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How to Become a Medical Coder

Medical coders are healthcare professionals who specialize in coding medical diagnoses, procedures, and other healthcare interactions. Although many medical coders work in hospital coding departments, they also work in outpatient offices and at home. Because of this, there are specific steps you must take to become a medical coder. This article covers everything you need to know about becoming a medical coder and includes information about Medical Coders Academy, a coding school for medical coders.

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Medical coders perform an incredibly important role in any medical office. They check for medical necessity for tests and procedures, document these procedures, and keep track of the patient’s medical records. Medical coders can get their medical coding certification from one of the many coding schools available throughout the country. Becoming a medical coder after finishing a coding school can take anywhere from a few months to a few years, depending on how quickly you advance in the program.
Along with the intensive learning necessary to advance in the program, you will also need to find a place to study. Below, we’ll discuss some of the best options for studying to become a medical coder.

How to Become a Medical Coder: A Step-by-Step Guide

Medical coders are people who take information about a patient’s medical history, conduct physical examinations, and perform lab tests to assign a numerical code to each patient. These numerical codes describe the nature of the patient’s medical condition, the procedures performed on them, and the results of those procedures. Medical coders must be able to understand and express complex medical information in a way that computers can understand so that the information can be fed into a computer-based system for tracking, billing, and analyzing the patient’s medical treatment. This article will help you learn about the career of a medical coder, the education requirements for medical coding, the certification tests you’ll need to become a medical coder, and the job prospects for medical coders.

What is a Medical Coder?

A medical coder is a person who takes information about a patient’s medical history, conducts physical examinations, and performs lab tests to assign a numerical code to each patient. Medical coders must be able to understand and express complex medical information in a way that computers can understand so that the information can be fed into a computer-based system for tracking, billing, and analyzing the patient’s medical treatment. This article will help you learn about the career of a medical coder, the education requirements for medical coding, the certification tests you need to become a medical coder, and the job prospects for medical coders.

How to Become a Medical Coder

There are many routes to becoming a medical coder. You can become a medical biller and then decide to become a medical coder as well. Or you can become a medical biller and then go back to school to earn a degree in medical coding. The first step, however, is becoming a certified medical biller. To become certified, you’ll need to pass a state exam that tests your knowledge of health insurance coding, general medical knowledge, and your ability to code a variety of medical documents. After you’ve become certified, you’re eligible to sit for required exams to become a medical coder. Depending on your state and the type of coding you want to do, state boards of medical codding usually require you to finish an associate’s degree program before granting you a license to practice. You can also become a medical coder without a degree. You can also become a medical coder without any formal education in medical coding. You may want to pursue this route if you’re interested in niche areas of the industry, such as surgical coding or pediatric coding.

Education Requirements for Medical Coders

There are several education options for aspiring medical coders. You can earn a degree in medical coding and then seek employment as a medical coder. You can also enroll in a program that teaches you how to code medical documents. Earning a degree in medical coding is the most common route to becoming a medical coder. In fact, 78% of medical coders have a college degree. You can earn a degree in medical coding through a four-year university program or a two-year associate’s degree program. A four-year degree in medical coding typically takes about four years to complete. You’ll learn about health care policy, how to diagnose and treat diseases, anatomy and physiology, and how to conduct medical procedures. You’ll also study business, accounting, and computer science. As with all degrees, you’ll learn about a variety of subjects. You’ll also learn how to research and present your findings. A four-year degree program in medical coding should include at least one year of medical coding coursework to prepare you for the certification exam.

Certification Tests for Medical Coders

After you’ve become certified as a medical biller, you can take the National Healthcare Illustration Certification Exam. The exam is offered by the NCBI and is offered in multiple languages. This exam tests your knowledge of medical coding and illustration, among other topics. You’ll need to score at least 70% on this exam to be certified as a medical biller. There are other certification tests you can take to become a medical coder. Each state has its own requirements and rules for certification. These certification tests usually range from 100 to 500 questions, and they’re typically multiple choice. You’ll take each certification test in one sitting. You’ll receive a score for each question you answer correctly or incorrectly. If you answer all 500 questions correctly, you can expect a score of over 99%. The questions on these certification tests are designed to test your knowledge of the different topics that make up the field of medical coding. These topics include medical terminology, coding guidelines, condition coding, procedure coding, ICD-10, and federal law.

Job Prospects for Medical Coders

Becoming a medical coder is a challenging and demanding profession. Some medical coders find the profession exhilarating, while others find it soul-crushing. No matter what type of experience you have as a medical coder, you’ll have to be able to handle extremely stressful circumstances. Medical coders are required to work long hours and be able to handle a variety of stressors on the job. You may be expected to work with complicated and sometimes dangerous equipment. Your work might require you to put your life at risk by handling hazardous chemicals or performing surgeries. Most medical coders work in hospitals and clinics. The field is also growing in other areas, such as health insurance companies, nursing homes, and pharmaceutical companies. There’s also demand for medical coders in nursing homes, home health care providers, and other outpatient care facilities. Because the demand for medical coders is so high, the median salary for a medical coder is about $64,000 per year.

Bottom Line

Medical coders are people who take information about a patient’s medical history, conduct physical examinations, and perform lab tests to assign a numerical code to each patient. These numerical codes describe the nature of the patient’s medical condition, the procedures performed on them, and the results of those procedures. Medical coders must be able to understand and express complex medical information in a way that computers can understand so that the information can be fed into a computer-based system for tracking, billing, and analyzing the patient’s medical treatment. The profession of medical coding is growing rapidly. The field is also expected to experience high employment growth over the next decade. To become a medical coder, you have a few options. You can become a certified medical biller and then decide to become a medical coder as well. Or you can become a medical biller and then go back to school to earn a degree in medical coding. The first step, however, is becoming a certified medical biller. To become certified, you’ll need to pass a state exam that tests your knowledge of health insurance coding, general medical knowledge, and your ability to code a variety of medical documents.

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