Wiki Help Getting into a Medical Coder position

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malaveaw

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I have worked in the medical field for 15 years and now I am a CBCS through an institution. I am having a hard time getting a coding position because I'm a secretary and also where I received my certification. What should I do?
 
Help getting a medical coder position as well

Hello.

I have recently been certified with my CPC-H. I have 5+ years of coding in the early 2000's. I applied for several positions before being certified, all the responses I received was that I as not certified. Now that I am, the responses I have been receiving are, I do not have recent experience.

I have applied with the top 3 employers of your recommendations below, they say the same thing. As for the last one, I believe it said you have to be a master coder and I am currently trying to get back into the field.

I took a 10 year break to expand my family. How can I get back into medical coding? I actively search for a position everyday.
 
I have tried to get a coder position, there are NONE. All the money that I put in for college (student loans), testing examinations fees, books that alone where over $1000. Where all for nothing. A LOT and LOT of money down the drain, and still no jobs for coders.
 
klella said:
I have tried to get a coder position, there are NONE. All the money that I put in for college (student loans), testing examinations fees, books that alone where over $1000. Where all for nothing. A LOT and LOT of money down the drain, and still no jobs for coders.
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Not necessarily. There are a bunch of jobs for people who have their CPC that are not actually coding but you use your coding knowledge and skills. This happened to me. Look for any job that will get your foot in the door and your credentials will help with that. I code orthopedic surgeries now, but I had no idea that's where I would be when I passed the test in 2003. I have had multiple jobs where my credentials were used, but I was not actually coding.
 
klella said:
I have tried to get a coder position, there are NONE. All the money that I put in for college (student loans), testing examinations fees, books that alone where over $1000. Where all for nothing. A LOT and LOT of money down the drain, and still no jobs for coders.
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There's actually a very high demand for coders. The problem is that it's not an entry level position. Most coder's with no coding background usually have billing experience, or some form of business healthcare related experience (admitting, business analyst, administrative assistant, etc). The expectations of being hired as a newly certified coder with no related experience in the field is unrealistic.
 
I posted some info under the HELP! Can't Find Coding Jobs post here. Hopefully its helpful. Actually $1000 for classes, books, etc. is really good by today's costs. I ended up paying 3-4 times that amount a few years ago- and that was at the local community college's AHIMA approved 2-year curriculum. I hope your investment will pay off for you soon as it has for me. Anyone feel free to private message me. I like to help out new certified coders as I know the job world can be frustrating- especially in smaller towns.
 
Rhyde520 said:
The expectations of being hired as a newly certified coder with no related experience in the field is unrealistic.
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This times a thousand. Same for medical billers. People get a certification in medical billing, and immediately want a surgeon, family practice MD, whatever, to hand over their entire livelihood to this person who wants to bill from home. I'm still horrified by the person who wrote me and said something to the effect of, 'I landed an account from a cardiologist, but I've never billed before, how do I actually get the claim to the insurance company?' All I could think was, wow, this person must be persuasive to the max, or they lied to the cardiologist, or both.

Get your foot in the door somewhere, anywhere in the healthcare field. When I hire for my office, I want to see some initiative, I want to see that wherever they did their externship kept them on after the externship ended (whether that's receptionist, or medical assistant, or anything else)... I want to see that they didn't get a certification or certificate somewhere and expect to jump into a highly responsible, fast-paced job.
 
elsaee87 said:
I posted some info under the HELP! Can't Find Coding Jobs post here. Hopefully its helpful. Actually $1000 for classes, books, etc. is really good by today's costs. I ended up paying 3-4 times that amount a few years ago- and that was at the local community college's AHIMA approved 2-year curriculum. I hope your investment will pay off for you soon as it has for me. Anyone feel free to private message me. I like to help out new certified coders as I know the job world can be frustrating- especially in smaller towns.
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Hi, I can use some help . Any resources or recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. I just received my CPC-A credential.
 
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