regional accreditation, where an accrediting agency will have jurisdiction over a specific region of the United States. National accreditation is similar to regional accreditation, except the accrediting body can accredit any school across the country.
Programmatic accreditation pertains to a specific program, such as engineering, business, or accounting. At the bachelor’s level, there is no widely recognized accrediting body for healthcare administration. The Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Management Education (CAHME) is an accrediting organization for healthcare administration programs, but only at the master’s degree level. Therefore, when choosing among the many online bachelor’s degree healthcare administration programs out there, you need only look for regional or national accreditation. You can review a school’s current accreditation status by visiting the Department of Education’s Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs.
Examining the Cost of a Bachelor’s in Healthcare Administration Online
When choosing an online bachelor’s degree program in healthcare administration, price matters. There are many variables that can go into the actual cost of attendance, including tuition, fees, type of school, and prior educational experience. To give you a rough idea of how much you can expect to pay, we’ve featured three online programs and their tuition costs by price per credit hour.
Need help paying for school? Learn more about your options by reading our financial aid and scholarship guides.
Jobs and Salaries You Can Get with Your Online Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Administration
Graduating with a bachelor’s degree in healthcare administration can open a wide range of professional opportunities. While the bulk of graduates will likely work in a hospital, medical office or other healthcare facilities, there are many other places to find work, such as government agencies and insurance companies. Many of these positions have above-average job growth prospects and pay above the national average.
One of the reasons these jobs are in demand, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is the anticipated growth in health care services in the United States. With an aging population and more people having access to medical care, there will be a strong need for individuals who can properly manage the delivery of that medical care.
Administrative services managers, sometimes known as business office managers, work on handling the day-to-day tasks healthcare or other business organizations may require. Administrative services managers sometimes have job duties that overlap with healthcare executives but will tend to focus more on short-term tasks, such as department monitoring, supervising clerical employees, or handling maintenance requirements.
Job Outlook
10% Growth from 2018 to 2028
Median National Salary
$96,180 as of May 2018
Additional Experience/Training Needed
Prospective administrative services managers can improve their professional prospects by gaining real-world experience in the area in which they intend to work. Therefore, it’s especially helpful for that experience to be in the medical field, such as working as nurse, facilities staff, or human resources manager.
Also referred to as medical or health services managers, healthcare administrators handle the operations of a health care organization. This includes tactical duties, such as employee recruitment and training, scheduling, and regulatory compliance as well as the implementation of various initiatives and programs. Healthcare executives may also have the responsibility of creating strategic plans for a health care organization, such as budgeting, creation of long-term growth goals, and department reorganization.
Job Outlook
18% Growth from 2018 to 2028
Median National Salary
$99,730 as of May 2018
Additional Experience/Training Needed
While not always required, many employers will expect healthcare executives to possess a master’s degree. It’s also helpful to have prior management or clinical experience.
Health insurance claims examiners make sure health care claims have been properly adjusted and submitted. The claims examiner will confirm the proper submission of a claim, double-check the analysis of the claims adjuster and either confirm, deny, or modify the original decision. They might also refer the claim to a claims investigator for more information.
Job Outlook
4% Decline from 2018 to 2028
Median National Salary
$65,900 as of May 2018
Additional Experience/Training Needed
Depending on the position and company, a health insurance claims examiner will need prior health insurance experience, such as working as a claims adjuster. It also helps to have a background in the healthcare field.
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