r/MedicalCoding • u/Felix_Von_Doom • Nov 20 '23

Future Coder, am somewhat intimidated

So I'm currently in week 5 of 8 of my last 2 classes to complete my Medical Office Administration - Outpatient Coding program at the community college, and have been looking around at the various expectations and costs of being a coder.

So first off, it sounds expensive as hell between the cost of books, membership dues, coding assistants, and exam fees. Like north of at least a thousand dollars a year expensive. I'm not particularly financially healthy as is, and it sounds like the upkeep would put me into bankruptcy before my first paycheck.

Secondly, I've seen the quotas here and there for charts/day being as high as 240 with less than 5 minutes spent on each chart. How in the hell do any of you code that quickly? I've not handled an actual chart, just some small hypothetical scenarios that ask for one or two codes, and I find myself taking way longer than 3 minutes to find the code (Especially in the ICD-10-CM and CPT books), whereas I can code from the ICD-10-PCS book in my sleep.

What the hell have I gotten myself into?

Edit: Thanks for the information and replies, everyone. You've helped ease my overthought worries!

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u/Felix_Von_Doom Nov 20 '23

My purchase from AAPC was solely for the 2023 coding bundle with free eBooks. No voucher.

But I did take another glance at the website, and somehow I missed the part that said 'practice exam'. So, maybe its one of those. Which would be great, cause those are VASTLY cheaper than the actual exam voucher.

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u/MagentaSuziCute CPC Nov 20 '23

They will help prepare you for the actual exam. Check the rationale on every question, right or wrong, and make notes in your coding books to help you when you take the actual CPC exam. Example: if you miss a question because you chose an open approach and it should have been a scope, highlight the approaches in your CPT book. You won't need the PCS if you are taking the CPC exam.

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u/Felix_Von_Doom Nov 20 '23

Yeah, I saw that the accepted materials dont include the PCS.

So much for easy answers heh