school

Is it important that a coding school offer ICD-10 [2008-09-26]
nm

Good online medical coding school [2008-09-21]
I would like to know if anyone could recommend a good medical coding school and how is the outlook for medical coding? Will these jobs eventually be outsourced to India? Any info would help.

Coding School [2008-06-16]
I earn my Associates degree in medical billing and insurance coding all online at Herzing College. It is a great accredited college and I will be starting classes there again in July for my Bachelor’s degree in HIM. Check them out. Here is the link to some information. http://www.herzingonline.edu/programs/Health-Care-Management Good Luck in your future.

Medical transcription school [2008-03-13]
Do the M-Tec program. I am by no means a recruiter or anything of the sort. I am an M-Tec graduate and have had job offers coming out my ears and it all started with my good solid education with M-Tec not to mention M-Tec still after all these years sends me emails with places contacting them to hire their grads. Not the cheapest program, not the most expensive, just the best by far. You will not be sorry if you choose them.

Difficulty level getting a job after school? [2007-12-28]
Hi, I am becoming concerned that I will be wasting money if I take one of the online coding courses. I have read where it is extremely difficult, even more than for transcription, to get a job in coding after finishing a school. I have also read that they are in great needof medical coders. Does a person just having finished school have a chance of getting a job as a coder? From what I understand you cannot become certified until you have had on the job experience, so it seems like a big catch 22. Thanks for any advice you can offer!!

school [2007-11-22]
I have been coding for about 12 years and had on the job training. I borrowed some books from a friend who had taken the AAPC course and studied her books..took the test back in September and did not pass it, ordered the CPC-P study guide studied it and retook the test on the 10th and passed. AAPC has a good independent study program and they offer classes at different sites. The website is AAPC.org (If that isn't correct you can type in American Academy of Professional Coders and get the link from there. Sandy

Andrews School [2007-11-10]
Well good luck with whatever you end up doing. I did a good amount of research too and I really think you will be happy with Andrews if you end up going that direction. It's more expensive than some of the other courses but I do believe it will be worth all the money spent once I am done.

Andrews School [2007-10-18]
Has anyone actually done the Andrews school out there for coding, and if so, do you feel it got you ready for the exam(s)?? Still looking for perfect school to fit lifestyle, work life, but yet advance education/knowledge... Any/all advice appreciated. :-))

Andrews School [2007-10-18]
I am currently enrolled in their coding program and I think its great. I also know of someone who finished the course and then took national examination and passed it. They offer a lot of practice coding. You learn all aspects from hospital to Dr. office.

What is the "typical" day for an inpatient coder like? [2008-10-23]
I'm at the beginning stages of investigating hospital-based coding as a career, and I'm just trying to get a feel for what the job is like before I sign up for some expensive schooling (although so far, it all sounds fascinating). I Do you always have a stack of manualsto consult, or is there specialized software you access in order to enter the codes? How do you know what documents to access? How long was it before you first felt competent at your job? Assuming I start school in January, what can I be studying beforehand to get a headstart (I have the medical terminology down, and IP course).

I'm currently taking a diploma course for medical coding and billing... Here are the books I am u [2008-10-22]
Step-By-Step Medical Coding by Carol J. Buck Step-By-Step Medical Coding Workbook by Carol J. Buck Insurance Handbook for the Medical Office by Marilyn T. Fordney Insurance Handbook for the Medical Office Student Workbook by Marilyn T. Fordney The Language of Medicine by Davi-Ellen Chabner Quick Guide to HIPAA for the Physician's Office Mosby's Medical, Nursing, & Allied Health Dictionary by Elsevier Mosby CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) by AMA (American Medical Association) ICD 9 CM (I believe the ICD 10 has come out but I haven't gotten that one yet) ICD 9 CM stands for International Classification of Diseases 9th revision Clinical Modification by PMIC HCPCS ( Health Care Procedure Coding System) National Level II Medicare Codes by PMIC Like I said I am currently enrolled in a colege course for medical billing/coding, and will be recieving a diploma and these are all the books I have needed (for the coding part, I have also had anatomy, pycology, and several other regular courses, but the above books are all I needed for the coding parts) I hope this info helps! I wish I knew you didn't have to go to school for it, I would have saved $2500o, well minus the prices for the books. From what I have been reading recently all you need to do is be able to pass the certification test, so you should be able to teach your self with these books!

I went to Rasmussen and loved it! sm [2008-10-08]
I got my Associates degree in health information technology and am studying for my RHIT. If you want to be more employable, an RHIT credential is the only way to go. If you want to focus solely on coding, thenI I I Rasmussen was a GREAT school and I loved it!

Chillax....it's not that serious.... [2008-10-01]
I didn I am not just working on a coding certificate. I I wasn I decided to go with them because of their accredations and the program outline. Let me put it this way, I was just trying to let the OP know to be careful of which school she picks because just because you finish a coding course doesn

You can sit for the exam with NO course. [2008-10-01]
You seem to be confused about the exams and credentials. You are warning others to be careful of which school they pick because just because you finish a coding course doesn That's not correct. You can sit for any CODING certification offered by AHIMA or AAPC even if you DON'T finish a coding course. You don't even have to start! They only require a high school diploma. AHIMA doesn't even require experience. You do need to be careful of what school you pick because some of them don't produce employable coders. As for you, your course is a 2-year RHIT program. You DO need the course in order to sit for the RHIT exam. However, an RHIT program is not a degree in management. It is a technical degree. ThatT is for--technician. It will qualify you to be a worker bee in a medical records environment--the same job people off the street can get. You can put together patient records, shelve and retrieve them, make photocopies to release patient information, check reports for signatures, etc. A better job would be coding. It pays better and it's more interesting. It takes less time, too. You could do all the coding first, then get a job while you do the rest. The RHIA is the management degree. There are RHITs who work their way up into management in small facilities, but most of them end up filing records or coding. RHIAs run the show.

E-learning training for billing coding and transcribing [2008-09-26]
I work for the number one E-learning provider in the world. We have been providing students with training since 1991. We offer the cca exam training for coding the cmcp exam training for billing and the RMT and CMT training for transcribers. I would love to work with anyone seeking a great cost effective option to achieve their objectives. We will not be the cheapest choice. We will be a fraction of the cost of a regular school though. Please call me robert guess 1-800-653-4933 ext 3175 mon-fri 9-6 est time zone for details. Thank you. We train in a see it do it test it environment allowing you to learn the material at your own pace and supplying you an environment conducive to learning the material and knowledge needed to one pass the exams but allowing you to practice in the environments (a type of flight simulation) which you will see in the real world.

Good online medical coding school [2008-09-21]
I would like to know if anyone could recommend a good medical coding school and how is the outlook for medical coding? Will these jobs eventually be outsourced to India? Any info would help.

Re: coding jobs [2008-08-31]
It can be hard to get a coding job right out of school, and I am always telling people I know with the same question; if you I have known people to work their way in by doing this. I did it myself over a year and a half ago, and I am now the clinic division Billing coordinator for a hospital system. Also, let your schooling intentions be known to those you are applying to.Get all the practice you can with coding, from practice workbooks. There are quite a few available from Ahima, AAPC websites bookstores, Borders online, etc... You need to know what you and once you have one of those, getting a job should be easier. But, the exam is not easy! So again, practice, practice, practice.

CCS and schools [2008-08-29]
Why do you want to take the CCS exam? It's for inpatient coding. Those jobs are usually in-house. If you're a SAHM, I can see that you need a distance learning program, but if you are going to keep being a SAHM, coding probably isn't a good choice for you now. Coding jobs in general require some on-site time before you can begin working at home. It's difficult to find at-home coding jobs without experience, although there are more at-home jobs coming available now. Andrews teaches a coding program. It takes about a year. Their grads have been successful with both the CPC and the CCS right out of school. The program teaches to a higher level than programs that just aim for the CCA. They have grads working in good jobs and advancing, too.

This is not true [2008-08-02]
Your advisor gave you bad information. First of all, the RHIT credential is not specifically for coding. It's for health information technology in general. You can and should sit for the RHIT credential immediately after you graduate. Passing that exam does not depend on experience in coding. You should be able to pass it with just what you learned in school. It is an ENTRY LEVEL exam. In fact, the longer you wait, the worse your score will be because you'll forget what you learned. The AHIMA coding exams, i.e., the CCS, CCS-P, are mastery level exams. AHIMA recommends that you have 2 years of experience before taking them, but it's only a recommendation. Their certification communicates only that you know the material. Students from some coding programs are able to pass them without experience. The American Association of Professional Coders, however, REQUIRES two years of experience before they will grant the full certification. You can TAKE the exam at any time before that, but you'll get a temporary certification which indicates that you do not have the experience. Their certification communicates to employers and clients that you not only know the material, but that you have significant experience, as well. If you are considering a career change, get the information you need directly from the source. Don't pass up an excellent career opportunity based on some nonsense spouted by someone at a school who has no more clue than a rabbit about what you intend to study. Don't take advice given by people, either. Find out the truth for yourself. Both certifying organizations' websites explain exactly what you need to do. www.ahima.org and www.aapc.com

Grass greener? [2008-07-24]
Hey everyone, I'm currently working at home as an MT (both me and my wife do this so that when we start our future family we can raise our own kids instead of having daycare do the same). Anyway. I've been thinking about adding coding to my skills, are there any coders who were MTs or visa versa. Is coding any better as far as how companies treat you, benefits etc? I dont want to spend money on school, invest the time, only to find out that coding is no good either. I appreciate your input.

MT and coder pay [2008-06-18]
That's interesting about the MT and coder pay. During my performance evaluation, my boss and I were talking about what I was going to school for, how undecided I was, and I told her that I was considering coding as a minor. She (an MSN) told me that if I did coding, I would be in the same place that I am now and that MT and coders are at the same pay level.

Herzing College [2008-06-17]
Herzing College is on the AHIMA approved list and that is the school that I go through for my education. Thay are great. You can apply for financial aid. Good luck.

Not sure if its true, but.. [2008-06-17]
I was told by an advisor from a local school that one cannot even sit for an RHIT credential until you have at least a year in-house experience as a coder. I was enrolled to get my associate degree as a coder, but decided not to because I, too, was scared off from coding because I didn't want to have to spend a lot of money in student loans only to be told that I have to have more experience than what I learned in school.

That book is worthless... Sm [2008-06-16]
I really hate having to break the news to you, but after you finish with this book, you will in no way be prepared to transcribe anywhere. I know this because I took a course from a techonology school and they utilized this book. After finishing the course, I went and tested for a local transcription company and total BOMBED the test. I was horribly embarrassed. So, I enrolled at Everett Community College and took the Career Step course through there. Nine months later after completing the course, I went back to the same transcription company and aced the test with 100%. I was offered a job that day. This was about 4 years ago, maybe they have changed some things in that book, but I know from my experience with it. It wasn I don I wish you the very best in your endeavors. Good luck to you!

rhit [2008-05-16]
It seems a lot of people have a hard time breaking into coding. Does having a RHIT and then possibly going on to RHIA make you more marketable? I am 40 and don I have considered clincal work (PTA or RN) but as a single Mom with a disabled child these types of programs would be a real hardship on my family (we have a mortgage and going to school full-time for 2years isn An RHIT and then RHIA proram seems feasible and a good transition for an experienced MT but really wonder if there are jobs available. I am in econmically crunched Michigan as well. Please would love some responses.

For those wanting to kow about Coding [2008-05-10]
TO answer the burning question upfront, Ihascharts showing averages for coders based on city, state, etc... but II am in northern IL and the average arond here isaround $16/hr starting, and once you have at least 2yrs exp. you can expect a nice increase in that number as well as offers to do coding from home. I have been working in a multi-specialty clinic for a year now as a receptionist, were among other duties, I also code. I let it be know whenI began there that I was in school for coding and did not plan to stay forever unless they could incorporate me into exclusively a coding position (within resonable time.) Happily, I am now transitioning to that very position as soon as a replacement is found for me at thefront desk. I have always told othersa good way to get into coding is to find at least a part-time jobin a clinic or medical records dept somewhere, while in coding classes; let your future intentions be known, ask if you can help with any coding along the way (in some clinics it is the receptionists doing all the coding because of shortness of coders). Secondly, if you go to Ahima.org you can get a national list of approved coding programs according to type of certificate/degree level, online vs on-site,etc... If anyone has more questions feel free to email me as I don't come here too often.

Whoever gets an answer from someone about coding..(sm) [2008-05-07]
please let me know too. I am ready to leave MTing after 18 years.IIA tech school I checked into in my hometown said I would have to take the full course despite being an MT for 18 years and it would cost $4000. So if you find out any info on a good online accredited school, please let me know.I am desperate to get out of MTing.

medical coding [2008-04-27]
I am going to do the same thing. I went into transcription 17 years ago, because at that time the pay was better than medical assistant, which I went to school for. Over that time, I have tried to change careers and even have a degree in visual communications (a lot of technology, etc) and am a senior at a big 10 school finishing a degree, BUT, because of the stereotypes of transcriptionist, it is very difficult. I am going to finish the BA degree as well as getting a medical coding certificate from this same big 10 school. (ICD-9 and CPT, etc. -- not medical billing and coding). What do you think about that? Are there many 32-hour part-time jobs or 36 hours jobs for coders in hospitals? I have worked in hospitals for 17 years.

Re: Medical Coding Career [2008-04-24]
I was in your same shoes a couple years ago. Newly single mom of three young kids - one with a disability - and nursing school was no longer possible. Thatt finishe yet, but I am already coding for a clinic. I started there as a receptionit and when they found out what I was in school for I kept getting asked to fill out forms needing codes. More and more later, I am now being transitioned into a billing/coding position, and am able to flex some of my position from home. Plus, since it is work related, my employer will pay for my books, certification exam fee. My advice for newcomers to the field is to get a job at least part time at a clinic, privte doctors office somewhere. That's where most coders I know, and myself, have gotten their foot in the door. And it is well worth it in the end.

entry-level coding tought to get into? [2008-04-23]
This is good news. However, the concerns I have is tons of postings I have found online of entry level coders trying to get a first job. It seems most places want several years experience and it's difficult to get if no one will give you a shot. I guess this is the same complaint many MTs had as well. However, 9 years ago when I became an MT I found a job right away. But I think entry-level MTs nowdays have a really difficult time too. I have considered coding. I was pre-nursing but as a single mom of 2 (one child with a disablity) and a mortgage I just cannot consider 2-year of full-time school for RN. Coding seemed a good alternative but I was wary due to the difficulty in landing a entry-level positon. Any thoughts?

That's a good question. Try the coding board [2008-02-01]
at MTChat. You may get an answer there on the Andrews school board, and I think there is another. The instructors sometimes give great answers.

Re: getting a coding job [2008-01-19]
No, you donas release of information, and transcription editing. In this time I have inquired to other medical records depts at other hospitals and am finding that the coding students are getting jobs as new coders if they are already working in the medical records depts or in clinics, where the mgr in fact, one of my co-workers in the office was recently asked to become the new biller. Work your way in and let your studies be known, and don

Difficulty level getting a job after school? [2007-12-28]
Hi, I am becoming concerned that I will be wasting money if I take one of the online coding courses. I have read where it is extremely difficult, even more than for transcription, to get a job in coding after finishing a school. I have also read that they are in great needof medical coders. Does a person just having finished school have a chance of getting a job as a coder? From what I understand you cannot become certified until you have had on the job experience, so it seems like a big catch 22. Thanks for any advice you can offer!!

coding diploma versus certificate [2007-12-19]
My hubby just finished his Anatomy class and received an A. I am so proud of him! He is going to school to become a coder. He already does patient registration and has an Associates in Business Administration. I am a Transcriptionist and he had spoken with other coders and they told him it would be best for him to go for his Medical Coding Diploma rather than just getting his certificate and also to take the courses for doctor's office coding as well as hospital. Once he is done with all this, where would the best place be for him to start looking for a coding position? He will be finished Spring 2009, as that is the way the classes will fall for him. He has been keeping an eye on any openings in his present employers Medical Record department. Any suggestions from any of you would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and Merry Christmas!