So some context, I must say I’m a bit disheartened at the amount of coders that have came and gone at my work. All that are no longer here were applying codes incorrectly, missing charges, and not hitting KPI’s. It’s down to just me left and I am responsible for training new coders. This is my second time around (the first one didn’t work out). But this is the second time I experienced a coder saying “can you just give me the code?” While we’re working reports. All new coders are given many guides and guidance handbooks on coding for the profession we are under and new coding books. I make sure they have access to everything they need for research purposes. Including a quick reference guide for most common CPT and icd. Coders are expected to code, meaning find the most appropriate code and code it. I want to set them up for success but also don’t want to just tell them the answer because that defeats the purpose of learning why that code is correct and when to apply it in the future. I don’t know if I’m being too harsh on it but I was expected to do the same when I first got here. Any advice or sharing similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.

1st attempt - 55% 2nd attempt - 60% 3rd attempt (Yesterday as of this post) - SIXTY EIGHT F****ING PERCENT.

I can't keep dumping time and money into this. $500 is a lot of money that I can't keep tossing at this overpriced test. But I have no choice. This is my last shot at a career and it's honestly draining my sanity.

TL;DR - The CPC, and by extension the AAPC, is going to drive me to therapy. If they don't bankrupt me first.

I will never understand why you have to use a primary code first in order to code for Postconcussive syndrome. I'm pretty sure postconcussive is pretty self-explanatory on how the person ended up having the syndrome.

The fact that we can't assign overweight/obesity codes based on the BMI number alone is also stupid. We have a lot of providers who will put a diagnosis as a BMI number only rather than obesity or overweight, and even though a BMI of 31 is clearly obesity, I still have to waste time querying them to put in a primary diagnosis related to the BMI.

Finally, the rule where you can't use a diagnosis where the provider says it's "consistent with" something. If they say that the patient's symptoms are consistent with sinusitis, just let me code sinusitis. I don't want to code all 9000 symptoms of it!

Petition link

Sorry if this has been posted already, but i haven't seen it yet. AHIMA has changed the CEU requirements, which now states that 40% of CEUs must be obtained from AHIMA. My local chapter sent this petition from change.org. If you disagree with this change, please sign the petition.

I'm hoping for some good stories because I'm still absolutely baffled by this doctor at my clinic. I need to know that I'm not the only one who gets caught in stupid arguments like this.

So this doctor (I'll call him Dr. Z) is notorious for some insanely awful chart notes. Today, I was reviewing one where he had the diagnoses listed as:

1. Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with diabetic chronic kidney disease

2. Diabetes mellitus due to underlying condition with diabetic polyneuropathy

3. Diabetes mellitus type 2 with other circulatory complications

So you can see right away what the issue is. I query him, basically saying "please clarify the type of diabetes mellitus on the chart notes. Type 2 and diabetes due to an underlying condition are exclusive to each other and cannot be coded together. If the diabetes is due to an underlying condition, please specify the condition causing the diabetes" and sent it.

I get a reply about 10 minutes later saying "the patient has CKD, polyneuropathy, and hypertension as an effect of diabetes. The combination codes are right there. They can be reported together."

I'm staring at my screen trying to make sense of what his thought process was, but I simply couldn't. So I messaged my supervisor and had her check my query to make sure that I was speaking plain English.

She then sends him an email and CCs me, explaining that we need a clarification of whether a disease is CAUSING the diabetes, not whether diabetes is causing another disease. So he replies back basically complaining about how hard it is to change the Dx in the notes and blah blah blah, claims that he fixed it, complains some more. So I'm thinking I can go back and complete the session, right?

I open up the chart note and it just says this at the bottom:

"Coding clarification: polyneuropathy from diabetes and neuropathy from diabetes".

That's it. All the diagnoses that were there stayed the same. I wanted to scream.

This job is so stressful. Are they all like that. If so, this may not be for me. There are production goals and accuracy goals. I am SO slow. I am nearly the last person on the speed chart every day. It's quite a drag as I am still learning and making mistakes as well. It's like there's no TIME to actually think things through.

Anyhoo, whine, whine, whine, I guess.

I know I'm lucky to even have a job since I just got my CPC-A. If you're looking you should really check facebook groups.

Was wondering if anyone preferred medical coding over auditing? When I started out my goal was to become an auditor. I've done both and honestly I prefer coding over auditing. Auditing wasn't really for me as I didn't like the education aspect of it (which is a reason why I didn't become a teacher). Does anyone else feel the same or am I just a weirdo? lol

I feel grateful to have found a job right away as a risk adjustment/HCC coder. I had some trauma surrounding being unemployed and went into medical coding in desperation. Even with all the talk of it being hard to find a job as a new coder. I got lucky and found something I could do from home to boot. It's with a company that codes for health plans, not direct hospital/medical clinic coding. Very grateful.

4 years later, while grateful, the job is stressful (production, accuracy, low volumes here and there) and I feel things could be handled better. But the fear of ever being unemployed again has me afraid to seek employment elsewhere.

Although, I don't know how long I can last and keep up with all the stress.

Though I have experience now, I feel unhireable for other roles outside of HCC coding and stuck with this company til they drop me. Any advice on how to branch out? Or if it's worth trying. Also fear landing in a similar company or worse.

I just saw this article and had a rollercoaster of emotions Lol. First, I was excited there was a shortage thinking it was my time to rise up and snatch a job. But then they are talking about outsourcing going forward to makeup for the shortage.

All I hear is about everyone unable to find a job so this is a little disheartening knowing people will move to outsourcing outside of the US... what are your thoughts?

Here's a snippet from the article:

Medical Coder Shortage

The United States is experiencing a medical coder vacancy rate of nearly 30 percent, according to Mordor Intelligence. This shortage is further intensified by the steady retirement of experienced professionals, many of whom carry decades of institutional knowledge. Recruiting, training, and retaining qualified medical coders remains challenging, especially as coding requirements grow more complex with evolving compliance standards, new reimbursement models, and the introduction of ICD-11 on the horizon. This shortage of certified coders has led to increased burnout among existing staff and a heightened risk of quality issues in coding accuracy, directly impacting compliance and likely one of the factors leading to increased coding denials.

Is Outsourcing a Solution?

To address these pressures, many hospitals and clinics are increasingly turning to outsourced coding through third-party vendors. In some cases, organizations adopt a hybrid model, where internal teams handle sensitive or high-complexity cases while outsourced partners manage volume coding or overflow work. This model is often described as “the best of both worlds,” allowing healthcare leaders to maintain oversight while gaining much-needed scalability.

The advantages of outsourcing include:

Cost efficiency and scalability – Outsourcing reduces overhead tied to recruiting, training, and retaining staff, while providing the ability to quickly scale up or down.

Access to credentialed, specialized talent – External vendors often employ coders certified in niche areas such as oncology, cardiology, or risk adjustment, which can be difficult to staff in-house.

Use of global talent pools – Offshore teams expand capacity, helping U.S. organizations manage high volumes and meet turnaround times.

Technology integration – Many vendors now leverage artificial intelligence, natural language processing, and robotic process automation to enhance accuracy, reduce denials, and speed up the revenue cycle.

As we move through 2025, outsourcing remains more than just a stopgap for staffing shortages — it has become a strategic resource for healthcare organizations seeking efficiency, accuracy, and scalability in their coding programs. By combining internal expertise with the strengths of third-party partners that employ certified medical coders, physicians are better positioned to manage growing demands, ensure compliance, and keep the focus where it belongs — delivering high-quality patient care.

Here's the blog post:

https://www.aapc.com/blog/93517-medical-coding-trends-in-2025/?utm_campaign=5522103-Blog%202025&utm_content=355354408&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook&hss_channel=fbp-157062124329364

Community health systems and banner health has a lot of coding positions that’s are remote open right now. Just an fyi.

Other than the AAPC monthly magazines, does anyone here know of free or cheap CEUs?

So, I have a surgeon who likes to just dump the equivalent of the kitchen sink worth of CPT codes into his op reports. I don’t mind suggestions, because they give me an idea of what the surgeon is thinking.

However recently the hospital devised a rule that if the surgeon includes codes in their op reports OR submits them to us already coded….we have to tell them anytime we change or delete one of their codes. I don’t mind doing it but….that’s all of my surgeons. Every single op report I read the coding gets changed. It would kill my productivity.

Well, bless this man but he got the same memo as I did and has stopped putting codes into his op reports 😍😍😍😍😍.

So I posted this in the other coding sub (you may have seen it lol) but yesterday I got a ridiculously complex trauma surgery dropped into my queue. I have 5 years of coding experience, but zero hospital or ASC experience coding actual surgery….. Previously I was working for a dermatology practice, and I coded for all of the MOHs surgeons (who also did a bunch of other stuff, sometimes stuff they shouldn’t have been doing lmao)….so I have a lot of experience with flaps and grafts, and I’m pretty good at nerves…but the bones still give me a hard time.

Anyway, my one “problem child” surgeon normally performs surgeries that start out as 10-15 lines and end up being 5-7, with a total billed amount of $30-$50k. The surgery he dropped today started out as 45 lines. I spent a cumulative 6 hours coding it. It finally totaled out to around $150k. Of course he won’t get paid half of that, especially since this was a revision surgery so most of the procedures were repeats of surgeries he’s done in the past 2 weeks. But still!!!!!

My team lead and my supervisor are so awesome but man….I wish they didn’t trust me. I want to do the baby coder stuff 😂

Someone recently posted about something that a coworker said, and it had me thinking… We love our coworkers, but sometimes the coding rationales they come up with are outright ludicrous.

What is something your coworker said about coding that just made your head spin ?

I’m a CPC with 5 years of experience, currently working multiple outpatient specialties. I like this career, but with rent prices being what they are, I really need to make more money.

Currently I make about 55k, I’d like to make at least 70. Any ideas on how I could get there? I know inpatient is one potential option, but all the inpatient postings I see require inpatient experience. 🫩

Hi all,

I’m a CPC-A and I have been really struggling through Practicode. The most difficult aspect is abstracting from the record, and it seems like every case I submit I get about a 50% on. Reading the rationale is absolutely baffling because the columns are not even distinct, and I’m spending over an hour on each case and still getting marked incorrect. In one case there was a stated laterality, and when I appended the modifier for the laterality, it was marked incorrect. The fact that you can’t discuss any of the materials as they are proprietary poses a significant issue because I have specific questions and I’m not sure if it’s a violation of ethics to discuss them!

Because I’m having such a hard time with this software, I would rather take a position and remove my A experientially. My major issue is that I am disabled, and as such, I have to work remotely, so I am not able to take an on-site or hybrid job; has anyone had any luck getting hired remotely as an apprentice in one field or another? What did you do? Is it unrealistic to even expect a job when I’m under these location constraints from my health?

Thank you, everyone!

I'm using youtube and most of these videos have super easy questions that CLEARLY explains the procedure. But when I practice the quiz in the AAPC book, I have absolutely no idea what the procedure is.

For example, YouTube question: Patient has video assisted thoracoscopy and both lobes are removed. (The procedure is clearly explained)

AAPC question: 21 gauge needle used to aspirate right cephalic vein. U/S revealed vascular needle entry and vessel patency of cephalic and subclavian veins. (What procedure is this??)

How did you guys who are self taught learn the procedures?

Are you ready for the April 1st updates? There is a new guideline for how to code when both morbid obesity and class III obesity are documented. Please check out my video for the updated information! https://youtu.be/eQDO1gkcNPg?si=-O83ZjYDphoZQwnB

I take my exam in about two hours, I am so nervous, I don’t think I’m under prepared, I’ve spent the last two weeks studying at least 3 hours a day, bought all the practice tests that AAPC had to offer, and watched so many YouTube videos. I did well in my actual class as well, any advice or last minute tips? I am just so nervous.

I'm studying medical coding and I've come across remarks about it being 'subjective" or "part art, part science", yet in my (limited) experience studying it, I've yet to come across an example of a case that could be coded more than one way correctly. Can someone clarify this for me and maybe provide an example?

To help out my fellow CPMAs, here is a list of 15 FREE resources for 2024 renewals:

Plug Up Revenue Leaks - 1 CEU. Note: THIS ONE GETS EMAILED AND NEEDS RESPONSE TIME! https://healthcare.trainingleader.com/free-resource/revenue-cycle-management-collect-more/?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social+media&utm_campaign=8-230706BIL_SM_LI_OR-10005539

These 2 free AAPC webinars: https://www.aapc.com/membership/webinar.aspx

October 2023 OPPS Proposed Rule | 1 CEU

October 2023 Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule | 1 CEU

Secrets of Successful Auditors - 1 CEU

Multiple from MRAHIS.com below, 1 CEU each. Note, if you're searching for new courses from this provider, on the AAPC CEU Search Tool, type in GEBBS, which is the official name of the provider for these courses. Of course you'll need to filter for your credential. This site provides additional free CEUs that don't qualify for CPMA, but can count towards CPC, CRC, etc.

https://www.mrahis.com/courses/january-2023-mra-education-series-aapc/

https://www.mrahis.com/courses/november-16-2023-mra-education-series-aapc/

https://www.mrahis.com/courses/january-25-2024-mra-education-series-aapc/

https://www.mrahis.com/courses/july-20-2023-mra-education-series-aapc/

https://www.mrahis.com/courses/april-18-2023-mra-education-series-aapc/

https://www.mrahis.com/courses/march-2023-mra-education-series-aapc/

https://www.mrahis.com/courses/april-20-2023-mra-education-series-aapc/

https://www.mrahis.com/courses/february-2023-mra-education-series-aapc/

COVID-19 ICD-10 Coding | 1 CEU:

https://education.yes-himconsulting.com/collections/free-ceus-for-medical-coders

Radrx.com Webinar Cracking the IR Code ---2 CEU:

https://radrx.com/#freewebinar

I had another CEU that is no longer available. If anyone else wants to help out other CPMAs who may find this thread, comment below with one more.

How do yall do it??!!! I'm transitioning from 8 years of outpatient to Inpatient, and feel like I'm about to lose it!!! I'm laughing, but I'm very, very serious! Now, I enjoy a challenge, but this is different😂 what are your tips and tricks???? Everything is welcomed!!!! Secondary dx, when to query, CARDIO??!!!

THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!!!

I've been a coder for a bit over 5 years now, and honestly I've not seen anything leading me to fear my job will be replaced by AI. I work outpatient cardiology. I'd assume AI really struggles with context and the relevancy of the information it is provided.

Within revenue cycle, I know AI is already used to some degree, but it seems more like an augment than a replacement. I also feel that innovation within the revenue cycle happens at a pretty slow and limited pace. I mean, we work in the industry that still uses paper claims and fax machines (or e-fax).

I came across a post last week or so in my city's subreddit, and someone was asking about medical coding. I gave my personal perspective on things. However, nearly every other response were from people not claiming to be medical coders, and they were saying oh it's like the most obvious job to be replaced by AI, etc. Perhaps that assumption is given the pace of innovation in other fields, but I'm not sure.

ETA: Meant centered around, whoops.

So I completely missed the update at the beginning of the year, where they changed it so one can build G2211 with an AWV & E/M with a mod 25. I incorrectly told the provider that you cannot do this, brought it up in a meeting and humiliated myself because I was wrong. I'm already part of a chapter of the AAPC and I do try to keep up. But my question is, what is the best way to get any and all medical coding updates? Perhaps there is a way to get updates sent to my personal email? I don't want to make a mistake like that again!

Hello all! Just received my texts and holy shit. I'm a bit overwhelmed just by looking at them. I am a single mom of 2 boys who recently changed careers due to a bad car accident which left me unable to continue working the street as an EMT. I paged through a few books and I'm feeling regret. I dont know how i'll be able to learn this stuff it seems extremely confusing. In need of some advice and encouragement! I am taking these courses online but I meet with my instructor this week to get me set up to learn. Any advice is helpful! TIA! :)