Becoming a medical coder is an option for those who want a healthcare job but don’t want to practice medicine. You may better prepare for pay negotiations and decide if this employment is a good fit for your lifestyle preferences by researching the earning potential. The article delves into the salary of a medical coder.
A Medical Coder: Who Is It?
The people responsible for translating physician reports into uniform, usable medical codes are known as medical coders. One of a medical coder’s main duties as a health information specialist is to analyze clinical statements and use a classification system to assign standard codes to them. Additionally, a few of the uses for the data that local and federal governments, private healthcare organizations, and international agencies make of it are medical and health services research, epidemiological studies, health resource allocation, case mix management, public health programming, medical billing, and public education.
Medical Coder Job Description
A medical coder’s tasks and obligations include the following:
- coding diagnostic tests and medical procedures
- Collecting data from many sources to compile monthly reports depending on the physician’s prescriptions
- Keeping accurate records of a patient’s illness and treatment and making them available on request to other members of the healthcare team who are attempting to enhance the patient’s health.
- ICD (International Classification of Diseases) and CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes are used to assign codes to illnesses and treatments.
- Creating and implementing strategic procedures, as well as selecting methods and evaluation methodologies that yield correct results.
- Following up on any information that is unclear to other team members and clarifying
How to Work as a Medical Coder
Here’s a step-by-step strategy to become a medical coder:
#1. Earn a Postgraduate Degree:
Medical coders can pursue their undergraduate education in one of three ways: through a certificate program, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree.
#2. Obtaining Preliminary Certification:
Almost all medical coding education programs educate students to take basic credentialing exams.
#3. Gain Work Experience:
Once you’ve obtained your certificate and degree, it’s time for new medical coders to enter the workforce and begin working.
#4. Obtain Advanced Medical Coding Certification:
Once you’ve gained some professional experience, you can pursue more advanced qualifications to help you grow in your career.
#5. Career Advancement:
Once you have earned your advanced certification, you can continue working as a medical coder and, if wanted, progress your career.
Average Medical Coder Salary in the United States (USA)
In the United States, the average medical coder’s compensation ranges from $52,000 to $62,000 per year, or over $23 per hour. The range is now the difference in income between a non-certified medical coder and a certified medical coder. Yes, the income of a certified and non-certified medical coder will differ by roughly $7000 to $10,000.
The Salary Range for Medical Coders Offered by Several States
You can find a breakdown of medical coder salaries by state here. You should be aware that the amount could differ based on your city.
- Alabama: $52,507 per year
- Alaska: $58,007 per year
- Connecticut: $55,963 per year
- Delaware: $54,459 per year
- Florida: $50,615 per year
- Kentucky: $45,025 per year
- Louisiana: $52,949 per year
- Maine: $50,189 per year
- North Dakota: $45,629 per year
- Ohio: $51,773 per year
Certified Medical Coder Salary
Salary projections for certified medical coders indicate a growth of over 12% over the next five years. Earning certifications or furthering schooling to get degrees in Health Information management would put billers and coders in the best position to increase their salaries.
Assessments for Medical Coder Certification
AAPC and AHIMA are in charge of administering certification exams for medical coders. You can prepare for these tests by taking a course or by practicing with past exams in medical coding. It has come to my attention that numerous individuals have passed medical coding certification exams but lack the necessary experience in the field.
Working as a certified medical coder in the United States has many benefits, one of the most notable being the possibility of working remotely. Working from home as a medical coder is a lucrative option for a select few Americans. There isn’t much of a salary gap between a conventional office coder and one who works from home. American-certified medical coders have a competitive salary.
The current salary structure of medical coders in the United States is shown below.
- Expertise documents around $57,524
- AAPC Certification: $52,605
- $40,305 for two or more AAPC credentials
- $66,999 for three or more AAPC certifications
Earning more money is possible in the United States if you put in the time and effort. Indeed, seasoned programmers can expect annual salaries of over $67,162. On average, medical coders with less than two years of experience or who have just started make $35,906 a year. The accumulation of experience, which is comparable to a bonus point system, increases their income annually.
Reasons Medical Coder Salary Certification Matters
Obtaining a certification is a certain way to make yourself stand out. A small number of credentials and certifications are required to be considered a professional in any industry. Therefore, certification is a primary requirement for professional positions in the hiring process. Now, picture this: you’re a business owner looking to hire qualified individuals; you’d naturally prioritize hiring certified professionals. In addition, the client only awards projects to companies with certified personnel. Therefore, the compensation differential between certified and non-certified medical coders is substantial. To advance in your career as a medical coder, the CPC certification is the gold standard from AAPC. To increase your earning potential, consider earning certifications from AHIMA for tests such as CCS (Certified Coding Specialist).
A medical coder’s remuneration will be higher if they work in an inpatient setting as opposed to an outpatient one. The most basic explanation is that INPATIENT medical charts are extremely valuable and complex, requiring a great deal of expertise from coders who must verify the patient’s admission, progress notes, discharge summary, and other documents to assign the appropriate ICD 10 PCS code or DRG code—a task that can take months and cost a pretty penny.
Inpatient Medical Coder Salary
In the US, an inpatient medical coder may expect to make an average of $23.70 per hour as of December 14, 2023. Currently, the bulk of inpatient medical coder wages across the United States vary between $20.91 (25th percentile) and $25.24 (75th percentile), while ZipRecruiter is reporting hourly wages as high as $33.89 and as low as $15.87. There aren’t many chances for development or higher income, even with a lot of experience, since the typical salary range for an inpatient medical coder is rather stable (around $4.33). This is true regardless of location.
Which Cities Have the Highest Salaries for Inpatient Medical Coders?
Here are ten locations where you may expect to earn more than the national average as an inpatient medical coder. First on the list is Cupertino, California, followed closely by San Buenaventura and Santa Cruz. The national average is $49,297, and Santa Cruz, CA, is $11,358 (23.0%) higher. Cupertino, CA, is $14,483 (29.4%) higher yet. Moving to one of these 10 cities seems like a fantastic opportunity for an Inpatient Medical Coder looking to progress financially since their typical earnings are greater than the national average.
Lastly, it’s worth noting that there isn’t much room for progress in compensation within these top ten places since the average salary hardly changes at 10% between Cupertino, CA, and Vacaville, CA. Among the many factors to consider when deciding where to work and how much to earn as an inpatient medical coder is the potential for a cheaper cost of living.
Find Out Which Five Inpatient Medical Coding Jobs in the US Pay the Most.
At least five of the occupations listed as being associated with inpatient medical coding pay higher than the average inpatient medical coding income.
Leading Instances of These Functions Encompass:
- Computer-Assisted Coding
- Registered Nurse Coder
- Medical Coding Analyst
- Remote Coding Manager
- Medical Coder Auditor
Importantly, the average compensation for an inpatient medical coder is $49,297, but these positions pay anywhere from $19,113 (38.8%) to $58,285 (118.2%) more. If you’re an inpatient medical coder and meet the requirements, you might be able to increase your salary by applying for a related job.
What Medical Coder Gets Paid Most?
On average, certified professional coder-instructor professionals earn $73,620 annually, followed by certified professional compliance officers, who make $77,190 annually.
Is It Hard to Be a Medical Coder?
Medical billing and coding, in general, may be both demanding and satisfying work. It calls for a blend of technical know-how, people abilities, and meticulousness.
How Much Does an Entry Level Medical Coder Make in Dallas?
Dallas entry-level medical coders can expect to make $20.07 per hour on average as of December 13, 2023.
Do Most Medical Coders Work from Home?
One of the most prevalent types of healthcare jobs that allow you to work from home is medical coding and billing. Experts in medical coding enter the codes for a doctor’s office visits, diagnoses, and procedures into patients’ electronic health records.
Is Medical Coding Certification Worth It?
A career in medical billing and coding is ideal for those who thrive in autonomous environments and are self-starters who can get things done without constant oversight. If you want to help people while still making a solid living, medical coding and billing is a great field to start in.
Why I Quit Medical Coding?
Salary: A lack of a competitive salary is a major deterrent for skilled programmers. They can be inclined to seek out possibilities elsewhere if they believe their contributions are underappreciated or if they are not being compensated appropriately.
How Long Does It Take to Train for Medical Coding?
Pay is a major factor for skilled coders when deciding to leave their jobs. Employees may be inclined to seek employment possibilities elsewhere if they see an unfair compensation structure or a lack of recognition for their talents and expertise.
What Does a Medical Coder Do All Day?
One who takes information from doctors and converts it into codes that everyone can understand is called a medical coder. They scour medical data for details such as patients’ diagnoses, treatments, procedures, and equipment.
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