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Coding/Medical Billing Jobs? - MTGURL

Posted: May 05, 2012

How plentiful are the jobs for coders and medical billers? Currently I am an MT but looking into other career options. Thanks!

Good prospects for coders who have the right credentials - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
There is a continuing shortage of qualified coders that is expected to worsen as the time grows close for the switch to ICD 10. About 30% of available jobs go unfilled because there just aren't enough coders to go around.

Training and credentials are necessary for coding. The work is professional and pays well.

Billing is quite different. The work is basically clerical and requires little or no training. Most are trained on the job. Pay is a lot less, as you can imagine. Not as much of a shortage but jobs come open often because people in them are more transient and looking for something better. It can be incredibly boring.

Virtually all coding programs teach the billing process, although they are not necessarily teaching you to be a biller. It comes in handy on occasion and it is something you need to know. It is also tested to some degree on certification exams.

You need to be careful about schools that say they teach coding and billing. In the case of some, like Andrews, they teach an excellent coding program leading to top certifications, with exactly the billing you need. On the other hand, most career colleges or tech colleges teach very expensive programs in what is mostly front office billing work like taking checks and filling out claims, with very minimal coding.

With the right training you can get a job. With the wrong training that does not lead to the right certifications, you will not get a job. A lot of the people you see screaming that they cannot get a job are in that position because they chose the wrong school and wrong certifications. Do your homework before jumping into the wrong program.

What does the future look like? - current MT

[ In Reply To ..]
I've been an MT for many years and due to the recent addition of VR my job is drying up. I've been looking into other options, like coding. What is the long-term forecast for coding? Is there any possibility of it going "digital" in the near future? What would that do to field? I don't mind doing the work to make the career change, but I don't want to do it only to end up back in the same situation I'm in now.

I could have written this - Sue

[ In Reply To ..]
I have heard it is completely different than MT and it can't end up where MT has ended up, but you hear so much out there so it's hard to know who to believe. ~ After 15 years of MT and being utterly frustrated and disgusted with the quality of the VR work that I have to do now, I'm about 90% ready to take the plunge into coding at Andrews. I need to research one other option before I dive in. ~ I can make money on my fast typing, but not editing a report that has an error every third word.

So, good luck in your decision on what to do. Again, I've heard that this coding is taking off, especially with the ICD-10 code coming out in the next couple of years, so it sounds pretty good (from what I've read). It does sound though that most of it is done in the hospitals rather than remote.

I say go for it! - PJM

[ In Reply To ..]
I battled with myself for 2 years before I decided to take the plunge, and I am enjoying the Andrews program so much. I will admit I had some personal problems jump in and I became really frustrated with EVERYTHING and it did hinder my attitude during my studies, but I am almost finished now and the further into the program I get the more and more I am enjoying it. I truly do not think you will be sorry if you decide to take the plunge. I say GO FOR IT! :) Good luck to you!

Coding/billing - Ram

[ In Reply To ..]
Hi,

We are well qualified, and already setup .

Just let us know the details of the project.

Thanks
Regards,
Rambilas

MODERATOR ! FOREIGN SPAM - Please delete - Thanks

[ In Reply To ..]
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