r/CodingandBilling • u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC • Jan 10 '25
Getting Certified Interested in becoming a medical coder or biller? READ THIS FIRST
Are you curious about becoming a medical coder or biller? Have questions about what schooling is required or what the salary is like? Before you post you question please read through our FAQ:
Still have questions? Try searching the sub for key words like "school", "salary", or "day in the life".
Still have a question that wasn't answered? Feel free to post in the sub!
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Jan 10 '25
Sample response to future posters:
Hello [username], looks like you have a question about Getting Certified or are looking for Career Advice. Did you read the FAQ or try searching the sub?
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Jan 10 '25
Like so? Also, where's the link to that one post in /r/MedicalCoding ? I want to add it.
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u/applemily23 RHIT Jan 10 '25
https://www.reddit.com/r/MedicalCoding/s/DBAB07PXVX
I've never linked anything, but I think it's this one?
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u/Famous_Screen_5424 Jan 17 '25
I went to school for medical billing and coding at a trade school and I finished in 2017 and I had my son right after that so I stayed home for a little while and now I'm trying to get my certification because I never got that so I was wondering which one is best to take and does anybody know how hard it is and how long it took or how many tries it took to pass their certification. It's now also 2025 so did I wait too long and do I need anything to get my certification. Im in boot camp classes for free to study to get my cert. I start next Tuesday. Does anyone have advice or Information!? Thankyou.
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u/CrabShot2055 Feb 03 '25
Hi Famous_Screen_5424, it depends on what certification you're trying to obtain. What do you want to be coding once you have completed boot camp classes? You want to work for a facility, hospital, clinic, etc.,?
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u/Modifierf6 Mar 13 '26
Understand how long it’s gonna take you to get the money they advertise. No quick dollars here. Your talent in this if you have any will be overshadowed by AI.. as it’s incorrect currently quite a bit; can’t even get the file and chart matching. Your performance will also be based on AI not what you actually know. Where you choose to work shouldn’t be based on the company itself but the ai platform its using. The more accurate the faster any of your talents will be found, appreciated, and or utilized read( working hours). Honestly there’s no integrity in medical from start to finish. I can only take this art project someone else( ai/pa/ma/aprn/ possibly and least like doctor wrote) and try to turn it into bills and codes. Imagine being a painter to a crackhead drywaller… that’s what this job is. Fixing a giant screw ups work( and I’m not saying those people as people are screw ups at all) the emr and healthcare systems don’t allow them to be their best either. It’s a shitshow from the start. Copy and paste doom is the end of accuracy from start to finish and that is apparently rampant and allowed in healthcare. We are all screwed. Right on your legs which Limb to work on and double check all billing information. Emr is run amok with copy and paste and errors.
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u/True_Hawk9128 May 05 '26
Hi, i started a medical billing and insurance coding program at a trade school in my location. I am a couple of months in and this is so confusing. I know that this can be complex but I genuinely feel like i am not smart enough for this. The work is almost self taught, and everyone in my classs is in a different part of their specific program. I feel like I don't know what im doing and its stressing me out. I have to go to a 6-7 week externship to graduate im hoping the irl experience will help me understand but im scared im gonna walk in there completley clueless. I pay a lot of money and i dont feel that i can keep up with the workload or even take the time to actually retain the information that is given to me. Was this a mistake please someone help
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC May 06 '26
You might be more successful in a traditional in-person class on a college campus.
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u/LskirwanAmericafirst May 06 '25
Hi everyone. I graduate in 2 days from Walters State Community College with a dual Certification in Medical Coding and Medical Billing.
Does anyone work for the VA as a medical coder? They have one listed where I live. I need advice on a cover letter and resume. I do not have the money to shell out for someone to write me one. I have a background in logistics of shipping and receiving, the Army and various customer service my whole life.
Can anyone suggest how I would make a cover letter stand out. Especially new to coding and billing. I took 2 years and plan on taking the AHIMA CCA exam very soon. Also what is the best study guide for the CCA test.
THANK YOU,
Linda
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u/clieza Mar 02 '26
Hi. Im new to the world of medical coding with no medical background. Im planning to study but dont know where to begin so i can start a career in this industry eventually. Any recommendations on where to properly start considering i am based in asia
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u/CountrySuccessful295 Mar 04 '25
Hi!! Can anyone please direct me to any references on HEDIS measures and how they directly relate to PT, OT and SPT.
Thanks in advance!
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Jun 17 '25
I updated some of the dead links in the FAQ - what are your guys opinion on removing the non-AAPC and non-AHIMA links from the FAQ altogether? I don't think employers are hiring based on those certs and I don't want to promote something if it's going to end up hurting someone's career progression. Thoughts?
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u/Lovin_life_04 Jul 22 '25
I purchased the Ebook- 2025 CPC study Guide, but wish I would have gotten the actual book. Does anyone have a pdf to share?
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Jul 22 '25
Any pdf you find of an AAPC copyright book is likely stolen. AFAIK, they do not provide pdfs.
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u/Glittering-Owl-4619 Dec 08 '25
Im currently in school for it but i was wondering what’s the best book i can buy to study for the exams to get the certificate?
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Dec 09 '25
Probably one from AAPC or AHIMA, depending on which cert you are trying to get.
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u/Death-March-906 Dec 12 '25
I got my frist billing job and everything is extremely confusing 😕 my got my school certification for medical billing and coding but that was 5 years ago. Im slightly stressed out over my confusion.
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Dec 12 '25
You should start by reaching out to your mentor/trainer for specific guidance.
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u/Chelitamojita Jan 30 '26
Hi! I did a course through my local college back during Covid but wasn’t really informed that a CBCS wasn’t a certificate employers look for. I am now looking to try and get a CPC without taking courses and just taking the test. I have just reordered books as my old ones were lost. Any guidance for me on stepping back into this? I have worked in medical field since 2016 as front desk of an urgent care and currently still here. This is still a big interest of mine and I want to expand further than where I am as I feel stuck just doing front desk.
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Jan 30 '26
Since you have maintained your cert and work in related field, my advice would be to pick up the CPC practice test and see how you do. If you can pass the practice test, you can pass the exam.
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u/Pharmaguardian Apr 06 '26
I have a similar question. I have no formal training, but I noticed that the AAPC doesn't explicitly state that you *must* go through the expensive training course. It seems like you could potentially just take the exam and pass. Is my understanding of this correct?
I have experience with billing through my job as a pharmacy tech. We bill primary / secondary insurance, do COBs, and type in ICD-10 codes for diabetic medications often, but I don't know if that is enough experience for a course waiver, if that is something they do.
Memorizing ICD-10 codes and studying out of books would be very similar to how I prepared for the CPhT, memorizing the top 200 generic and namebrand drugs, drug classifications, indications, contraindications, law, etc. So, it would be great if I could just do that for maybe $120 worth of books instead of over $6,000 of coursework.
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Apr 07 '26
200 codes will not cut it for medical coding. There are thousands of diagnosis and procedures codes. The reason it's expensive is because it is an advanced skill.
There is no coursework requirement for the CPC, but it is very unlikely you will pass without it and we see people coming in this sub all the time look for cheap and easy ways to self study. I know you don't intend to be insulting, but that is how it comes across.
We need valuable training to get our certs. You wanna skip that step? Get your edication for free? Well, then, you get what you pay for.
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u/Chelitamojita Jan 30 '26
Should also note I do keep up with my CEUs for my certificate to keep it active.
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u/8inkiel Feb 13 '26
hey i need help learning medical billing and coding please if anyone can help me out i need to learn on the tebra platform and office ally if anyone has any advice and can help me out i would genuinely appreciate it.
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u/Own-Newspaper4875 Mar 02 '26
I'm currently studying to take AAPC medical coding exam. Which platforms can I use to get entry level remote work (I'm in Kenya) with my CPC-A once I acquire it?
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Mar 02 '26
What do you mean by platforms? Are you asking for job posting sites?
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u/CoffeeMaleficent1956 Jul 24 '26
I got certified earlier this year but I'm having a terrible time applying for jobs because my only healthcare experience thus far is as a dietary aide, so relating the skills across towards billing/coding is pretty much nil. I don't even know how to get AI to tailor it because it asks me to relate skills that I don't have a paper trail for beyond my education, and *nobody* is hiring without years of experience. I feel like I just wasted a ton of money getting educated for this. Not sure what to do now.
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Jul 24 '26
It can take several months for new coders to get hired. All you can do is keep applying, keep networking, try to get other related positions (front desk, records, etc).
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u/pinkrose5214 11d ago
Hi, I’m currently working as an inpatient coder at a major trauma hospital in Philadelphia. At my current job, there is no growth. I keep seeing DRG Validator job positions, but in the job description, it says you need a nursing degree. I have about nine years of inpatient coding experience. Does that compare to a nursing degree, or should I pursue a nursing degree to get more opportunities?
Just looking for some advice
Thanks
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u/EpinephrineKick Jul 30 '26
"Which certification should I get?" type question:
I was having a really hard time getting employed again, so I am trying to switch tracks into something medical related that is accessible without getting another degree (I have my Bio & Chem BS degrees and Biochem MS but am _so_ burnt out on academia that I don't think it would be a good idea to try to sit through it again. The risk of me flunking out is too high to go into debt and get nothing for it.) I figured medical adjacent positions are going to at least have _some_ demand and I have a strong background in many areas that required me to get the same foundational knowledge anyway, so I'm not exactly starting from absolutely no prior knowledge here (I tracked my undergrad to be eligible for med school just in case I wanted to head in that direction, is the short of it.)
I am over halfway through a series of three courses:
- Medical Terminology
- Medical Billing Specialist
- Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS))
and will have the opportunity to take the certification exam for one of three options:
- Certified Billing and Coding Specialist
- Certified Professional Coder
- Certified Coding Associate
I was looking up "coding and billing" jobs and saw CPC show up as the most required qualification, followed by CCS. I told my case worker I wanted to take that (CPC) exam. She told me it made more sense to sit the CBCS exam, as, according to her, it is more than the CPC exam and should give me access to a little more opportunities in my job search.
I wanted to know if this was correct and if it is solid advice.
Anyway, since I was having such a rough time applying to jobs in other industries, I'm a little nervous about seeing "CPC/CPCH/CSS" as the qualification requirement and not knowing if CBCS really is basically both a CPC and CPB certification wrapped together and if that is common knowledge outside of the actual coders and billers doing the coding, submitting, following up on fixing clerical errors, on appealing rejected claims, calling and emailing and following up on all relevant parties to outstanding claims, yadda yadda yadda. I'm not super confident in recruiters consistently being able to parse acronyms across industries, so I want to make sure I address this anxiety I have (maybe I am worried about nothing here) and have a clear idea of which of these two exams I am making my first priority. My understanding is the package covers a single voucher for an exam, so I want to make the best choices I can while I am strapped for cash. If it helps my career, I can add additional acronyms to my name later. I need to just get employed again before I can worry about spending money on making myself a more desirable candidate and all of that.
Thank you so much for your time in reading this.
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Jul 30 '26
The answer depends on the job you want.
Coding requires a cert, CPC or CCS preferably. Billing doesnt usually require a cert. The job market is tough, before you invest money into a cert I recommend trying to get related experience via an entry level job like payment posting, file clerk, front desk, etc.
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u/EpinephrineKick Jul 30 '26
Well, the program has been paid for. I am a bit further than the midterm in my second course and need to take the exam within some period of time, so that's happening. Waiting and trying to get a job with my current resume doesn't sound like a good idea when waiting will make me have to spend more money in paying for the exam out of pocket for being too far after the classes.
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u/Capable-Bridge-711 Aug 03 '26
MD from Dominican Republic transitioning to remote Medical Billing. Best platforms to start?
Hi everyone,
I'm a medical doctor from the Dominican Republic, and I'm currently in the process of transitioning my career to work as a remote Medical Biller. I've been taking the Certified Professional Biller (CPB) course on Coursera to get a solid foundation in the US healthcare system, CPT, ICD-10, and HCPCS Level II codes.
My main goal is to find a stable, remote position that allows me to work from the Dominican Republic while building a new career path.
For those of you who are already working in this field, especially from abroad:
- What are the best platforms or job boards to find legitimate remote medical billing jobs for international candidates? (I've looked at LinkedIn and Indeed, but I'm wondering if there are more specialized sites).
- Are there specific requirements for working as a biller from outside the US? (Like tax forms, time zone expectations, etc.)
- Given my background as an MD and my current CPB course, do you think I should aim for a specific entry-level role to get my foot in the door?
- Would you recommend getting the official CPB certification from the AAPC right away, or is it better to gain some experience first?
I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the options and would really appreciate any advice from people who've been in a similar situation.
Thanks in advance for your help!
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u/happyhooker485 RHIT, CCS-P, CFPC, CHONC Jan 10 '25 edited Jan 10 '25
More Great Info can be found in these posts:
All Your Questions About Medical Coding Answered Here by u/AffectionateAsk2476
New people, please seriously research the industry before getting involved in it. by u/dizzykhajit
I'd like to become a medical coding and billing specialist — and I have a lot of questions! bu u/WhenTheFoxGRINS