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Medical Coder
HealthcareYou translate medical procedures, diagnoses, and treatments into alphanumeric codes that insurance companies use to decide how much to pay. There are over 70,000 ICD-10 codes, including one for 'struck by a macaw' and 'sucked into a jet engine.' Your job is to pick the right one every time, or the hospital doesn't get paid.
Salary Range
Low
$35k
Median
$48k
High
$68k
10-Year Growth
faster than average
US Workers
220K
Education
Postsecondary certificate or associate's in health information + CPC or CCS certification
Environment
indoor
Tools & Technical Skills
- ▸ICD-10-CM/PCS coding
- ▸CPT and HCPCS Level II coding
- ▸Medical terminology and anatomy
- ▸Encoder software (3M, Optum)
- ▸CPC or CCS certification protocols
- ▸Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)
- ▸Revenue cycle management
People & Mindset Skills
- ▸Analytical thinking
- ▸Attention to detail
- ▸Ethical judgment
- ▸Self-motivation
- ▸Adaptability to regulatory changes
What you'll actually do
- 01Read physician documentation and translate it into ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS codes like a medical Rosetta Stone
- 02Query physicians when their notes say something happened but don't specify what, how, or why
- 03Stay current on code updates because CMS changes the rules annually just to keep you on your toes
- 04Audit charts for coding accuracy before insurance companies audit them for you (and find the errors you missed)
- 05Navigate the difference between 'unspecified,' 'other,' and 'not elsewhere classified' — it matters more than you'd think
Related Shifts
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