How to Pursue a Career in Medical Coding

United States of America, April 29, 2015 (Newswire.com) - Medical coding outsourcing is becoming a backbone of the health-care industry. Nowadays, physicians are opting for outsourcing to reputed medical coding firms rather than performing it in-house. This provides them with ample time for patient care and more importantly results in increase in revenue. These outsourced firms also stay updated on all latest processes and techniques. People who perform this tedious task of coding are termed as medical coding specialists. They use alphanumeric codes to register information about procedures and illnesses. The coding done by these professionals will be relied upon by insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid to provide suitable reimbursements.

Educational requirements to be a professional medical coder

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There are no pre-defined educational requirements to pursue a career in this field, but there should be basic knowledge of anatomy, medical terminology and physiology. However, it is mandatory to pursue some certificate programs in medical coding that are available through community colleges, education centers etc.., or take up online certification courses provided by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). It is required that the person should pass one of many exams available through AHIMA and AAPC to become a certified coder.

Average compensation for a medical coder

According to the U.S. Bureau and Labor Statistics, the average annual salary for medical coding specialists is $35,000. The lowest paid 10% earns less than $23,000 while the highest paid 10% earns more than $58,000

A career in this booming field of medical coding could ultimately prove valuable. Medical coding jobs are usually posted on the websites of healthcare organizations and medical coding firms. Jobs are also listed in The AAPC and Health Information Careers websites.