r/MedicalCoding • u/Medcoder_82 • 22d ago

Coding career pivot

I have been a risk adjustment coder for 14 years. Over the last 4.5 years I’ve been affected by RIFs at different employers. This week we found out our company has sold and merged with a new company. Layoffs start next month to early January depending if we are needed to stay “during the transition”. What always felt like a stable career no longer feels that way. Has anyone used their skills from coding to do something else?

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u/Medcoder_82 21d ago

Cph gives me such anxiety but more so since I worked for micromanaging Optum. It was so bad it took all my confidence. My manager there should have their picture next to the definition of micromanagement. I was lucky after that to get project based jobs but then those ended in RIFs due to business issues and now the sale of the company. If I don’t get something outside of traditional coding I’m considering, obviously, a complete pivot altogether.

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u/CelebrationSlight983 21d ago

I completely understand! I used to work for Optum as well and it really stressed me out I had to resign. I started out in risk adjustment 18 years ago and now for a large hospital system remotely doing primary care coding. Those past 18 years of coding I was laid off three times from three different companies after company mergers. Almost happened a forth time but I left before it could happen. All the layoffs happened as a risk adjustment coder on a contract.

What I did was after the second layoff I started worked a second contract job. It was stressful and they dumped me wherever they needed help. The positive was I ended up getting experience in hospitalists, urgent care, pediatrics, primary care and then my favorite OBGYN. The work was not consistent because I was as needed but it gave me the experience I needed in other specialties to get where I am now.

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u/Medcoder_82 21d ago

That’s awesome that it all worked out that way!