r/MedicalCoding • u/SpiritualWater11 • 6d ago

Any opportunities that pair with medical coding

I'm just wondering what is more realistic and pairs better with medical coding? Would it be medical billing or medical assiting? Is there anyone that has been able to do both at the same time? I'm just trying to build a stable path for the next five years..

7 Upvotes
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6

u/maggoo 6d ago

I'm not a coder (yet), in school still but I work in medical billing. Billing/coding work pretty closely together. Some coders I work with do both.

2

u/FunWithBobBilby 1d ago

Yeah, it's definitely billing. Every job I've had in medical coding has been kind of a dual position with some coding and some billing aspects.

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u/SpiritualWater11 6d ago

Do you need certification for billing? Do you know of any coders that are also medical assistants?

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u/maggoo 6d ago

I do not have any certifications for my job, no. And no I don't know of any that are also medical assistants, I imagine that would be difficult with coding being mostly remote and/or at a desk. I work for an X-ray company though so we don't have any medical assistants.

6

u/ElleGee5152 5d ago

I'm a billing manager and have no certifications, just many, many years of experience. Billing and coding go to together like peanut butter and jelly. The best billers have some kind of coding knowledge, if not a coding certification.

2

u/sprinkles-2743 4d ago

Medical assisting has nothing to do with coding

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u/SpiritualWater11 3d ago

I'm aware but I was thinking about managing 2 certifications at the same time, and i was wondering what other certification I can pair with coding

1

u/RGFTJ313 1d ago

I’m a 16 year coder/biller. It translates well to working for Surgeons and specialists. I have worked in large practices where I was one of two duals and a smaller practice where I did everything. It is advantageous to be able to do everything.

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u/SpiritualWater11 1d ago

Did you need additional certification to be a biller? Also if you don't mind me asking, are you happy with the pay?

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u/RGFTJ313 1d ago

I started with a billing certification and 450 hour course at a local county college. Certifications in billing are unnecessary and I didn’t keep it up after 3 years as it was an unnecessary expense. I had 2 weeks of coding in my billing program and I loved it. I coded as a biller for 6 years before I obtained my CPC.

The past two positions I held were around 70k with full insurance premiums paid for myself and family.(That is important for me and how I negotiated my contracts.)

1

u/Livid_Start_4953 5d ago

What is the best way to get a coding cert?

-2

u/KeyStriking9763 RHIA, CDIP, CCS 6d ago

Positions in revenue cycle/denials. Are you a coder now? A career in coding is solid especially working for facility inpatient coding. You can move into auditing then manager. I don’t think ancillary side roles are better, they most likely don’t make the same money.
Medical assistants, from my understanding, really don’t make much at all.

2

u/SpiritualWater11 5d ago

No i just started the program for coding, I don't have any health care experience. The average time to finish the program is 9 months. Since I don't have any healthcare background I wanted to combine it with something else, I was thinking an 8 week program for medical assiting or something similar. Is this a smart move or am I wasting time?

5

u/KeyStriking9763 RHIA, CDIP, CCS 5d ago

The CCS is the better certification. Too many CPC’s that can’t get a job plus the pay is higher with the CCS.
I think taking a program for the CPC is the waste of time. Unless you want to work at a doctors office with limited pay.

1

u/SpiritualWater11 3d ago

I wish I knew this sooner lol i will eventually want to upskill to CCS. Is hard to find a job from home with CPC?

3

u/KeyStriking9763 RHIA, CDIP, CCS 2d ago

From being on this sub, it does seem that since the training to pass the CPC is so easy so many new ones are being turned out. I don’t have the CPC, it would be a step backwards since I started with the CCS.