# employment question



## chazel (Dec 11, 2012)

is it possable to get a coding job if your not yet certified? 
I am finishing my medical billing and coding program but i have to wait till january 26 to take my CPC exam,  is it even worth it to apply for coding jobs yet or should i wait till febuary ???


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## dclark7 (Dec 11, 2012)

It never hurts to try.  What's the worst that could happen if you apply for jobs now, you may not find one.  But even if you wait until after your test you may not find one, so I say go for it.  Just be aware that depending on where you live it may be hard to find any type of coding job (just search some of the posts on this forum), so don't get discouraged if you don't find anything right away.


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## JoAnnEdwards (Dec 11, 2012)

*JoAnnEdwards*

I'm already discouraged. I'm CPC-H certified since 9/22/12 and have not found anything yet. Not even a call back.


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## artes_athamas (Dec 11, 2012)

You should ask is it even worth taking the CPC. Its a miracle if you can even get a coding job  w/certification but no experience.   You may be able to get a job in billing if you know the right people or you can try working in the billing dept. at any company not just medical. Thats how someone I know got hired to do medical billing because she did billing for a truck company and they considered that as experience. You can also try going to school to become a MA that will get you in the billing dept.  I heard through a member on the NAB that this is why AAPC is working on a billing exam because many CPC-As cant get jobs as coders.


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## kevbshields (Dec 11, 2012)

One must wonder if a billing credential will somehow fix this situation.  In many billing departments no one is certified; in others, only the manager.  The addition of another credential does not necessarily fill the void.  Now, don't get me wrong, expansion of certification is usually a good idea, in that is "professionalizes" a trade.  However, HIM (in general) now has an abundance of credentials, most of which have appeared in the last decade.  Of those, the traditional "stand-bys" of the CPC, CPC-H, CCS-P, RHIT/A and CCS are the most often recognized.  Employers do not even necessarily know the other certifications exist, much less see the need for them.

We see this in the CCA.  I obtained this in 2002/2003, when it was brand new.  Believe it or not, there are still employers (hiring managers, practice managers, etc) that have no idea it exists; the same can be said of the CPC-P.  Don't misunderstand, I find value in both of the examples I've provided.  The problem is that employers move much more slowly than the credentialing bodies.  Thus, the introduction of a billing certification should prove an interesting study in "if we invent it, will they come?"  Although, I do have to say that if any organization can garner the needed recognition, I suspect it would be AAPC.

As a matter of interest, does anyone have information on this certification's exam make up?


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## jennylynh (Dec 12, 2012)

It doesn't hurt to try.  I ended up getting my first job right out of school doing radiology coding.  They knew I was going to sit for my RHIT.  Since I moved to another state and have taken another path, and have decided to go for my CPC in February of next year.  I ended up getting a coding job at a doctor's office.  Let them know your plan to be certified.  Network with as many as you can and just keep applying to jobs highlighting your degree and internship experience.  I also put in my cover letter that I had intentions of being certified and put a timeline in there so they knew.  Good luck!


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## theresa.dix@tennova.com (Dec 13, 2012)

kevbshields said:


> One must wonder if a billing credential will somehow fix this situation.  In many billing departments no one is certified; in others, only the manager.  The addition of another credential does not necessarily fill the void.  Now, don't get me wrong, expansion of certification is usually a good idea, in that is "professionalizes" a trade.  However, HIM (in general) now has an abundance of credentials, most of which have appeared in the last decade.  Of those, the traditional "stand-bys" of the CPC, CPC-H, CCS-P, RHIT/A and CCS are the most often recognized.  Employers do not even necessarily know the other certifications exist, much less see the need for them.
> 
> We see this in the CCA.  I obtained this in 2002/2003, when it was brand new.  Believe it or not, there are still employers (hiring managers, practice managers, etc) that have no idea it exists; the same can be said of the CPC-P.  Don't misunderstand, I find value in both of the examples I've provided.  The problem is that employers move much more slowly than the credentialing bodies.  Thus, the introduction of a billing certification should prove an interesting study in "if we invent it, will they come?"  Although, I do have to say that if any organization can garner the needed recognition, I suspect it would be AAPC.
> 
> As a matter of interest, does anyone have information on this certification's exam make up?



 Kevin,
 You certainly have quite a few certifications.


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