Community Chat

[joa]

Hello.. I have been out of the workforce for over 5 years. I'm thinking about going to school for this but don't want to waste the money if it's a career that goes nowhere. I live in the Baltimore/Washington area and would probably go for online classes. Is anyone in this field or know someone who is that can give me any advice??

Thanks so much

JoAnne

[chrystaltree]

It's a challenging and very difficult career. Sadly there are a lot of junk programs out there that just take advantage of people. If you are seriously interested, visit AHIMA.org and AAPC.com for information about the career and education. It's not a career that you can hope to enter after a few months of "on line" training. Also, this is not the time to begin any program at all. Medical coding is transitioning from ICD-9 to ICD-10. You should wait until ICD-10 comes in before beginning any coding courses. However, there are many courses that come before you take any coding classes. Anatomy & Physiology, medical terminology, pathopysiology of disease, a pharmacy course; are needed to prepare you for coding classes.

[joa]

Thanks Chrystaltree for the information... I am at the AAPC.com website right now. I'm thinking about doing the Anatomy and Medical Terminology bundle. I did work in the insurance field but did more of the Property aspect of it. Do you know when the ICD-10 will come in?? Sorry if a dumb question.. I'm only starting my research so don't know much.

[chrystaltree]

On 7/14/2014 joa said:

Thanks Chrystaltree for the information... I am at the AAPC.com website right now. I'm thinking about doing the Anatomy and Medical Terminology bundle. I did work in the insurance field but did more of the Property aspect of it. Do you know when the ICD-10 will come in?? Sorry if a dumb question.. I'm only starting my research so don't know much.

They pushed it back a year, it's supposed to go into effect 10-1-15. We'll see what happens. It's a major change for coders and insurers. We've been in class for a year. Whether or not ICD 10 comes in 2015, you need to begin your class work with A&P, medical terminology and a Disease process class. That's the foundation of medical coding. If your goal is to work for a hospital, AHIMA is the best program. If your goal is to work for physicians, AAPC is the best program. Although there is some cross over in both. AHIMA has an online coding program. I think AAPC has an independant study program that is not online. Those are the two certification entities. Like nurses and other healthcare professionals, coders must take certification exams.

[Starpolisher]

I'm so glad I came across this post! I plan to retire in June. I've been teaching for 25 years but before that I was a nurse. I never really liked nursing and when my son's were little went back to school for teaching. I was thinking of going back to school for medical coding. I'd like to work in a hospital again. I always felt comfortable in that setting, just didn't like med-surge patient care. I don't really want to retire yet but school has changed so much that I feel it's time to move on. I only want to work part-time after retirement. How hard/realistic is it to find a job in this field? Is it worth putting the money out for? Why is it a "challenging and very difficult career"?

I was thinking of going to my local community college. I'd rather be in a classroom than take online courses. What should I be looking for?

[chrystaltree]

On 7/23/2014 starpolisher said:

I'm so glad I came across this post! I plan to retire in June. I've been teaching for 25 years but before that I was a nurse. I never really liked nursing and when my son's were little went back to school for teaching. I was thinking of going back to school for medical coding. I'd like to work in a hospital again. I always felt comfortable in that setting, just didn't like med-surge patient care. I don't really want to retire yet but school has changed so much that I feel it's time to move on. I only want to work part-time after retirement. How hard/realistic is it to find a job in this field? Is it worth putting the money out for? Why is it a "challenging and very difficult career"?

I was thinking of going to my local community college. I'd rather be in a classroom than take online courses. What should I be looking for?

It's challenging because medical coders, real coders who have been certified, hold the hospital or doctor's payments in their hands. How we code a claim determines payment and there is no room for error. Insurers and Medicare perform audits. Coders have to know everything a doctor knows to be able to assign the correct codes. It's not clerical work by any stretch of the imagination. Yes, there are non-professional people who can look up a particular diagnostic or procedure. But that isn't coding. Community colleges often have basic courses for that. In my area, coders must have an associates or bachelor's degree. They must have graduated from an AHIMA or AAPC approved coding program. Online or in school, coding programs generally take about 2 years to complete. Coders must be certified. You need 1-2 years of experience to pass the certification exams, they are very difficult, 5 hour long exams. Both AHIMA and AAPC have their own certifications. Hospitals in my area do not hire uncertified coders. While there is shortage of qualified coders in this country, it's very difficult for a new graduate to find a coding job. Graduates need experience to sit for the exams however hospitals and doctors only want experienced, certified coders. It's a catch-22 situation. There's a wealth of information the sites I mentioned. Also, coder education never ends. We have to continue to take courses and attend training sessions and conference to keep up with advances in medicine to obtain mandatory CEU's.

[151949]

I could be wrong about this but i thought this was something people get a Associates degree in from community college. Is that correct?

[chrystaltree]

On 7/23/2014 happy housewife said:

I could be wrong about this but i thought this was something people get a Associates degree in from community college. Is that correct?

That's just one way, that's how I started. But there are Health Information Management programs at 4 year colleges and the graduates earn a bachelors degree. Medical Coding is included in that program and many graduates start their HIM careers as coders. Also people who already have an associates degree or bachelor's degree and want to become coders usually enter a coding certificate program. Those programs are usually offered by community colleges or 2 year colleges.

[Ts mom]

My daughter showed me this post.I have had my CPC since 2002. I had a science background, in Dental Hygiene, but took off many years to have and raise a family. I was fortunate to return to the work force and receive many opportunities. I worked for an ASC in Ohio and became involved with the coding,billing, and insurance contracts. When my husband was transferred to Texas I had a coding position before we even moved. Wherever I have worked, it is imperative to be Medicare compliant, not upcoding, and be correct with all medical procedures. It was a great help to have AR experience. The hospital paid for my bootcamp for coding and I passed the AAPC 5 hour test on the first attempt. It has been a profession that I was able to live in different states and immediately receive employment. When we moved to Florida, I would attend AAPC meetings at Medical Institutes. It is imperative that once the test is passed, there are continuing classes that have to be completed each year, some are free and some are very expensive. I would see students that had taken loans and had no knowledge or experience with an office, hospital, or doctor office. IT's important to combine the both. Good luck!

[focksie]

This field interests me as well. Chrystaltree, you know so much about this, so may I ask you...if I have been a dental hygienist and to that end, took courses in anatomy, pathology, physiology, pharm course, and if I have worked in hospitals (Cardiology and Pathology Departments) in research and admin asst capacities and in doctor's offices, so my medical terminology and general medical knowledge is excellent...but then went into private industry for years... do you think I could bypass going for formal schooling? Or will employers still look for that certification from an accredited program rather than looking at my schooling and work experience?