Job Description of a Medical Coder

Medical coders are indispensable to the health information industry. They are responsible for inputting the appropriate code of various medical services so that health care practitioners and providers can receive payment for services rendered. The specific codes they assign are used to establish the amount of money a health care provider will get reimbursed from the different insurance companies. Typically, a medical coder is required to hold certification in the field. The Certified Coding Specialist designation (CCS) or Accredited Record Technician’s certification (ART) are examples of such.

Function

Medical coders help with insurance and billing. medical inventory image by Pix by Marti from Fotolia.com

The job of a medical coder includes interpreting a patient’s medical charts and assigning the appropriate diagnostic and procedural codes.

Significance

After the code is determined, they must key it into the computer system they use. These systems allow the data to be organized and easily accessible for patient history, services provided and for insurance and billing purposes.

Identification

Medical coders’ assign and identify the information by using the accurate ICD-9-CM and CPT codes, which are diagnostic coding programs.

Features

Medical coders are responsible in making sure the assigned codes meet all federal, legal and insurance regulations so service payments are obtained in a timely fashion.

Types

Prior to submitting for reimbursement, they must review the claims to make sure they’re correct, verifying signatures and data. This reduces the chance of the claim getting denied.

Effects

In the event a claim is denied, they must resubmit it and contact the provider to ensure the correct code was used.

Resources

• All Health Care Degrees: Medical Coder Information & Training
• Medical Coding Career Guide: What Is Medical Coding?