The medical coding profession is one of the fastest developing fields in the U.S healthcare industry. If you plan on joining it as a full-time career, it’s a good decision, especially considering the business front of the profession.
Medical coding specialists study and follow the correct application of the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision and 10th Revision, (ICD-9; ICD-10), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II codes.
These are used to accurately code and bill the medical care availed by patients in a healthcare facility. With the help of coding manuals and software, the medical coders successfully reimburse providers according to the patients’ health charts.
The following are the top 3 ways you stand to gain by entering the profession of medical coding.
Popular Demand
Due to the aging U.S population medical care, procedures and tests are only going to be in increasing demand. By the year 2026, the job growth for medical coders would have climbed by 13%—far higher than the healthcare industry average.
Medical coders are responsible for correcting errors—which are inevitable—in patient health data to have a high first-time insurance claim acceptance rate by medical insurance companies. This is another reason why there is such an elevated need for a medical coder in the modern healthcare industry.
No Requirement To Have A Degree In Healthcare
One of the greatest attractions of the medical coding profession is that aspirants don’t need to earn a degree in healthcare or have years’ of clinical experience like residency or rotation. This is particularly useful for those who want to switch careers and start anew.
Medical coding courses and training programs are easy to follow and include detailed knowledge of the human physiology, anatomy and important coding terminology.
If you master the three main coding systems—CPT, HCPCS and ICD—you can be successful in this field. These are the codes that allow medical coders to correctly document a patient’s condition and record the medical procedure that was administered.
Work From Home
If you want to make a comfortable living through a flexible and convenient career choice, medical coding is the profession for you.
According to Forbes, remote work is progressively increasing and might even be ideal for individuals who perform better in an independent working environment. There’s no need to personally visit sick patients and make medical appointments/meetings for medical coders.
If you’ve committed to pursuing medical coding as a profession, there are several reputable online and on-campus courses you can enroll in. Allied Prep Technical Institute is a Louisiana-based medical coding and billing school that offers rigorous certification and training programs to students.
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