Anyone out there working in medical coding/billing
 

Hello, I am thinking about a career change. I really want to find a career where I can work from home. I considered medical transcription but due to being dyslexic the career counselor has discouraged me from doing so. My next thought was medical billing/coding. Does anyone here do that for a living? Can you share with me any information about it?
Thank you so much!!!!!!!

My mom (in her 60's) just finished a certificate program in california for this. She hasnt been able to find a job yet, but the school she took it through is helping her. It has been 5 months since graduation for her....

Hi,

I'm enrolled at the Andrews School (online) for medical coding. It is a year long certificate program. Just to warn you, I've been told it is not easy to find a job working from home until you have several years in the field. Also, it is advised that after graudating you take certification exams through AAPC or Ahima to better your chance of getting a job.

Some websites:

www.aapc.come (might be www.aapc.org)
Mt Chat-they have some message boards for medical coding
Ahima.org

Best of luck!
Sherry

Thanks to both of you for responding to my post. The information that you both mention is what I have been finding out today. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out!!!

I had a job years ago doing billing for an independent MRI company (had to code back then, too). I was there 4 or 5 years and moved to California where I found a billing job at a local hospital. I ended up working there for over 14 years. I started out in billing (Medicare and Blue Cross only at that point). It was all electronic billing. I moved on to include a few other government agencies and ended up as "government programs" billing supervisor. I quit about 3.5 years ago.
All the coding was done in Medical Records and toward the end of my stay there a lot of it was being farmed out to people who coded from home. We had a couple billers who billed from home as well. Personally I don't believe that any classes or certificates you get from any school will help you in the billing end of things--but if you get your degree in medical coding you'll reap huge benefits! I have a friend who got her coding degree and is making very good money--but it took her a few years to earn it.

alinnell-thank you very much for your advice!!