5 things to know about medical coder salary & workforce

A shortage of up to 50 percent has been forecasted for the medical coder workforce. Here are five things to know about the current compensation and workforce in the medical coding field.

1. In 2012, there were 186,300 medical records and health information technician jobs, which denote both medical coders and billers, in the United States. From 2012 to 2022, the field is expected to add 41,100 jobs, growth of 22 percent. In 2012, workers grouped under the medical records and health information technician group earned a median of $34,160 per year and $16.42 per hour, according to the United States Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics.

2. Medical coders can hold varying levels of credentials. Here are seven statistics on average medical coder salary by the American Academy of Professional Coders' specialty credentials, according to the AAPC 2013 Salary Survey: Coder Employment on the Rise report.

•    Certified Professional Coder: $48,593
•    Certified Professional Coder – Hospital Outpatient: $56,284
•    Certified Professional Coder – Payer: $57,995
•    Certified Professional Practice Manager: $59,619
•    Certified Professional Medical Auditor: $61,115
•    Certified Professional Biller: $61,667
•    Certified Professional Compliance Officer: $69,138

3. Here are four things to know about the responsibilities for a coding compliance specialist role, according to Salary.com.

•    Ensures coding procedure compliance
•    Review insurance payments and denials
•    Recommends billing corrections
•    Trains staff members on coding procedures

The majority of coding compliance specialist jobs, 92 percent, are in the healthcare sector, while the remaining 8 percent of jobs are in education, government and nonprofit fields.

Median salary in this role is $53,270. The bottom 10 percent earn an average of $39,205, while the top 10 percent earn $66,200, according to Salary.com.

4. Here are three things to know about the responsibilities of a medical records coding technician, according to Salary.com.

•    Abstracts clinical information from medical records, charts and documents
•    Assigns appropriate ICD-9 and CPT codes
•    Works with coding databases

The majority of those in the medical records coding technician role, 49 percent, have a year or less of experience. Only 5 percent have 15 or more years of experience.

Median salary in this role is $46,753. The bottom 10 percent of people in this role earn $35,048 per year, while the top 10 percent earn $60,347, according to Salary.com.

5. Here are three things to know about the job duties of a medical records coding manager, according to Salary.com.

•    Supervises coding staff and trains employees
•    Oversees accuracy and coding deadlines
•    Extensive knowledge of ICD-9 and CPT codes

Nearly half, 47 percent, of those in this role have two to 10 years of experience. Here are five statistics on education level in the medical records coding manager job field.

•    No diploma: 1 percent
•    High school: 37 percent
•    Associate's degree/certificate: 32 percent
•    Bachelor's degree: 24 percent
•    Master's degree: 6 percent

Median salary in this role is $66,717. The bottom 10 percent of people in this role earn $49,694 per year, while the top 10 percent earn $79,228, according to Salary.com.

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AHIMA releases 70+ ICD-10 documentation tips

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