The first stop for medical claims is the medical coding department. While often working in tandem with medical billers, medical coding is a specific, regulated process that helps describe medical conditions, procedures, and diagnosis using a series of regulated codes. These codes are then passed onto the medical biller, who use codes to generate claims for insurance companies.
While there are many paths to becoming a medical coder, an Associate of Science in Healthcare Administration offers a great starting point that will not only provide necessary skills and foundations for the position, but also open additional doors down the line in healthcare administration. Given the vast opportunities available in administrative healthcare, a strong command of healthcare functions and operations is a necessity and is one the A.S. in Healthcare Administration from the University of Providence can provide.
Continue reading to learn more about the career:
What is a Medical Coder
Medical coders are certified administrative professionals who use a specialized series of codes to log patient illnesses, diagnosis, injuries, procedures and more from their visit to a provider.
What does a Medical Coder do?
Medical coders utilize a specific set of alphanumeric code sequences to describe and explain various aspects of a patient’s medical history or visits. There are two primary alphanumeric code dictionaries coders reference, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) and the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). Through the use of these dictionaries, coders will build reports that are then used by insurance companies or other healthcare organizations to understand services rendered. Key job responsibilities for medical coders include:
- Reading and understanding patient medical records
- Verifying the accuracy of medical records to clarify vague or inconsistent information
- Coding diagnosis through universal coding systems
- Assisting other medical coding professionals
- Staying updated on changes to alphanumeric codes
Where do Medical Coders Work?
Since medical coding is such as critical component of the administrative operations of healthcare organizations, they can be found working for or in almost every healthcare office or organization. While some offices have a dedicated medical coder or medical coding team, others may utilize a parent organizations medical coding staff or outsource to medical coding companies.
How to Become a Medical Biller & Coder
There are multiple paths to becoming a medical coder, some offering more lucrative advancement pathways then others. Medical coders must go through specialized training that focuses on how to read, analyze, and apply medical codes to procedures. They must also be certified in medical coding to work in the field. While certificate programs offer these skills, many medical coders choose to pursue and associate degree in healthcare administration on top of earning their certification. This not only provides a strong foundation for medical knowledge but also provides advancement opportunities both vocationally and educational down the line.
A common pathway for medical coders includes:
- Earn a high school diploma or GED
- Earn an Associate of Science in Healthcare Administration
- Complete a Medical Coding Certificate
- Receive medical coding certification through APPC or other organization
Medical Billing & Coding Career Path
Medical coding provides a great opportunity for entry-level access to administrative healthcare. Those who pursue a position as a medical coder can build experience working in healthcare that can be leveraged for mid and senior level roles in the future. The position itself also provides a robust career offering – with the career opening doors to position such as medical administration, medical transcription or scribing, patient access, or medical records management roles.
