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Sharing Economy / Gig Economy Medical Coder Jobs
How many medical practices are located near you? Are they constantly busy helping sick and injured people? The health care industry is a booming niche that everyone takes advantage of at some point in their life. Besides the doctors and nurses, every health care practice relies on a medical coder to make sure its finances are in order.
Medical coders are an integral part of medical administration and billing. Every single medical practice needs a responsible, effective, and efficient medical coder to accurately complete, review, process, and submit medical claims to insurance companies.
It’s the medical coder’s job to communicate with the doctors and nurses to find out exactly what treatments you received. Each treatment has a specific code that is then submitted to the insurance agencies. All codes, like CPTs and ICD-9-CMs, must meet federal standards. Every patient and every treatment has corresponding paperwork and unique codes that ensures the health care practice will be reimbursed for their services. Those codes are massively important as they help insurance companies track funds, avoid fraud, and reimburse health care providers.
Without an accurate medical coder, the finances at a medical clinic or hospital will be off. While you may never see a medical coder in action, medical coders quietly work behind the scenes to ensure that every medical claim is properly recorded and submitted to insurance agencies. There is a lot of responsibility to ensure the job is done accurately and securely. Knowing the proper codes, using medical billing software, and communicating with doctors, nurses, and insurance companies are keys to success in this career.
To break into the world of medical coding, you need to have a high school diploma, pass an accredited medical coding program, and earn a certification. It may also be wise to take courses in anatomy and medical terminology. There are a variety of associations offering certifications in medical coding. Two notable certifications are the Certified Professional Coder from the American Academy of Professional Coders and the Certified Coding Specialist from the American Health Information Management Association. These courses and certifications can be done in a classroom or online. They typically cost between $1000 and $2000.
After you are certified, it’s time to look for jobs. Every medical facility requires a medical coder to code their treatments and submit their claims. That means there are lots of potential places to work – dentist offices, hospitals, urgent care facilities, walk-in clinics, nursing homes, and more. If you can’t find job listings online or via your network, try walking into a medical facility near you.
Medical coders typically make between $13 to $17 per hour during a 40 hour work week. That equates to about $34,000 per year. According to the BLS, medical coders fall under the category of Medical Records and Health Information Technicians. In 2012, this niche had 186,300 jobs and that is expected to grow by 22% by 2022. This is much faster than average.
The day to day life of a medical coder is pretty routine. If you are looking for adventure you may want to try a different niche in the health care industry. The health care industry is rapidly expanding. There are medical facilities everywhere. There is a constant demand for qualified medical coders. Why not pursue a job where you are needed?
Quick Facts On Medical Coder Jobs
Job Title: Medical Coder
Office: Hospitals, Medical Clinics, Medical Administration, At-Home Offices
Description: Complete, review, process, and submit medical claims to ensure that health care facilities are accurately reimbursed for their services by insurance companies
Certifications/Education:High school diploma, Medical Coding Course, and Certification
Necessary Skills: Computer skills, Attention to detail, Good with numbers
Potential Employers: Hospitals, Medical Practices, Health Care Practitioners
Pay: $13 – $17 per hour or $34,000 per year