Medical Coding Specialist Career & Jobs: Training, Salary & Certification Requirements

Many people have visited the doctor and seen them writing an account of the visit and treatment administered into their medical record. However, the doctors are not involved in the billing or the communication with the insurance companies, so how does the information in that chart translate into a bill for services rendered? The answer is found in the job description of the medical coding specialist. These professionals are trained to review and interpret the medical history of the patients that visit their medical facility, and then assign a specific code to the services that were rendered. This information is then translated into a bill for the patient or an invoice for the insurance company. Individuals that are interested in this position should be good at paying attention to details, communicating with health professionals and working on the computer.

Salary Outlook

Average Annual Salary
$31,300
Salary Range
$23,500 - $39,700

Work Environment

Because their work is so closely related to that of doctors and nurses, it is normal for the medical coding specialist to work directly in the medical clinic or hospital. They will typically work in an office environment in the administrative branch of the facility. However, some medical coding specialists work for independent billing and coding companies or for themselves as contract employees.

High School Preparation

Those individuals who think that they might enjoy the work of a medical coding specialist should spend their high school careers developing good attention to detail, knowledge of the medical professions and good customer service skills. Supporting courses include algebra, biology, and English. Taking courses in typing, office management and data processing is also helpful.

Requirements

Once they have achieved their high school diploma or an approved equivalent, it is important for individuals to enroll in an accredited course for medical coding training. Although it is possible to be hired with no experience and receive on the job training, employers usually prefer to hire those individuals that have received their associate’s degree or certificate in medical coding. Once they have completed the formal training, it is required that candidates take and pass the exams offered by the American Health Information Management Association and the American Academy of Professional Coders in order to be fully qualified.

Career Outlook

As the health insurance industry becomes more complex, and more medical facilities are required to accept payments from government programs like Medicare and Medicaid, it will be necessary for more organizations to employ or use the services of qualified medical coding specialists. Experts predict that demand for these professionals will increase as more practices make the switch from paper records to electronic filing.

Professional Organizations

American Academy of Professional Coders
309 West 700 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phone: (800) 626-2633
www.aapc.com