some questions about taking coding course

[iwanna]

I am an LPN and have some questions about coding. I have not worked since 2004 and have been on disability. I have sarcoidosis and have been sick off and on over the years. However, I have been stabilized over the last two years. I am ready to return to work. Unfortunately, I have minimal experience. My background is mainly behavioral health. Although, I have worked in geri-psych. We were not a medical facility. But, assessment skills needed to be sharp as to when pt. needed to be seen in ER. I did have a few patients with g-tubes, a colostomy, and trach that I have cared for. And, this was back in 2001-2002. The unit I worked on was great with the teamwork. We were all hand-picked by the director. Unfortunately, they closed the geri unit. And, I just continued to work in adolescents, childrens in acute and residential settings.

I am looking for work that is not going to be very strenuous. And, there are not many opportunites for an LPN with minimal experience. I did not graduate until 1996. I graduated at the age of 39. I tried to work in LTC after I passed boards in 1997. However, I did not last long. I was overwhelmed with the amount of pts. to care for. I only worked PT and was in bed on my days off. So, I quit after two months.

Currently, I am going to my local OVR for career counseling. I feel really bad to totally leave the medical field. I am still paying on loans from nursing school. So, I am checking out coding. I consulted the one school where I graduated from in 1993 with MOA degree. Of course, they are trying to encourage me to get HIT degree. But, I only want the necessary coding classes and get certified. At this school, they have the CPT one quarter and the ICD9 class the next. So, it means that I would have to start the CPT class within two weeks. Also, I need to test out of the anatomy and medical terminology course witha B before I take the coding classes. For one, I am nervous that they would make the A&P test very difficult. I should pass it, but I would need to review and have no clue what to review. And, I would be so embarrassed if I did not pass with a B. And, this school wants $250 a credit. I would be taking 6 credits. I think that is quite expensive. My counselor said that I should receive some financial assistance, but they would not pay for me to get another degree. I should not need another degree. I am already 51. All, I want is the coding and the certification. And, this school does not even offer the certifcation exam. I know there are classes online. However, the OVR would not fund for classes online.

There is another college that offers some coding classes at a satellite campus that is close to me. It starts in June. Their cost is only $203 a credit. So, that's a no-brainer I just need to get more info on that program. I have not talked to anyone personally, yet. I am awaiting a call-back.

Now, my question is what salary can I expect to make as a coder? I was thinking that eventually that I would like to find a job that would let me do some work from home.

[vlntrnurs]

There are jobs, the American College of Surgeons has a tumor registry which needs qualified coders, with you LPN back ground you will have an excellent change of someone training you. Some of these tumor registars get to work from home. With you LTC experience background how about MDS nurse?

You can find more information about becoming a Cancer Registrar (aka Tumor Registrar) at:

http://www.ncra-usa.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3301#Sub7

To work as a cancer registrar, you must pass the CTR exam to become a Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR).

http://www.ctrexam.org/

You can find salary info for Cancer Registrars at:

http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layouthtmls/swzl_compresult_national_HC07000214.html

[foxybrown78]

Hello,

I know the post is kind of old but I wanted to give you some pointers. I would purchase the most updated ICD-9, CPT and HCPCS books you can find. There are also a couple of study guides out there, AAPC sells their own as well as AHIMA, I used the ones by Carol Buck. I have a BA in Biology and self studied and passed the CPC the first time around. I plan to take the inpatient CCS this December by studying the same way.

I currently make $30.00 working for a health insurance company as a clinical coordinator medical coder. There is absolutely no production work involved in this particular position. If you have any further questions, please feel free to IM me. I live in the Southern California area if that will give you more of an idea for the pay range.

[vlntrnurs]

Hi Foxybrown78

What study guides you are using to study for the CCS?

What study guides did you use to study for the CPC?

Are you going to take the CPC-H or CPC-P in the near future?

Thanks for sharing this with the forum!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

I am also a nurse that went into coding. Some advice. . .get certified in order to increase you hireability. Go to a certified coding school, preferably a school in a community college. I learned that the only reason I got hired by a large coding company was because I was a nurse. Otherwise, I was told after I had worked there several months, they general felt that coders trained in vocational schools were inferiorly trained. The first job is extremely difficult to find. It is not like nursing where hospitals have open arms for new grads. You will spend a lot of time looking for a willing employer to hire and train you for your first job out of school. Coding is watched very closely by the federal government and people do get arrested and sent to prison by the federal government for fraud when people try to cheat and save a few dollars when coding for their doctor or healthcare employers. Coding has to do with bring money into a doctor or hospital's business and is a bridge between the practice and the business end. And nurses worry about getting sued by patients for malpractice--Ha! Ha! When you go into coding you have to worry about and know the Medicare and insurance rules and laws which are always changing!

[foxybrown78]

hi foxybrown78

what study guides you are using to study for the ccs?

what study guides did you use to study for the cpc?

are you going to take the cpc-h or cpc-p in the near future?

thanks for sharing this with the forum!

ccs coding exam review 2008: the certification step (ccs coding exam review: the certification step (w/cd)) (paperback)

by [color=#003399]carol j. buck and

professional review guide for the ccs examination, 2008 edition (professional review guide for the ccs examinations) (paperback)

by [color=#003399]patricia schnering

i just studied the coding books used in production (icd-9-cm, cpt and hcpcs) for the cpc but you can also try

cpc coding exam review 2008: the certification step (cpc coding exam review: certification step) (paperback)

by [color=#003399]carol j. buck

no there is no reason for me to take the cpc-p or h as i will be getting the ccs from ahima soon. i have planned on getting into an rn program next year (at least a waiting list) then continuing to go to school to get an rhit/rhia while i am on the waiting list.

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

There is a difference in the different certifications. CCS is for hospital coding and familiarity with DRGs. CCS-P is for physician office coding. People who have worked as physician office coders for years have thought they could walk into the CCS exam and pass it on their experience alone and have been sadly mistaken. RHIT involves only some coding at all. You need a Bachelors degree in HIM to sit for the RHIA exam these days.

[foxybrown78]

There is a difference in the different certifications. CCS is for hospital coding and familiarity with DRGs. CCS-P is for physician office coding. People who have worked as physician office coders for years have thought they could walk into the CCS exam and pass it on their experience alone and have been sadly mistaken. RHIT involves only some coding at all. You need a Bachelors degree in HIM to sit for the RHIA exam these days.

Yes I know the difference in the certifications, trust me. I reviewed the information long and hard before I put the money into getting them. I have been coding for 8 years (inpatient, outpatient, acute, HCC, E/M, etc.) and I am well prepared for the CCS. I have always been able to find work with my CPC though, but I want the inpatient for the prestige it brings. I have a BA in biology and I am already in a program for the HIM. I know I have to graduate the program before I can sit for that certification as well. I love the field I am in and it has been very lucrative for me. Hope nursing goes just as well. Thanks for the information!

[vlntrnurs]

Hi Everyone!

I know many coding students who passed the CCS-P and CCS on the first try without years of experience. Nowadays, it's tougher to get coding jobs because hospitals require certification and experience. Why not fulfill one of the coding job qualifications by getting certified.

I found that the CCS-P is the first certification that many coding students take. Some who pass the CCS-P do not necessarily pass the CCS. The CCS is a tougher exam, but there are a number of coding students who have passed it after finishing coding courses on their first try.

[mmc1213]

Was this adequate training for you? Did you study online? Did you find jobs easily for CPC after you finished? Appreciate any advice?

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

Was this adequate training for you? Did you study online? Did you find jobs easily for CPC after you finished? Appreciate any advice?

It depends on what kind of job you are looking for after you finish your training. I started off studying for a year at a vocational school but it was my nursing background that actually got me hired. When I went back to a community college coding program that was accredited by AHIMA I saw how badly the vocational school failed me. In vocational school we basically just sat in class and coded pages of line items. In college we learned why we had to code things a specific way time after time. We learned about Coding Clinic and how to access and read it. We learned about DRGs. We learned about principle diagnoses and comorbidities.

For the big bucks, you need certification and training by an accredited school. The reason is because the places that are paying big bucks are very concerned about fraud and they want qualified coders. Think of certification as being similar to licensure except it is voluntary. It gives you a higher level of expertise and care about the work. It also means you are aware of the laws regarding coding. The coding organizations are pushing for mandatory certification, but it hasn't happened yet. These certification tests are not easy to pass ust as the NCLEX isn't either.

[mmc1213]

Thanks for the info! I was thinking of taking a distance learning class from AAPC or AHIMA. After you attained certification, did you have an easier time finding a job? Are there remote jobs available? Appreciate any advice! I live in TN

[AtomicWoman]

For those of you who are already coders, would you say there is more demand for inpatient/hospital coders, or outpatient/physician coders? I'm talking strictly in numbers of jobs, although if you have any salary insight, I'd love to hear that, too.

The RN market is getting tight around here, and I was looking into coding as something else I can get certified in once I am done nursing school, to make me more marketable. I want to thank everyone who's been so generous in explaining this market. :)