You will also be able to work for insurance companies and workers compensation agencies as a coder. In the insurance office, you would be required to review the medical records that have been submitted for reimbursement and ensure that they support the codes that have been billed by the health care provider.
Instructions
Step One: The first thing you need to do is join the AAPC, or American Academy of Professional Coders. You can sign up on their website at www.aapc.com. There, you can obtain a membership and from there you will be able to take a certification test. It also offers resources, networking and training.
Step Two: Once you gain a membership, you should begin using the resources that are available on the website. You can study medical terminology, anatomy, exam preparation, class reviews and study guides. All of the courses and resources available on the website were created to assist you with passing the certification exam.
Step Three: Now, that you have been studying, you can take the CPC exam. It will take about 5 and a half hours to complete. It has 150 questions and it is an open book test. Only certain manuals are allowed during the testing. In the exam, you will be tested for CPT, HCPCS Level 2 codes and ICD-9-CM codes. Once you pass the exam, you will be a certified medical coder.
Step Four: Now that you have your certificate, you can begin looking for work as a medical coder. With a certificate, you will be able to work in any of the places that were mentioned above.
