How Much Does a Medical Coding Specialist Get Paid?

Medical coders get paid for working with insurance billing data.

Some medical records and health information technicians specialize in coding, which is the process of codifying records in a way that lets insurance companies know how much to reimburse patients. The amount of money a medical coding specialist gets paid will vary depending on her level of experience and education, as well as the type of facility in which she works.

Wages

Medical coding specialists in the United States get paid $16.29 an hour on average, which is an annual salary of $33,880, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The median hourly rate is $15.04, or $31,290 annually. Most coding specialists work in either hospitals or doctors' offices, earning $35,870 on average at the former and $28,460 on average at the latter as of May 2009.

High Salaries

The highest wages for medical coding specialists are in the industry of pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, which pays $61,210 annually to workers. Specialists working for business, professional, labor, political and similar organizations get paid $45,850 per year, and those working for the federal executive branch earn $45,120 per year. New Jersey, Hawaii and Washington, D.C., offer the highest average salaries for medical coding specialists, ranging from $41,290 to $45,750 annually according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics as of May 2009.

Training and Environment

An associate degree is most common for those starting out as medical coding specialists, though a bachelor's or master's degree or advanced certification may be obtained. Most specialists work about 40 hours a week, with overtime occasionally required. Because many medical facilities, particularly those with emergency rooms, are open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, some specialists may work nights and weekends.

Expert Insight

In an interview with All Allied Health Schools, medical billing and coding specialist Pamela Hills stated that each technician in her department was dedicated to one type of service, such as inpatient or emergency room patients. However, all technicians are cross-trained and may switch types if they wish. No matter what type of service a specialist works on, she must have strong computer and software skills and be detail-oriented.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Records and Health Information Technicians, 2010-11
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Medical Records and Health Information Technicians, May 2009
• All Allied Health Schools: Interview With a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist