Need advice on medical billing/coding career

1. I'm 50+ yrs old and virtually no medical background - does it make sense for me to even begin training for medical billing/coding? (would employers consider me too old to enter this field by the time I finished training?)

2. How long should the training take? (not necessarily interested in a degree)

3. What type of schools are more recognized by employers? (vocational, community college, university)

4. What type of (school) accreditation is more recognized?

5. If I get certified, how often is recertification required?

6. What is the minimum amount of experience employers are looking for?

7. Are these jobs going overseas?

8. Are these jobs becoming fully automated?

1. Not at all.
2. Tri-County Allied Health School (located in Corona, CA) which offers a program designed for those who interested in becoming Medical Coders, but do not have a "medical" background. The program that you would most likely fit you is their Medical Coding Specialist Program. It is about a 13 month long program and classes are on weekends. For more information, visit www.tricountyallied.com
3. Employers will recognize your coding credential and experience. There are 2 organizations that set the standard for Medical Coding: AHIMA (www.AHIMA.org) and the AAPC(www.AAPC.com). Each organization gives out different types of coding credentials. Your 2 main coding credentials on an mastery level are Certified Coding Specialist (CCS- under AHIMA) and Certified Professional Coder (CPC- under AAPC).
4. To take the basic coding credentialing examinations, the minimum requirement is a high school diploma. They recommend that you have coding experience, but is not a requirement.
5. Once you pass the credentialing examination, in order to keep the credential you will need to keep up with your Continuing Education Credits (CEUs). Each organization is different, but typically for 1 credential for AHIMA it is 20 CEUs every 2 years.
6. Typically employers will list 2 years of experience. However, it depends on your dedication and enthusiasm for medical coding which allows one to apply without meeting this requirement.
7. Yes, some of these jobs are being outsourced to India and the Philippines. There are several healthplans that have outsourced to India, but were not happy because their coders were "over-coding".
8. No. Computers/software are just tools. They will still need people to articulate how it is to be billed.

If you have any other questions, please email me at nicole.a@aeaallc.co

Newbie - Nicole has some great points. Although a long program is not necessary as most are just filled with subject matter that prolongs the length of the course. 3 weeks on typing, subjects like grammar and spelling, etc. Those subjects might be appropriate for those just exiting high school, but for mature adults, it is just a waste of time and money. Look around at programs in your area that are shorter in length. The best way to determine if they are a good school is to see what they are preparing you to take at the completion. If they are only preparing you to take NHA certs like the CBCS or CMAA you will have a much tougher time finding a job when you are completed the program. You really need a AAPC or AHIMA certification to prove your skills to employers. Volunteer at a hospital. It might not be the same type of experience, but more than half of job seekers find jobs through networking and who they know, rather than job ads. It's a great place to network and get some experience in the medical field that you can use on a resume. Make sure you introduce yourself to the HR staff and check in with them often. Best of luck newbie!