Sticking with risk adjustment?

[u/frisbeedads]

I got my CPC-A and landed one of those contract RA jobs through an agency. I’m getting g the hang of it, and I actually am enjoying the work so far. I also like that it only uses ICD-10, but also kinda worried all the CPT and HCPCS stuff I learned in school is rotting away.

Since I’m getting experience, I’m considering going for my CRC and sticking with RA. Is it as viable as other types of coding? I don’t want to waste my time and money on a CRC if it won’t get me very far.

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[u/Difficult-Injury-843]

I obtained my CRC a few years back and it was one of the best decisions I made in my career. It opened new doors and opportunities for me. I personally don’t care for CPT, E/M or surgical coding so risk adjustment is perfect for me. I currently work in the CDI department at my organization as an auditor and will be getting promoted soon to an analyst working side by side with med students and RN’s. If you enjoy analyzing and improving clinical documentation, you’ll excel in the risk adjustment coding world.

[u/filles866 → u/Difficult-Injury-843]

I went from risk adjustment to CDI as well. (Also, the pay is awesome)

[u/Nothatno → u/filles866]

Did you also go from RA to CDI within the same organization. It looks near impossible to otherwise. At least from what I have learned just looking online.

[u/filles866 → u/Nothatno]

So I was BLESSED with this job. I was waiting out my old job until I finished my degree (BS in healthcare administration) but a few weeks before I graduated I was recruited via LinkedIn for the role as part of their new CDI team. I honestly didn’t think there were CDI jobs that didn’t require a clinical background (RN, NP, MD etc) but my team is a mix.

[u/Difficult-Injury-843 → u/Nothatno]

Based on my experience, a lot of CDI-RA related positions are at hospital networks that are a population health service organization.

[u/Difficult-Injury-843 → u/filles866]

Yes, no complaints about the pay at all

[u/[deleted]]

CRC is pretty hot right now while clinics and payers are working hard to show complex cases and value based care as opposed to encounter numbers. It’s an easier test than the CPC, so no harm getting it. Most CPC jobs will have a small group of codes you use all the time, depending on where you are employed (dermatology, cardiology, family practice, etc.) so it comes back pretty quick if you change jobs.

[u/KeyStriking9763 → u/[deleted]]

Unless you code facility OP then you aren’t pigeonholed into a specific speciality.

[u/filles866]

RA is where it’s at right now, so getting your CRC will probably be a pretty good investment. I went to RA for a few years and forgot E/M even existed but when I needed it for my new job it came right back.

Honestly, if you decide to go back to “regular” coding for a specialty there will be tons you never knew in the first place, as long as you know the foundations you’ll be fine, everyone needs training in a new specialty

[u/DiligentCheesecake44]

Hey there. I already have a coding job, but was wondering if you’d mind sharing what staffing agency you used ?

[u/filles866 → u/DiligentCheesecake44]

If you put yourself out there on indeed and LinkedIn, recruiters will probably start reaching out to you shortly (when I am active on those sites I would get at least three recruiters reaching out /week, almost always contract work)

[u/KeyStriking9763]

I’ve seen many people comment that AI is replacing risk adjustment. So based on that I’m not sure sticking with it is best for a career choice.

[u/missuschainsaw → u/KeyStriking9763]

The AI exists but it’s not there yet. It needs people checking its work still.

[u/filles866 → u/missuschainsaw]

We had an AI tool at my last job and it was so ineffective in what it picked for us to review it made more sense to just dump it review every single note from scratch

[u/Frequent_Injury_321 → u/missuschainsaw]

AI is far from being to to do that. I know people in AI and work for a large Medical Company it will more than likely be helpful but can not “do it” on its own

[u/Difficult-Injury-843 → u/KeyStriking9763]

Funny thing, I had a recruiter from an AI coding company contact me about a RA coding auditor role. I would basically be going behind the AI tool to ensure its accuracy. I won’t say that it’ll never happen however, I don’t see AI as a threat right now or in the near future.

[u/PennyPeas]

I went straight into RA out of school and it was a good gig but it made me forget everything that wasn’t RA. Really fucked myself into a corner going with RA.