The need for medical coders in the healthcare industry is on the rise and set to increase by 20% over the next ten years or so, growing much faster than average according to the US government. So what exactly is a medical coder—and what is needed to enter this growing and exciting field?
Job Responsibilities
Medical coders provide an essential service to the doctors and nurses they work with. Processing medical claims is very important to helping hospitals and doctors’ offices run efficiently. Every medical procedure performed has a unique code assigned for insurance companies. This means for the insurance companies to pay for procedures performed they must receive the right code, along with the proper patient encounter (sick visit, well visit, etc.) which is also assigned a code. The whole process is a well-oiled machine that to an outsider can seem very complicated and confusing. To a medical coder and biller it is second language at which they are highly skilled. This is also an excellent job for people who love working in hospitals or doctor offices, but like little to no patient contact as they will spend most of their time coding. Medical coders also help cut down on medical fraud by the unique coding they do.
Salary Expectations
The average salary for a medical coder with around two years of experience is around $15 an hour. Some states and facilities will pay more or less depending on the cost of living. Often medical coders will be given a higher rate of pay for more years of experience. A new medical coder can expect to make around $14, and the more seasoned upwards of $17. This is an excellent pay as most people obtain this certification with only a high school diploma or equivalent.
Education Requirements
Educational requirements for becoming a medical coder are a high school diploma or equivalent. An associate’s degree is not required, but if you have taken classes in the medical field it could lighten your course load. These courses might be something similar to medical terminology or statistics. There are courses offered online, or at various technical colleges around the United States. You must take these courses to be able to take your certification test. You must make sure the school you attend is accredited, or you could be denied eligibility to take the certification exam. Passing this test is essential in order to be able to work. The course load for medical coding is often considered light so students are often able to work full-time jobs as well as attend classes.
Often times the cheapest and easiest method to take courses is through your local college that has a technical institute. This way you are eligible for financial aid, as most online courses will not accept any form of government loans or scholarships. This means you must completely pay for the schooling out of your own pocket. Depending on which institute you decide to attend, costs can run anywhere from $2-6,000. Most online courses grant you the ability to work at your own pace, instead of attending pre-set classes, so this means you can finish sooner or later than expected.
Certification
When you are preparing to take the certification test to become a medical coder you will need to study well. This test will often take at least five to six hours on average. This is the main reason you need to attend an accredited technical institute, or school for medical coding. If you fail to do so, you might be inaccurately prepared to take this exam and not pass. Once you pass your certification test you are free to apply for jobs within the medical coding field.
If you like the idea of working in an office, are good with computers and software and are looking for a job that has an excellent future, being a medical coder might be a good match. Since the average salary of a medical coder is about $30,000 a year, this is an excellent and quick program to get into. With many options available to get the education needed to complete the courses, and nothing more than a high school diploma required, if you have a love for the medical field, then this is the perfect career for you.