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

billing/coding - just wondering

Posted: Apr 20, 2010

has anyone thought about or actually made the swith from mt to billing/coding?

That career is already on the way offshore just like MT - xyzzzz - nm

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

yes - CoderNow

[ In Reply To ..]
Yes, MT for 10+, Coder now for 3. No billing.

I did, and there is no evidence it's going offshore. - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
I made the switch to coding. It should be obvious that I'm happy with it. :)

There is no evidence that coding is going offshore. Quite the opposite, in fact.

A statement like that makes it clear that whomever said it doesn't understand all the possible types of work that exist under the "coding" umbrella, most of which couldn't be done anywhere else even if one wanted them to.

With all due respect - (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
Isn't the fact that on AAPC's web site, on the 'Locate Exam' page, the first thing you are asked to select is your country and are given the options of United States, Bahamas, Germany, and India evidence to support that coding is being done offshore?

I also am aware that some of the hospitals in my area and several companies that offer coding services have workers at home, so I am unclear as to why you would state that most of the duties could not be done anywhere else. It would appear that coding can and is being done off site and offshore.

Other Countries Do Have Their Own Coders But That's Quite Different - Not Redpen But

[ In Reply To ..]
Other countries do code for work done in their own country. I was reading something earlier this week that makes it sound like companies would be asking for trouble to outsource in the future. Working from home in the United States is different. There are laws that regulate and hold people accountable if the work is done here.

I am well aware that they code for their own, and I am - certainly no expert, (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
but I would not think that they would need certification by the American Academy of Professional Coders and would think they would have their own credentialing organization(s) specifically for coding in their country(ies), and would only seek AAPC certification as proof of their ability to code according to U.S. regulations.

I have also read that they might be asking for trouble to offshore, but not necessarily to outsource. But then we've also read that about medical transcription, right? Yet here we are, despite the fact that HIPAA cannot be enforced in other countries.

Again, though, I am curious as to why Redpen would make the statemenet that most of the work types done by coders could not be done anywhere else, when I see it all the time, as I mentioned in my previous post, with local hospitals allowing coders to code from home and on-line companies with at-home workers and, as with MT and other work that can be done at home, if it can be done at home it can (and oftentimes is) also be done offshore.

Outsourcing vs offshoring - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
The fact that a professional organization allows people in foreign countries to hold membership and test for certification is not evidence that an entire industry will go offshore. Yes, it is undoubtedly the case that some coding is done offshore. However, there does not seem to be a trend toward sending more of it offshore. To me, there seems to be a trend to do the opposite.

Coding and MT are entirely different industries. Coding involves complex and constantly changing rules and huge amounts of payer-specific and facility-specific information. The financial stakes are very high in coding, since the accuracy of the coding not only determines reimbursement, but can trigger fraud & abuse investigations, refunds of payments, and huge fines, as well as worse sanctions.

Medicare, for one, is constantly monitoring coding accuracy. Just look up Recovery Audit Contractors if you doubt this. Facilities are held responsible for coding accuracy. Any cost-savings gained from offshoring pale in comparison to the possible risk of breaches and error.

A lot of facilities that tried offshoring found that they were unable to control the coding. They found the offshore workers simply coded everything in a middle-of-the-road manner, losing money in the process. They didn't seem to pay a lot of attention to facility specifics that might have affected the coding.

Since you do not understand these issues, it would appear that you do not work in or understand the coding industry. You seem to offer nothing but unsubstantiated gloom and doom prophecies. I have to wonder what motive prompts you to discourage others in that manner.

Perhaps you misunderstood my post - (sm)

[ In Reply To ..]
I did not state that the "entire industry will go offshore," nor did I claim to work in or even understand the coding industry, although I do understand all of the issues that you've mentioned here (even prior to your post). Perhaps I misunderstood your initial post, but it seemed that you were saying that it was not happening, when the reality is that it is happening. I re-read my own post and do not believe that it reads as gloom and doom prophecy.

I also understand that a professional organization that allows people in foreign countries to hold membership and test for certification is more likely evidence that the organization will gladly accept money from all than anything else, but thought too that it offers some evidence that coding is being done offshore. That's it. Not that it will all be done offshore and nobody should even consider going into the field. Personally, I would love to go into coding myself, but my current circumstances do not allow me the ability to do so. I have seen many of your posts regarding coding on this board and have thought that you have provided very helpful information, but did not understand your statement about the inability for most of the duties involved to be done elsewhere and was simply looking for clarification, not trying to offer anything to anyone and certainly not trying to offend anyone.

I'm Glad You Clarified Because I Was About To Comment On What I Thought Was Doom & Gloom - on your original message

[ In Reply To ..]
When I read your original message I also thought it sounded very much like doom & gloom and started to say something about it. I'm very glad to know that it was not your intention to come across that way. Thanks for explaining.

Clarification - Redpen

[ In Reply To ..]
There isn't just one job type in coding. Unlike MT, where nearly all MTs work as MTs, MT supervisors, or editors, coding isn't just one type of work done at the same level by everyone. There are different types of coding, highly different specialties, a huge variety of work situations, and a lot of jobs for coders to move into. Coding isn't just ONE job.

I think there is a perception that one gets into coding to sit in a doctor's office looking up codes to copy claim forms.

There are a lot of different jobs under the coding umbrella. They range from entry-level work in doctors' offices to completely different jobs involving much more complex specialty work. The jobs exist in a variety of settings, from offices to major medical centers to insurance companies to consulting firms, auditing firms, and providers of training.

Even if the job of assigning codes vanished entirely, there would still be OTHER jobs for coders. Supervising, compliance & auditing, computer-related activities, chargemaster development, clinical documentation improvement, provider training, coder training, denials management, third-party payer liaisons.

The field of coding is more top-heavy than MT. Unlike MT, which has one basic job type, coding has a variety and a large number of those jobs are positions coders advance into as they gain experience.

That's what I meant when I said a lot of coding jobs can't be done elsewhere. Those jobs do not lend themselves to offshoring.

And I respectfully disagree that your circumstances prevent you from learning about coding. Your circumstances may prevent you from attending school, but Abraham Lincoln managed to circumvent that problem, and the only thing that would prevent you from doing the same is lack of interest. If you want to learn, you CAN learn. You're already halfway there just by virtue of being an MT. There are books in public libraries and tons of worthwhile material on the CMS website. Free.

Fascinating! Thank you so much for posting this information. - I learned something today

[ In Reply To ..]
I had never thought about it the way you explained it, but it makes sense. Thanks for posting!

These days all one hears is doom and gloom and 'sky is falling' talk. It's great to have some common sense facts.

I am researching schools now. sm - myka

[ In Reply To ..]
However, I have been checking the want ads for about the last month and I don't see hardly any coder jobs available.

Similar Messages:

Aug 13, 2013

Accepted a job, gave 2 weeks notice, and yesterday was my first day. I was to be helping out transcription (1000 jobs behind), and then sitting with billing and training with coding as their coder will be out on maternity leave in December. The office is adding another surgeon, and they are rapidly expanding. So I gave a proper 2 weeks' notice to my former employer (2 hours on the road there and back, low salary - now less than half distance and $3 more an hour) and starte ...

Jan 11, 2011

Anyone know if MedQuist has coding/billing jobs and would hire a new grad from CareerStep? Thanks! ...

Apr 05, 2011

Quick question - medical billing and medical coding are two totally separate entities, right? Meaning, you have schools for billing and schools for coding or schools that teach coding OR billing.. Just had a discussion with someone regarding this and I would like to have my facts straight ... thanks everyone!!! There are billing jobs and coding jobs, but the two shall never "meet", right? ...

Apr 11, 2011

I have a stupid question. When I finished my MT course with Allied Medical School, I then found out they are NOT (federally) accredited, they do not assist you in finding positions, and they do not assist in helping you become certified. In other words, I felt that I wasted all of that money. As a newbe I was unable to find a job. I started apprenticing with a company, paid their $500 fee for software, and after 8-9 months, found they had changed their name. Apparently, they were getti ...

Sep 30, 2011

I have been an MT for 20+ years and now looking into coding and billing... Would you recommend it? I am considering this, but looking for some words of wisdom prior to making a decision. I see Career Step offers the program, but not familiar enough with Career Step to know if they are a reputable. I have been told that coding is on its way out like transcription and not to waste my time, but only heard that from one person so far. Anything you can share with me would be great! Thanks :) ...

Oct 30, 2014

It has been almost 8 months since I passed my CPC on first try. I have been in MT field for more than 14 years, and yet nobody is ready to give me a job based on that. Everyone says u dont have a coing xperience. Is anybody else suffering like me out there? I am slowly losing hope that I will ever be able to leave this field. ...

Apr 14, 2010

Can anyone explain the difference between coding and billing? Do coding credentials apply to billing too? ...

Jun 15, 2010

I have a background in medical transcription however I am unable to sit in the same position (foot pedal - headset - typing) for any length of time. I broke my neck many years ago and didn't know when I was in school that this was going to prevent me from doing this career on even a part time basis and after graduating with high honors and having great employee/employer relationships. I am wondering if it is feasible to do billing and coding with medical transcription in a home offic ...

Aug 30, 2010

I had a friend suggest I access this webiste for possible information on Medical Billing/Coding training. Do you have any suggestions on where to obtain training and certification for Medical Billing/Coding. There are 2 of us that would be interested in this and then to move onto the Medical Transcriptions. We would both like to work from home and spend time with our children. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance for your assistance. ...

Jul 11, 2011

I am looking at options/alternatives. Currently an MT with 15+ years. Can someone tell me what a coding job and/or billing job exactly is (job description)? What is required of a coder/biller? Is it a WAH job? Thanks! ...

Sep 16, 2011

Just lost my part-time transcripton job and starting to hear that this field is becoming extinct. Thinking about going to school online for billing and coding. Anybody know of a oustanding accredited school? Do not want to waste time and money barking up the wrong tree. Is it costly? ...

Mar 13, 2014

I have been an MT for seven years and for the most part do enjoy the work, but find the "feast or famine" nature of the work difficult to make a decent living. I will soon be divorced and won't have my husband's income to help support the house. I have been thinking about training for medical coding and/or billing and am looking into different online courses. I was considering a bundled course at MedicalBillingCourse.com. Has anyone completed this course an ...

Mar 30, 2014

I have been transcribing for over 20 years and would like to add billing and coding to my resume. I have heard Penn Foster is a good online school that is accredited. Any thoughts to help me make a decision? ...

Apr 26, 2014

I am wanting to go into billinig/coding. There is a tech school very close to my home. They have coding/billing program which takes 1 year to complete full time. I am wondering this: How much does a newbie make just starting out in either billing or coding and what are my chances of getting a newbie job right out of school? Thanks for the info. ...

May 29, 2014

As a starving MT, I am going to take the plunge through AAPC to enroll either in their coding or billing program. I cannot afford both. Actually, I cannot afford either, but I feel I have to invest in the future away from MT. I've read the forums at AAPC, and some are saying there are too many credentialed coders and not enough jobs. I do not know what the job impact will be, if any, once ICD-10 is implemented, if it is implemented, and the need for more coders. ...

Dec 31, 2014

I'm thinking about making the transition from transcription to coding/billing. What are the best schools to attend? I have seen many courses online, but not sure which ones are the best. Thanks! ...

Jan 30, 2015

okay ladies and gents--I got a lot of negative reviews on the MT world and have decided that is not a route worth going down....however, we have a small child, and come July will have two! We can't afford daycare full time for 2 babies. I was counting on working from home. Do you guys think coding & billing is worth it? Do you enjoy your jobs? Are many of you able to work from home? Is Andrews the reccommended school? About how long does it take to actutually complete the ...

Feb 03, 2015

I am currently a transcriptionist with 7 years' experience, and I am considering going back to Andrews for either coding or billing. I am trying to decide what field I want to get back into, and pay versus school time is really the determining factor for me right now. To anyone wililng to answer, especially if you are an Andrews graduate, how long did it take to get through your billing and/or coding program? Also, if you don't mind answering, how much do you make now? Do you work at ...

Feb 13, 2015

Does any one know of any good medical billing and coding schools online? ...

Nov 16, 2009

I was wondering if anyone who is a transcriptionist also does medical coding/billing. I wonder if we are any safer with this field and what the pay is like. It looks to be about the same from what I have found on line. I have been doing transcription for 10 years and am getting tired of what is happening in the industry. It is tedious, hard work to sit on your butt all day and only get paid when your fingers are on the keys. I am thinking of working in an office or hospital for a chang ...

Jun 28, 2010

Thinking of taking billing/coding courses since transcription is going downhill. Any good on-line schools that are AHIMA accredited? Do you have to take courses only accredited by AHIMA? What about their courses? Any suggestions and/or help would be appreciated. (Also, I don't want to take a course that takes years to complete.) Thanks in advance! ...

Sep 01, 2010

I have never coded/billed for physical therapy. The scenario is: eval (97001), application of hot/cold packs (97010), and 3 minutes of ultrasound (97035). I checked the cms website and other sites relating to physical therapy, but they are all unclear. Should I bill/code this as 97001 and 97010-59? ...

Sep 08, 2010

I am interested in obtaining some information on the medical billing/coding certifications. If anyone has class or school informaiton that is realiable I would greatly appreciate it. I am looking for online certificated classes. Thanks ...

Nov 14, 2011

I am a medical transcriptionist that has been typing radiology the last 11 years. My job is going to be phased out by voice recognition soon. I'm thinking of going back to school for medical billing/coding. Has anyone else made this transition? Do you like or hate it? ...

Feb 08, 2012

I have a question about coding and billing. For three years in the '90s, I coded and transcribed for a small, rural, hospital. I was responsible for outpatient, ER, inpatient, surgical etc. coding and transcription. It was mostly ICD-9, and HCPC coding. If I want to code from home in the future, what would you suggest I do, an online program? Do you think coding from home would be an opportunity or do most hospitals/clinics/physicians require experience at a facility first, and wo ...

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! ...

Aug 03, 2013

gotta be honest, i despise medical transcription - booorrrrring - BUT i still want to work at home. i know coding/billing probably isn't any more interesting, but because i still want to work at home, i'm considering learning it. does anyone have any knowledge and/or experience with it? if so, is it, too, also going overseas? are there any work at home jobs that are not going overseas? ...

Oct 07, 2013

Hello out there. Are there any medical coding and billing sites like this one. Any information on websites or where to look would be greatly appreciated. ...

Feb 25, 2014

I need to make a switch if I should lose my transcription job. Which would you recommend to get into first? Wondering if I should take a medical billing course first which would help me get hired somewhere else and does have a billing background help with coding?? I have a local vocational school that offers a medical billing course but nothing nearby that offers coding. Also I would prefer to do an online course and not sure which one would be the best. I don't want to spend money if ...

Jan 18, 2010

Does anyone have an idea which career might pay best, medical transcription or medical billing/coding? I am curious about which pays best. ...