What should you look for in a coding certification?

This is a question that everyone interested in a coding career should ask themselves. There are many companies and schools marketing their services as the premium service if you want to find a quality coding or billing job. Is this a fact or fluff? We have spoken to many companies who are hiring the medical billing and coding graduates and here is what they are looking for:

• AAPC Certification-America Academy of Professional Coders Certification
• Knowledge of the billing process and the regulations surrounding a coders ability to change the way a physician coded his/her services
• Specialty knowledge or medical terminology knowledge
• Positive Attitude
• Interest in continuing your education-(CEU)
• Strong work ethic
• Out of the box thinking
• Coding for ways to increase revenue
• Claim scrubbing or insight into insurance denials and how to limit them
• Usage and application of Modifiers
• Thorough knowledge of ICD-9 and ICD-10 coding
• Computer literacy or ability to quickly learn new practice management systems
• Medicare and Current CPT Guidelines for coding compliance

There are many more things that successful billing companies and potential employers are looking for but this gives you a good starting point.  Continue to increase your knowledge and strive to be the best medical biller or coder out there.  Look for a medical specialty that interests you and learn all you can about it.  Show a interest in not only the coding side of the business but also the financial side of it.  Understand that your efforts on the billing and coding side directly impact revenue and a companies bottom line.

Please let us know if you are looking for a job by posting a comment below. We are connected to many billing companies and practices and would love to help you and help our partners.

Tagged as: AAPC, Billing Certification, Billing Schools, Coding Certification, Medical Billing Basics, Medical Billing Training, Medical Coding Job Training