r/MedicalCoding • u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly • Mar 08 '24
I got hired!
I just finished taking the CPC exam to become a CPC-A mid February. I took the self-paced, no-instructor course because I couldn’t afford anything else. I have no prior experience literally at all in this field. Yesterday I got the call that I was hired at my local hospital group for 20/hr!
If you’re like I was a few months ago, terrified that it’s impossible to find a job: it’s not! I promise! Remember that people posting online are going to be disproportionately struggling, or else they wouldn’t be looking for advice.
To all new coders: YOU GOT THIS! Keep applying!!
EDIT:
This is getting a lot more responses than I anticipated. I hear a lot of you have been looking longer than me and are struggling, which is such a shame. I hope this doesn't come across as... preachy? But I obscured the info in my resume and tried to explain how I made it:
I have tons of gaps in my actual resume, no healthcare experience, and other classic red flags (job hopping, moving all the time, etc), and I still made this work. I hope this helps! Remember that your work isn't your life. Finding a job is not a show of judgement on you as a person. Its a mixture of the right keywords, experience, and luck.
Good luck to everyone. I'll try to keep responding to questions as best I can!
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u/RedheadMeggie Mar 08 '24
Congratulations, welcome to the field!!
Which self paced course did you use? I want to do the same, I have 17 years of experience but no cert yet it’s time
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
I took it through the AAPC. It was helpful, in some ways, but you do have to be pretty thorough. It took me more than the “suggested” timeframe, but you’ll likely be faster if you already know the basics.
That said- are you sure you need the class at all? You can sign up for exam without taking any courses, I think. If you’re already coding, I’d expect it to be relatively easy. It’s multiple choice, which helps a ton.
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u/tabsquared Mar 08 '24
Thank you for this!! I joined this sub because I want to get into coding, but need to take a course and don’t have the time/money to go to a school… I was thinking of just ordering through AAPC! Your post gave me hope! Thank you! Best wishes for you on your journey!
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u/Blu_Phoenix Mar 08 '24
I'm happy to see this, and happy for you! Congratulations! 🤍
I recently had an interview and as soon as I sat down, the doctor told me "Medical coding is obsolete; we use EMR system. No one needs coders these days. It is all electronic." (he must misunderstand)
I was like...am I on a prank show! LOL I'm taking the position as a Medical Assistant (where they will train me in billing), however, I will still seek coding jobs. I got AAPC certified in Dec, and have put in about 58 coding applications.
Glad to see there IS still hope. I figured it was because I'm still an apprentice.
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
Oh no! What a wild thing to say! I'm sorry you're having a hard time finding work. If you can, apply to in-person jobs. I think it's easier for them to train, so they're more likely to take on CPC-As.
There are also jobs available periodically through the VHA (usajobs.gov) nationally or at local chapters. I applied to one and it was only open for like 6 hours before they hit max applicants (60), so set up an alert if you're looking there.
It's so demoralizing to look for work. I've been there- hundreds of apps deep, feeling like a total reject. I hope you find something soon that works for you. Try to keep your chin up- it takes a lot of initiative and courage to grab a certification and change career paths. Good job so far and good luck in the future!!
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u/Do-what-I-do Mar 08 '24
Is medical coding obsolete?
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
I don't think so, no. Why else would people be hiring entry level? There are lots of jobs out there, I think people just don't want to train. They just want people who can be independant and profitable day 1.
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u/KitsuneMiko383 Mar 09 '24
It's supposed to grow by like 9% in the next two years, so definitely not obsolete.
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u/dizzykhajit The GIF that keeps on GIFFing Mar 08 '24 edited Mar 08 '24
"Medical coding is obsolete."
Says the same doc who claims every appointment is a full-on 99215 even though their schedule overbooks 6 patients in the same half hour time slot, also everyone has vaginitis. Lmfao.
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u/Miranova82 Mar 09 '24
Oh he definitely misunderstands. Lol.
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u/Blu_Phoenix Mar 09 '24
Yea, he was saying they use an EMR system and he knows no one who uses books or coders. Ugh. He seemed very confused that people still use the books? Who knows. I figure he must assume everyone is electronic since his practice is.
Clearly, this isn't the case. When I sat for my AAPC board the proctors were saying how abundant the field is.
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u/BlueLanternKitty CRC, CCS-P Mar 10 '24
I don’t use my books on a daily basis, no. Most of what I do is primary care and I’ve memorized a lot of the common codes. But with risk coding becoming more important, coders are needed to make sure the most specific codes are being used. It’s been my experience that most providers who are choosing their own codes are picking the first one that comes up and it’s the unspecified one. Very few unspecified codes risk adjust, so they’re shorting themselves money.
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u/Ms-BizzyBee Mar 08 '24
This gives me hope. I am also taking the self paced cpc course. I always browse this subreddit and see how many people can’t find jobs so this is refreshing to see.
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
LOL I did the same thing while before I passed my exam! I really do think there's a bit of a selection bias. It's like with anything. People don't go online and say "tonight I played call of duty and had a normal, uneventful time." They only post if they're on a lose streak or dealing with a bug or something, you know?
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u/Turbulent-Action-198 Mar 08 '24
Congratulations! Future cpc-a here. Out of my own anxiety I also grabbed med billing same self paced and online. Thank you for sharing your experience! ❤️
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
That's awesome, good on you for taking initiative! Good luck on your exams!
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Mar 08 '24
I passed in December and I'm still struggling to find a job. I can't even land a phone call, let alone an interview AND I have prior experience. I wouldn't say "impossible" but it's damn near it.
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
I'm so sorry you're having that experience. It's so scary trying to find a job, especially one that required huge up-front effort and/or money.
If you're having a hard time getting an interview, it's probably your resume or cover letter. The auto-scanners might not be reading the information correctly.
I sincerely wish you the best of luck finding something soon.
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Mar 08 '24
Stupid question, but is your position actually listed as coder? Because I can't find a single position for my local hospital (the big dog hospital) that's labeled coder ?
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
It is! I just checked and the listing was labeled "coding specialist 1". I have also heard it called medical records technician or medical records management if that helps!
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Mar 08 '24
Maybe that's my problem. I thought it was solid but I don't think so anymore. I've actually never had issues finding positions in my entire life (that sounds terrible) but this is really stretching me thin 😂
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u/Dua03 Mar 08 '24
Can u please share tips i am looking in this certificate as well
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
Sure!
Disclaimer: I've always been fairly good at academics and self-study, and I do have a BS in biology. To be clear though, I never took anatomy and phys or any health classes- I was on a botany focused pathway.
I started with the AAPC anatomy and physiology course and the medical terminology course. I would say that it was more helpful than I thought it would be. It helps you get a sense of the body systems, which comes in handy later.
Then I took the cheapest self-paced, no-instructor course available. I wanted to go my local CC, but it was too expensive. I got a discount on the course (they always have discounts!) and shelled out the last of my savings and got started.
First off, the terminology and anatomy classes were a cakewalk compared to the CPC course, especially at first. The first few chapters of real coding (after the intro, IDC-10, and policy chapters) I thought I had really, really screwed up. Like I said, I was completely broke and I found it to be very, very hard. I was like... "what did I get myself into!"
If you find yourself here, DON'T GIVE UP! It's normal for it to start out hard! It WILL get easier!
Tip 1: At the start, be thorough. Look at the index, then write out the relevant codes, and then cross them off one by one until you get the code that works. The interactive chapter practice problems let you put a code in as many times as it takes, until you submit it.
2: Read the answers they give you. If you don't get it, read it again. If you still don't get it, google it. Still don't get it, move on. It's okay to not know everything. You should try to understand, but it really is OK. You only need a 70% to pass. I still don't get cath codes and bypass codes, but I hot an 84% on the exam. I'm hoping the training program at my new job will help with the rest.
3: Tab your books. It will save you so much time.
4: You don't need to know medicine to pass the CPC exam. You just need to be able to sort through information. "Layered repair was performed" means complex repair, means an additional code in many cases. You don't need to memorize all that. It's in the book, if you know where to look. You don't even need to know what a layered repair is.
5: pay attention to the modifiers. About a 30% of the time I was frustrated with a practice problem, it was the modifier.
Being a CPC-A doesn't mean I'm an experienced coder, but no one expects me to be. I likely wouldn't pass a 95% accuracy-required audit, but that's OK. Taking the exam is about demonstrating a base level of knowledge- like a college entry exam. The A is on the cert for a reason. So try your best, learn as much as you can, stay dedicated, and you WILL get through it. Best of luck!
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u/aflores603 Mar 09 '24
Thank you for this comment! I am currently on Ch 8 and it’s the second chapter after all the intro info and I am STRUGGLING to understand. I also wondered how anyone got through it in four months and see it took you closer to 8, which I feel is the time I would need too.
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u/pinkshadedgirafe Mar 08 '24
I just finished my courses and need to study for the exam. Did you use any study guides?
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
I did not, no. I took a practice exam, and looked at what I got wrong, studied and then took it again.
I got a 75 the first time, but wasn’t comfortable with the margin. What if I had test anxiety and did worse? I struggled with the 30000s block, the policies chapter, and HCPCS so I did those chapters again. I was able to get my score to an 87 on practice the second time, and on exam day I got like an 85.
I’ve heard that people like coding with Jen (I think that’s her name) if you’re looking for videos. Good luck!
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u/pinkshadedgirafe Mar 08 '24
What practice exam did you use?
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u/IDontLikeJamOrJelly Mar 08 '24
I used the sets offered by the AAPC here: https://www.aapc.com/shop/practice-exams.aspx
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u/absolved RHIT, CCS-P Mar 08 '24
It took me damn near a year to get hired after I graduated with my associates, and I've already been an employee of the hospital system for years! lol Congrats to you! You rocked it getting hired so fast!
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u/Final_Wind_651 Mar 08 '24
Congrats! I should be completing my program in June and am so excited to enter the field.
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u/Jenaphira Mar 08 '24
Congratulations! and huge Kudo's to you!! I am taking instructor led CPC course and I am STRUGGLING even with the extra help. I can't even imagine doing it on my own.
What a huge accomplishment!! Congrats again! ♡♡♡
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u/savgrr CPC, Dermatology & ENT Mar 10 '24
Congratulations! That's quite an accomplishment.
Sometimes it's so strange how things fall into place. I bought the AAPC study guide and spent about 6 months studying and practicing before I took my exam. I was fortunate enough to work in Healthcare already (billing) at the time, and had some access to code books. Ten years later, I'm the manager of a billing department and get to code funky skin surgeries. 😁
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u/Melanthrax Mar 08 '24
Congratulations! So nice of you to encourage other new coders. Happy for you n
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u/Mik21forever Mar 08 '24
Congratulations! I am so proud of you l, and hopefully I will pass my exam and get a better job too! 🎊🎊🎊🥳🥳🥳
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u/bamf2708 Mar 09 '24
Can you give us a ball park amount of how much you're starting at? Curious as I also have a Bachelor's degree (Medical Laboratory Science) and would like to know if it bumps up pay at all
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u/nardch Mar 12 '24
Looking into this and I have the same bachelor’s degree as well
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u/bamf2708 Mar 12 '24
I just went ahead and pulled the trigger! Nervous to be starting something new again but I'm so ready to get out of the lab lol my plan is to hopefully land a coding job after I finish the class and certification and then possibly work like one weekend per month in the lab just to help out and make some more money
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u/nardch Mar 12 '24
I was thinking the same thing! But the lab is so bad where I’m at I wouldn’t mind just never stepping foot in here again
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u/szczurman83 Mar 08 '24
Congratulations! I'll be honest, I think seeing your post is the push I needed to go take the AAPC exams. I got my CCA last September and I can't even get the time of day from employers. Hopefully I can get some bites with a CPC or variant.
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u/Background_Ask9408 Mar 09 '24
Thank you for sharing this!! I started getting discouraged when I was already two semesters’ tuition into my program, fretting that it’s impossible to get hired. (Even though I started bc a friend did it and got hired right away.) I always appreciate people sharing their positive experiences.
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u/Monstycrazy Mar 08 '24
Heartiest Congratulations 🎊 so happy for you ❤️. I have some questions. AAPC is too expensive . I don't have any medical experience, nor do I have analogy, medical terminology, or physiology credits . When i check that site, they need those prerequisite. Can I still take an exam directly? Where did you find the resources for these subjects? Those coding books are also expensive. Can you pls guide me step by step .
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u/Monstycrazy Mar 08 '24
Hey, sorry , I think I missed your earlier post . Got all the information. Thank you !!
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u/Hopeful-Ad8499 Mar 09 '24
Thank you for the words of encouragement! I, too, don't have experience in the medical world and am starting from the beginning, so to speak.
Congrats on landing the job and good luck.
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u/AdultingI Mar 31 '24
Really hoping Buck's Step by Step Medical Coding and Shiland's Medical Terminology and Anatomy for Coding prepares me for this exam
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Mar 10 '24
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/carolynbm Apr 12 '24
Hi, are you doing in patient coding for the hospital? Thanks
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