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Medical coders work for healthcare facilities where they convert patients’ information to standardize codes.
These are used on documentation for healthcare insurance claims and for databases.
What does a Medical Coder do?
Medical Coders work at hospitals, clinics and other healthcare settings to facilitate communication with insurance companies.
They spend most of their time interpreting patient files and manually updating them with medical codes.
When assigning a code to a patient’s file, Medical Coders use established systems that make it easy for insurers to recognize what kinds of treatment they cover under a patient’s plan.
Medical Coders also gather documentation to validate their coding choices and argue against any wrongfully denied claims.
They analyze all parts of a patient’s visit, including diagnostic tests, consultations, in-office procedures and prescribed medication.
Medical Coder Job Description Template
We are looking to recruit a competent medical coder to assist us with coding medical documentation for insurance claims and for our databases.
The medical coder will assign required Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS), International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM), and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) codes.
You will assign Ambulatory Payment Classifications (APC) or Diagnosis-related group (DRG) codes.
To ensure success you need to make judicious decisions on which codes to assign in each instance, and function to a high level of accuracy.
Top applicants are motivated, detail-oriented, and have outstanding people skills.
Medical Coder Responsibilities
1. Extracting relevant information from patient records.
2. Liaising with physicians and other parties to clarify information.
3. Examining documents for missing information.
4. Assigning CPT, HCPCS, ICD-10-CM, and ASA codes.
5. Assigning APC and DRG codes.
6. Ensuring documents are grammatically correct and free from typing errors.
7. Performing chart audits.
8. Advising and training physicians and staff on medical coding.
9. Informing supervisor of issues with equipment and computer program.
10. Ensuring compliance with medical coding policies and guidelines.
Medical Coder Requirements
1. High school diploma, GED, West African School Certificate (WAEC) or National Examination Council Certificates (NECO) or suitable equivalent
2. Possession of B.Sc, HND, NCE, OND in related field from a recognized institution.
3. 2+ years of work experience as a medical coder.
4. NYSC Discharge/Exemption Certificate.
5. American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) certification.
6. Proficient computer skills.
7. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
8. Strong people skills.
9. Outstanding organizational skills.
10. Ability to maintain the confidentiality of information.
READ ALSO!!!
Medical Coder Resume Writing
A resume is an important document you will need to have if you are looking for a job as a medical coder.
To write the job history section of the resume, the sample job description shown above provides useful information in writing the section.
What is the Difference between a Medical Coder and a Medical Biller?
Medical Coders and Medical Billers work together to make sure that healthcare providers receive payment for their claims.
Medical Coders work behind the scenes to translate medical records into a series of codes, making it easy for insurers to quickly confirm or deny a claim.
After completing a patient’s file, Medical Coders pass the information to Medical Billers, who communicate with patients and insurance representatives about the outstanding balance associated with an account.
If an insurance provider denies a claim, Medical Billers prepare invoices for patients to pay out-of-pocket and arrange payment plans when necessary.
What are the daily duties of a Medical Coder?
Medical Coders usually work standard office hours alongside other medical office staff.
After a patient completes their visit, the Medical Coder reads their chart or file and classifies the information from their appointment into different categories.
If they are unsure about the type of code for a certain treatment, the Medical Coder references medical coding guidelines and researches the correct code.
They carefully put the codes in sequence and submit them to the patient’s insurance provider or to the Medical Biller on their staff.
If there is an issue with a submission, they review existing codes and document any corrections.
Do Medical Coders have Different Responsibilities in Different Industries?
Medical Coders have the same basic role regardless of what kind of medical office they work in, but they can use different coding systems for various specialities.
Most standard Medical Coders use three main codes: International Classification of Diseases (ICD), Current Procedural Technology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPS).
Many types of specialized medical offices use their own coding systems, including emergency departments, chiropractic offices, dermatology practices, pain management centres and plastic surgery centres.
Medical Coders need to learn the details of each speciality to appropriately process each type of treatment.
What are the Characteristics of a Good Medical Coder?
The most important characteristic of a good Medical Coder is the ability to pay attention to small details.
Good Medical Coders diligently check their work after translating a file into medical codes, checking that each entry is accurate.
They are good at troubleshooting problems with a patient’s file and determining the cause of any discrepancies in someone’s medical history and insurance claim.
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Their duties include confirming treatments with medical staff, identifying missing information and submitting forms to insurers for reimbursement.
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