Medical Coder Interview Questions

Post a Job

Are you a job seeker? Find jobs

Whether you are preparing to interview a candidate or applying for a job, review our list of top Medical Coder interview questions and answers.

What coding certifications do you have? See answer
What medical code sets are you familiar with and trained to use? See answer
What medical specialties have you coded for in the past? See answer
What is the difference between a CPT code and an ICD code? See answer
Did you take anatomy and physiology courses while you were in school? See answer
What’s your process for ensuring you enter accurate data in a timely manner?
What processes do you put in place to avoid any errors to your medical coding?
Do you have experience using simple terminology to explain complex billing codes to patients?
Tell me about the different types of medical billing code systems.
What’s your strategy for ensuring sensitive patient information remains confidential?
What methods do you use to effectively organize and sort through various bill payments each day?
What kind of experience do you have using J-code?
Tell me about a time when you had to work with a difficult patient. How did you handle and resolve this situation?
Have you ever had to handle physician notes in a patient’s file that were difficult to read or understand?
What’s your process for keeping yourself updated on changing developments in the medical coding industry?
Have you ever had to train other team members or physicians on medical coding? How did you approach this process?

Show more questions Show fewer questions

New: Get started with one of our editable templates

500+ job titles

Free with sign in

Adapt for your business

Build a Medical Coder Job Description

6 Medical Coder Interview Questions and Answers

Q:

What coding certifications do you have?

A:

A certified medical coder will have a greater level of expertise than a non-certified coder and will be a greater asset to your practice. Certification courses also train prospective coders in specific types of medical coding, such as inpatient versus outpatient coding. If the position you’re hiring for requires a particular skill set, this question will help you to quickly decide if the applicant has the qualifications you need.

What to look for in an answer:

Knowledge regarding the importance of certification
Relevance of the certifications the candidate has
Willingness to further education and become certified

Example:

“I’m currently a Certified Outpatient and Risk Adjustment Coder and am currently taking a qualification course to become inpatient certified. Whenever I can, I take qualification courses to increase the breadth of my knowledge.”

Q:

What medical code sets are you familiar with and trained to use?

A:

You will want to check if the applicant is familiar with the particular codes for the medical services used at your practice. While all health care providers use CPT codes to report medical, surgical and other physician services and experienced coders should be well versed in these, not all medical coders will be familiar with HCPCS Level 1 codes as those are only used for medical equipment or non-physician services. Likewise, the relative newness of ICD-9 / ICD 10 codes means many coders have yet to be trained in this standard.

What to look for in an answer:

Which codes they are familiar with using
Training with codes used by your facility
Comfort with the latest coding technology

Example:

“I’m very familiar with CPT and HCPCS Level 1 codes, having used them during the past few years at my last employer. I’m currently training for the CPC-A Practicum so that I can learn how to code ICD-9 as well.”

Q:

What medical specialties have you coded for in the past?

A:

There are many different specialties that use medical coders, so it’s important to make sure the applicant has experience coding for your practice’s specialty. The applicant’s experience of your specialty can help you decide whether you can hire them and put them to work right away or if you’ll have to invest some resources training them so that they understand the intricacies of your specialty.

What to look for in an answer:

The specialties the applicant has coded for in the past
Their aptitude towards particular specialties
Willingness to learn to code for new specialties

Example:

“I’ve coded for pediatrics, orthopedics and geriatrics before, and I started with pediatrics and really enjoyed it the most. I’m a quick learner, though, and was able to quickly pick up on the other two specialties.”

Q:

What is the difference between a CPT code and an ICD code?

A:

This simple question tests the most basic knowledge behind medical coding, the difference between procedure and diagnostic codes. Any applicant qualified to work as a medical coder should be able to answer this question without much thought. How well and how quickly the applicant responds will give you an accurate idea about their level of training and how easily they learn.

What to look for in an answer:

That CPT are procedure codes
That ICD are diagnostic codes
Ease with which the applicant answered the question

Example:

“CPT codes are used to code procedures such as X-rays, MRIs or CT scans while ICD codes are used to code specific diagnoses or symptoms like chest pain or pneumonia.”

Q:

Did you take anatomy and physiology courses while you were in school?

A:

While a medical coder doesn’t have to be fluent in medical terminology, it’s still preferable for a successful coder to have a basic understanding of how the body works in order to confirm diagnostic codes as needed with physicians. How in-depth the applicant’s education in anatomy and physiology is will help determine if they have the necessary qualifications to work at your practice.

What to look for in an answer:

Strong educational background
Good understanding of medical terminology
Willingness to always be learning more about the medical field

Example:

“I took a course in anatomy and one in physiology during my time in college and later had an anatomy refresher when I became a certified EMT a few years later.”

Q:

What's your process for ensuring you enter accurate data in a timely manner?

A:

Many medical coders will spend a large majority of their workday inputting medical billing information into a computer system. They're usually responsible for inputting several data sets in one shift and must ensure the information is correct. Look for a candidate who has a clear strategy for organizing their data entry tasks, making sure they're meeting data input deadlines and are ensuring their work is accurate.

The candidate's answer should emphasize:

Organizational skills
Task management and prioritization abilities
Attention to detail

An answer to this question could look like this:

Example:

"I usually block out at least four hours of my day and dedicate it toward inputting medical data. I'll quickly sort through the data sets and prioritize those that have upcoming deadlines. After I know which I'm working on for the day, I'll spend the next few days transferring and inputting the data sets. To ensure I stay focused, I'll take brief five-minute breaks every 25 minutes before returning to work. Afterward, I'll spend the next 30 minutes carefully reviewing each entry to ensure they're correct."

Ready to get started? Post a Job