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Coding Education Timing - Bizzi One

Posted: Oct 20, 2010

I'm looking for some feedback/advice on pursuing medical coding education. I'm 53 and will be retiring from my current government position in about 3 years - about the time the ICD-10 will be in full implementation. (On the side, I work part-time as a medical transcriptionist.) I was advised to hold off on taking a medical coding course for a couple of years due to the fact I would be learning from the current ICD-9 and then have to have retraining later in the ICD-10. I'd like to know others' thoughts on "when" to pursue my goal of taking the medical coding course (looking at Andrews School) and going for certification following. Should I pursue the education now, or in a couple of years? Any insight would be much appreciated. Thanks!

CE timing - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm currently a student and will be finishing my course in early 2011. I would advise you to wait. It was my impression that ICD-9 and ICD-10 were similar enough that it would not be a big deal, but it is; the code sets are completely different. If you would like to work as an outpatient coder, you could start learning CPT procedural coding, that would give you a little head start. I'm looking at this from my perspective as a student, the instructors at Andrews or other students may have different thoughts.

How are they different? - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
Can you explain what is completely different about the two code sets?

Can you also explain why someone who will need to know both code sets in 2013 should hold off on learning ICD-9 now?

How are they different? - Bizzi One

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm certainly not an expert on this, but I understood that the codes themselves will be expanded both in characters from 3-5 to 3-7, and from something like 13,000 codes in the ICD-9 to 68,000 codes in the ICD-10. In otherwords more detailed coding and very specific coding compared to the ICD-9. Like I said - I am by no means an expert on these figures, but that is what I have heard and read.

Bizzi one - See message - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
You are correct about the codes. The diagnosis codes can be coded to 7 digits instead of the current 5 depending on specificity. In my ICD-9 book they show some examples of the new codes for some of the common diagnoses, I don't see any correlation; it will be a matter of becoming reacquainted with the codes. I don't know how they're handling the operative codes or the E and V codes. Knowing the ICD-9 basics would certainly help. Coding's a profession where there's always something new regardless. In answer to the question from the other poster, once ICD-10 is implemented, ICD-9 will no longer be used. I was already in school when I found out about this but if I was considering starting a program I would probably hold off. I guess it's up to the individual whether they want to take the time to learn both.

Coders who know both are going to be way ahead of the pack - From My Experience

[ In Reply To ..]
I remember years ago when they transitioned from one to the other. If you didn't know both, you were lost.

Should you wait??? - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
Should you wait? Absolutely not--there is no valid reason for waiting.

Let me try to put this in perspective for you . . .

Let's say you know of someone in Paris who will be moving to New York in a few years, so they need to learn English. They have a neighbor who is willing to teach them English, but this person is from Georgia. Would you recommend that they forgo learning the language now because the accent in New York will be different? Would you think they would have to learn English all over again? I don't think you would.

I've already learned ICD-10 and I can tell you that at least for diagnoses, the above example is about right. For procedures, the difference is more like moving between a stick shift and an automatic transmission. Because I can drive either, I don't think it's a big deal.

The thing students don't always grasp is that learning coding isn't a matter of memorizing a bunch of code numbers. If that is all you are doing, then, yes, you'll have to learn code numbers all over again when ICD-10 comes out. I would hope that no one is learning coding that way. It's not only nearly futile, but it is unnecessary.

The diseases being coded are the same. That's an important point--that nothing is going to change with the diseases that afflict mankind. We will still be coding the same things, and for the most part those things are arranged in the same sort of manner they are now. In other words, the classification will seem familiar because it is. So what if the codes begin with a letter? So what if they are longer? They get looked up the same way. So what if there are more codes?

There are some changes to the coding guidelines, but so what? There are changes to codes and guidelines every year.

It is not true that if you wait until 2013 you will never have to use ICD-9. ICD-9 isn't going to vanish from the earth. You will still use ICD-9 for a good while in order to deal with old data, and to code old dates of service and/or figure out old claims.

If you would like to begin learning now, then go ahead and do it.

Waiting - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I don't know how to drive a stick shift, lol!

Redpen, I am going to be very honest and share my experience as a student with you and everyone else. Learning how to become a coder is tough. I work full-time as an MT and study every evening after work and spend a lot of extra time on the weekends and my days off. There has been very little of it that has come easily to me. I've been an MT for over 30 years and consider myself to be of above average intelligence but I'm struggling with this and contrary to what you and other have said, making the transition from MT to coding is not easy. I had particular difficulty with the ICD-9 E codes and now am having difficulty making sense out of the CPT Evaluation and Management codes. The thought of learning all this and then having to begin anew with ICD-10 is enough to make me want to throw in the towel. I know experienced coders, currently working, with over 20 years experience who say that ICD-10 is going to be a HUGE deal. You may say that I am having trouble because I don't attend Andrews but I don't think that's the issue. This really has nothing to do with the original question but I want people who are considering learning coding to be prepared because it is not as straightforward as you make it appear.

waiting...I agree with Redpen - cj

[ In Reply To ..]
I have to agree with Redpen on this one. The code sets will change but not the coding process. A coder will need the same knowledge base, anatomy and physiology, disease process, pharmacology. None of that will change so starting now is a very good idea. ICD10 will be more in depth, but for coding education purposes it will not be like starting something new or starting all over. If you know those basics, it shouldn't matter if you are using ICD 9 or 10. But I do agree with you on one thing and that is that experienced coders with 20 years in do think it is going to be a huge deal, but that's more because change is always difficult and a lot of older coders just don't want to change! We are set in our ways. We know ICD9 and, honestly, many don't even look up codes anyway, they just know them. It isn't ICD10 that is feared; it is simply change. As for your personal experience, I do agree with you. It is not easy to learn. people who go in thinking it's going to be a breeze because they have years of MT experience are often in for a rude experience, and many of them don't stick with it. Coding is not easy and not straightforward. It takes a lot of very hard work and can be very challenging and frustrating, but it can also be very rewarding. I wish you the best in your studies and your coding career.

Thank you CJ - No message - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
NM

Thank you to everyone! - Bizzi One

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you all for your comments!! I really do appreciate your professional insights on how I should proceed. There's a huge challenge waiting for me out there, and I'm excited to get started!

Bizzi One - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
Wow, you were easily convinced to begin! Good luck with your classes. Just a thought, but you might want to wait until at least after January 1 and find out which of the on-line schools change their curricula to include some training on ICD-10. Regardless, enjoy the challenges ahead of you.

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