Wiki Starting Out in Medical Billing and Coding

[Lotus911]

Good Morning Everyone -
I would like to know what advice you have for newbies who went to a trade school and obtained an NHA certification for CBCS (Certified Billing and Coding Specialist) when looking for a job? What job titles would you suggest they apply for?
Would you recommend they get their foot in the door with an entry-level job to gain experience and then work to obtain an AAPC certification or vice-versa?

Thank you!

 

[carlystur]

Absolutely apply to entry-level positions in addition to coding/billing positions. That should help you get to where you want to go, eventually.

 

[Pam Warren]

As a new employee in this field, you're probably not exactly sure what you want to do....there are so many areas where your education can bring you. An entry level job is imperative.....scheduling, payment poster/biller, patient access, front desk representative, medical records technician--anything that will get you into either a doctor's office, a hospital, ambulatory surgery center, nursing home, or other medical care facility. A bonus for you would be if they paid for education.

Most coding jobs do require a certification, either through AAPC or AHIMA, but hold off until you figure out what exactly you are interested in. I thought I wanted to be a coder, until I did it for three years. Yuck! I moved quickly into management and then auditing/compliance. I have two coding certifications, and I use them only to interpret regulatory guidance, so please don't ask me to code a chart! There are many, many directions you can take, and each direction may require specific certifications or education. You can get a coding certification first if you want (and can afford to), but some entry level jobs don't require it, and frankly, a coding job (even if you have the CPC-A or CCA) is nearly impossible without experience. Still....no education is bad education, so it's really up to you. If you find during your interviews that people are looking for a certification, then by all means. But it's not necessary for a lot of entry level jobs, and then you save your $$ for a certificaiton that will later on make sense for you.
Good luck to you!

 

[Lotus911]

As a new employee in this field, you're probably not exactly sure what you want to do....there are so many areas where your education can bring you. An entry level job is imperative.....scheduling, payment poster/biller, patient access, front desk representative, medical records technician--anything that will get you into either a doctor's office, a hospital, ambulatory surgery center, nursing home, or other medical care facility. A bonus for you would be if they paid for education.

Most coding jobs do require a certification, either through AAPC or AHIMA, but hold off until you figure out what exactly you are interested in. I thought I wanted to be a coder, until I did it for three years. Yuck! I moved quickly into management and then auditing/compliance. I have two coding certifications, and I use them only to interpret regulatory guidance, so please don't ask me to code a chart! There are many, many directions you can take, and each direction may require specific certifications or education. You can get a coding certification first if you want (and can afford to), but some entry level jobs don't require it, and frankly, a coding job (even if you have the CPC-A or CCA) is nearly impossible without experience. Still....no education is bad education, so it's really up to you. If you find during your interviews that people are looking for a certification, then by all means. But it's not necessary for a lot of entry level jobs, and then you save your $$ for a certificaiton that will later on make sense for you.
Good luck to you!

Thank you Pam for all the insight! I think one of the first hurdles has been potential employers stating they are either not familiar with the NHA certification or asking for a AAPC/AHIMA certification. The program for the CBCS certification is a 9month program that ends with an intern and taking the NHA exam, but many are left bewildered on how to respond to the potential employer's question because of course they feel they have put in hard work to graduate from this program only to be told by potential employers that they are "not recognized"