If you’ve thought about joining the health information industry as a medical biller or coder, now is truly the time to take action! Job growth has never been higher and salaries continue to rise. Still not convinced? Consider these facts below:
Between 2014 and 2024, the health information field is expected to grow by at least 15% according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
There is a huge gap in employment. AHIMA reports that each year, 6,000 new positions are available in the health information industry. However, only 2,000 new people enter into jobs in this field each year. Why is there such a gap? Baby boomers are retiring, leaving once filled positions vacant. On average, health information job postings remain open 35 days before they are filled. That’s 2 days longer than the national average positing time of 33 days.
The salaries of employed medical billers and coders vary state-to-state. However, in 2012, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that health information professionals had an average salary of $34,160. Even better, the AAPC conducted a survey of 12,000 Certified Professional Coders (CDC) and found that the average salary among those surveyed was $46,800.
People within the medical coding and medical billing professions also benefit from steady employment. The AAPC reported that people who are Certified Professional Coders (CPC) had a very low unemployment rate of 1.7%. For some perspective, the national unemployment rate is over 7%.
As you can see, professionals in medical billing and coding have lots of advantages including many job opportunities, job growth, excellent salaries, and low unemployment. The other major advantage is that you do not need an advanced degree or years of training to become a Certified Professional Coder (CDC). All you have to do to become a CPC is pass the AAPC exam and then you can start looking for an entry level position at any hospital, health facility, or private practice near you.
At Allied Prep, we make the certification process extremely easy for our students by offering both in-person and online class options. During our 16 week program, our students learn anatomy, terminology, and medical codes from a teacher that has extensive health information industry experience. Our goal is to make sure that each of our students receives the knowledge and skills they need to pass their AAPC exam with ease.
To learn more about our medical billing and coding programs, contact our school today! Whether you have additional questions or would like to get started immediately, we’re happy to help you along the way.