A community of 30,000 US Transcriptionist serving Medical Transcription Industry

Looking for career options, exploring Coding - BHC Aaron

Posted: Jul 11, 2011

I walked into my community college and asked an advisor to give me a list of choices of careers I could study locally that would be quick. My sole purpose is to re-enter the working world as fast as possible. Medical Billing / Coding was one of the options.

A friend reffered this site to me in response to an MT oportunity and, as if my prayers were answered, I noticed the Coding / Billing forum which has answered many questions. However, I have more, I always do.

How do I make sure that I will be taught Coding and Billing as opposed to just a fluffed up medical assistant course? How can I tell if the teacher is capable of teaching me coding? I don't want someone without coding experience as stated on some of the threads I read. What other questions should I ask?

As stated, it will be at my local community college. It will take about one year for the certification and will go on to an associates degree for a total time of about two years. Does one year for certification sound right?

I want to ask them how realistic it is for me to find a billing/coding job locally. I understand nationwide it is very realistic, however, reality varies depending on locality. I live in a very small city. What other suggestions do you have for my finding out how plausible this career oportunity is in my area?

I know these are many and varied questions. I will have more. I do appreciate any helpful answers I receive. You do not have to answer all of them, even if you only have an answer to one, please do post.

Are you sure you would LIKE being a coder - sm - Coder-to-be

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm a little concerned with your choosing coding/billing as a career because someone told you it would be quick. I would go into ANY field with a desire to WANT to do that job. Do you have any medical background? Do you know what coding really is? Sounds like it might be a good program but is it really something you will like? Can't you make a list of things you are very interested in and see if there is any course in that area? This is a tough field. I am just trying to break into it myself and there are virtually no positions open in my area. I live near at least 3 big cities and there is almost nothing open, especially to someone who has no experience.

I know I didn't quite answer your questions but I'd hate to see you start school for this and find out you don't like it. Try to find out more about it before you start. Make sure it is something you really want to do, rather than what someone told you would be "quick." Good luck to you.

My likes and dislikes - BHC Aaron

[ In Reply To ..]
I knew nothing about coding other thatn having heard it alongside transcription. I have since read up on what the job actually is and I wouldn't mind it. I have no medical background whatsoever.

As for liking it... well, that is a bit more difficult. The reason I have not been able to work for some time now is my health. Along with other things that are wrong with me, I have been battling depression for a very long time. It has gotten to the point where it is difficult to remember what I actually used to have an interest in.

I really have no way of explaining how I feel about it since the closest I can come to doing so is saying I truly have no interest in anything other than getting a grasp on my health.

Though my reason for choosing a fast course is to get back to the working world as soon as possible, the reason for my going back to school is medical. A few of my doctors agree that this is a great way to help my reasoning and memory which are also being affected by my health.

From what I have been reading in this forum, my memory will be my single most difficult part of this all and it frightens me.

Though I do have other options, this one, of the options I have, by far pays the most when starting out so I am trying to look at it from an economic point of view. It may not be the best way to look at it, however, so far, from what I'm reading on these forums, I think I want to give it a try.

About memory . . . - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
The single most important thing, I think, is the ability to read and write well. Those two things make or break a coder.

Memory isn't so important. Nearly all of what you think you will need to remember is actually remembered for you by the code books.

On the other hand, coding can be a very high-stress job. It can take several years on the job before the new coder begins to feel comfortable with coding.

No, I don't think you're on the right track - The Certification/Time Factor

[ In Reply To ..]
You can have "fast" like the one-year certificate course, or you can have solid training leading to national credentials, but that's going to take longer. There is a huge difference between the certificate (certification) a community college gives you and national coding certification.

Employers don't care about the certificate you hang on your wall. They want to know that you are nationally certified. You aren't going to get that in a year. You aren't going to "re-enter the working world as fast as possible" as a coder, unless someone hires you knowing that you are in the process of a thorough program, or if they are just looking for a biller, in which case you really don't need much, if any training at all. The Associates Degree won't buy you a job either. It has to be national certification. The employers make the rules.

If you really are serious about needing to "re-enter the working world as fast as possible", you need to go toward the billing or medical assistant-type training. Real Medical Coding is tough. It takes lots of time and effort to learn enough so you can pass credentials tests, so that doesn't sound like what you are looking for.

Certification vs National Certification - BHC Aaron

[ In Reply To ..]
What is the difference between certification and national certification?

Here is the difference - sm - Coder-to-be

[ In Reply To ..]
Certification is what you get when you finish your course. It means you took that course.

National certification is what you get when you take the actual coding test put out by the AAPC or AHIMA. They are tests to determine if you know your stuff. The CPC one, for instance, is 5 hours and 40 minutes long. You take these at a testing site by a proctor giving the exam you need to take.

This also holds true for doing MT. To become a "CMT," you need to pass national certification, even if you went through a certificate program.

Understood - BHC Aaron

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you for that. It makes sense. I just now was able to get in contact with the Coding/Billing advisor at the community college. He was very honest and I appreciate that a lot.

From what he tells me, this course prepares you to be able to take the CPC from AHIMA (maybe I'm getting the letters wrong, but, bare with me, I'm new to this lol).

Unfortunately, there are no jobs to speak of in the area for coding. The few jobs there may be are sought after by the many certified students in the area and many other people that move into the area that have years experience in the job.

What the course *can* offer me in the lines of what I'm looking for, to start working fast, is training to become a certified medical office assistant, which is part of the course. However, from my own experience, I can go to one of the casinos in the area and get a job as a Porter (janitor), which requires no college education, and get paid as much as working the front desk at a doctor's office, which is where I would end up working to start out in a medical office.

I am still not entiredly discouraged. I hope I can get more answers to more of my original questions soon before I make any changes.

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