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Coding vs MT, what to do.... - need opinions PLEASE!

Posted: May 10, 2012

I am generally pretty good at making my own decisions; however, I need advice on what to do in this situation. I am currently an MT making $55,000-$60,000 year. The last few years MT work slowed down due to VR/EMR and it was harder and harder to replace lost accounts.

While I was looking for another client/MTSO to fill the gap last year, I took a college course for coding and passed the CPC thinking I would have a back-up plan if needed; however, I found more MT work shortly after passing the CPC.

I continue to network and go to AAPC meetings monthly to earn CEUs and I received an email this week about a possible job coding for a billing service. I spoke with them today, explaining I had no coding experience, only the class and passed the CPC. They still want me to come in to speak with them about working part-time in house (20 hr/wk) coding family practice and urology.

On one hand I am extremely excited that there is someone willing to train a newbie coder knowing how hard it is to get into the field without experience and also learning to do different specialities. On the other hand, I will be making less money by giving up 20 hrs of MT a week to go into an office to work....after working at home for 17 yrs.

I did love coding while taking the course but I also love MT. My question is would I be a fool to turn down this opportunity in hopes that there will be another one available when I am ready to quit MT or I am forced out of MT? Or should I jump at this opportunity, buckle down financially and hopefully in 1 year (or more if needed) find an at-home coding position, even part-time combined with part-time MT, to make $55,000+ a year again? I guess since I am unfamilar with earning potential regarding coding, I didn't know how long it could/would take to return to the $55-60,000 range.

Thanks for taking the time to read/respond!

Just some thoughts - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't think any of us are very eager to jump in and make recommendations. Lots of us are reading but not responding. I'll just give you my thoughts, which aren't suggestions or recommendations, just thoughts.

You're doing well at medical transcription. I know people who are and I've heard about people who aren't.

While we try to get careers that will be meaningful to us, we work for money. Your comment that you will lose money if you take this job says a lot.

The toughest part of my message to write is this one, because I don't want to be controversial, but I believe what I'm about to say is right. Graduates of most coding courses are only prepared to take the CPC exam, which may be enough to get you into certain, limited coding jobs, but it isn't going to qualify you for the higher-paying coding jobs. Those go to the coders who have a CCS.

If your course was like most and geared toward preparing graduates for the CPC only, I would stick with the medical transcription, because it's working for you.

If you went through coding training that prepares you for the CCS exam, and I know that's rare, go for the CCS! You will most likely find comparable job opportunities with the CCS that will make it worth your while to move out of MT, if you choose to do that. It isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, of course, but my view is pretty simple.

1. If MT is working for you, stay at it!
2. If you want to move on from MT but you only have a CPC, stay with MT until you are better qualified so you can add a CCS.
3. If you have the training that prepared you to take the CCS, take it. You'll have better options to choose from. Then you can take whichever job pays the most, coding (outpatient or inpatient) (ICD-9, ICD-10, and CPT) or MT, at-home job or on-site.

The more education (and credentials) you have, the more job options you will have. Good luck with your decision!

Big Thank you for your Reply - Greatly Appreciated!!

[ In Reply To ..]
I want to thank you for your thoughts and taking the time to reply. This is what I was looking for, others' opinions without necessarily a recommendation.

You are correct in that I have only very basic knowledge of coding. My plan has always been to add the CCS at some point. I have read a few forums that all advise the same thing, get both if you can and you will be much more marketable.

I think I will ultimately stick with my plan to add the CCS and continue on the same path with MT for now as it is working well for me currently.

I want to thank you again for taking the time to read/reply to my post.

MT - That

[ In Reply To ..]
That is really good money. I would stick with it while you can. You won't make that in coding, at least not right away, and then it will take time to get up there. Of course it depends on where you are, but in my area coders do not make that.

where do you work !! I want some of that. - me

[ In Reply To ..]
I used to make 50 thousand and more 10 years ago. No I make 27 thousand and now that we lost that account, I'm on VR and hate it. I just started and think I make 100 a week. So where do you work cause I really need to work there. I would learn coding and do MT part time, but what ever company you work for, you better hold on to it cause nobody but nobody pays that much.

Yeah, I agree - Not the OP

[ In Reply To ..]
I do not know too many making that much anymore. I am glad the OP liked the opinions she got because it saved me from replying. My opinions, from the perspective of someone in the coding industry, were somewhat different.

The whole point behind getting the CPC and the CCS is to put yourself ahead of people who have neither or just the CPC. The two really help you get that FIRST job. You need that because you have NO EXPERIENCE.

Once you have experience . . . pretty much any experience breaks the ice . . . you no longer need both as much.

So, here this person got the CPC and an employer expressed interest in her for a 20-hour a week job. The correct view would have been to take that job in addition to what she already had in order to get the experience and facilitate the transition. She would still have the MT income while basically continuing her coding education. At that point, she would no longer need the CCS *in order to get a first job* because would have experience.

But, no, someone tells her not to do that because she won't make as much. No, she should try to get that CCS because she needs that!

What will now happen is that the MT will work in MT until the bottom falls out. This fear is what drove her to learn coding, so she has already seen the handwriting on the wall. When that happens, she will be desperate. At that point she will begin searching with nothing to show but what employers are going to see as an outdated, never-used diploma and one certification. Chances are good that she will not have the CCS.

She will be in a worse boat than she is now. Employers will be far less likely to consider someone who graduated and never used it. And she will be makin no money for real.

The opportunity she had was almost perfect. It almost completely eliminated the need to get the CCS. It put her in a position of coding part time while still supporting herself.

As for inpatient coders making the most . . . not entirely true. Some specialty coders rake it in. Look at their incomes on the AAPC survey.

I know coders who make more than that MT and have never coded inpatient or gotten the CCS. Lots of them.

No one should be advising anyone to forgo a job so they can work on getting the CCS because that will help them get a job! That is just ridiculous!

Take that job whether you want it or not. It is PAID TRAINING.

Anyone can say they have coding experience if they worked in an MD ofc - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
People who say they have coding experience are a dime a dozen. Credentials for coders mean something. If you are going to be a coder, get a good coding education that prepares you for both the CPC and the CCS, and then get the credentials. You don't want to be one of those people who have to say, "I've done coding but I don't have credentials." If you can't back up what you know through testing (credentials) in coding, you can get a job as a billing or insurance clerk. Jobs for professional coders require credentials.

My opinion - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
If you can find a way to make it work, I would suggest doing the coding job for the training and experience. Chances are it would work into something permanent/full time and that would be the start of your career. I know it would be hard to juggle jobs, but I wouldn't give up MT. I did the same as you, thinking I would use coding as my back up plan, but with a CPC and no work experience I am having a difficult time finding a coding job. I'm also doing well as an MT and love what I do, and I wrestled with the decision to get out of entirely, mostly based on the comments I have read in this forum. For the near future, I am going to stay in MT. Knowing how to do both jobs is certainly an asset, and I wish I could offer you advice about what to do. I do think the earning potential is there in coding, and you would have quite a few job opportunities, probably more if you have a CCS. Anyway, that's my experience, hope it helps, best of luck.

Don't know if - you will read and answer

[ In Reply To ..]
But, are you an IC making that much before taxes or after taxes? Are you in a large city? Curious to still be making that much, but I guess it's out there, if that's what you make. What do you charge your clients per line?

Your answer from a - small town

[ In Reply To ..]
That is before taxes. I am in a small town. Half my work is local and the other half is through a MTSO. Firm believer in having both so I am never out of work. make from 8-12.5 cpl, but I also work 50+ hours a week and have never taken a vacation where I didn't take my work with me in 20 years. Hope that answers your questions.

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