Clifton Said:

Medical Coding Career?

We Answered:

I teach medical billing and coding.

Most students do very well with the billing part of the course. The coding is more challenging. Some students have a natural aptitude for it and others have to work harder at it.

Program lengths vary. Here are some things to consider in no particular order.

The least expensive options are your community college, adult school and ROP programs.

I don't know of any online programs and in general I would not recommend them. Students all learn from each other when practicing and you miss out on a lot if you don't have an instructor there to help you as you go along and give real life examples of different experiences.

The private vocational schools are the most expensive but work well for some students who don't do well in a traditional college.

Before you begin any program contact local employers and find out which schools they like. Some companies won't hire graduates of certain programs.

Remember the economy is tight all around right now. Many of my students who study billing and coding start off with a job working in the medical front office because they understand billing and coding. At least it would get your foot in the door and you would be getting paid to learn. If you do well and have a good attitude there is a good chance you could eventually move up.

Something important to understand. Once you graduate the program you have a certificate of completion. That DOES NOT mean that you are certified. There are several different tests one can take to become certified and each has different prerequisites. Check with local employers to find out which one they want. Certified Professional Coder is a common one but there are others.

Allison Said:

Help! question about Medical Coding?

We Answered:

Having a coding degree such as a CPC (though the American Academy of Professional Coders) or RHIT though AHIMA does certainly help. It can be hard to get started though without experience. I would start looking before you graduate. Also look into doing an externship (AAPC is now offering an externship program thoughout the states). Any kind of experience (even if it isn't very long) goes a long way in getting a job in this field.

Good luck and it's really a great field of work.

I'm a CPC and have been coding for 14 years. :)

Colleen Said:

Can anyone share experiences in the career of Medical Coding?

We Answered:

I have heard that there aren't too many jobs for the medical coder (or biller or medical assistant) despite what those private $$ schools say. A coder usually needs at least a few years experience doing coding tasks as well as certification(s) to possibly obtain a position as a coder.

If haven't received training as of yet and still interested, please opt for the more affordable program through the county vo-tech school or community college (perhaps non-credit course) as long as it's accredited within the industry.