Korbc
Expert
just curious how long did it take for people to break the 60k a year/plus threshold working as a coder or biller?
same! in webinars, chapter meetings, and other things it says i should be making way more than i do, and supposedly i don't even make the average that a non certified coder makes and I'm certified. I'm a CPC and CCS and shooting for others...... So very curious what others say! I don't know where all these really high earners are! and then i see job postings to who want you to have experience and pay like 17 an hour..............I'm also very curious about this! Everywhere on the AAPC website makes it seem like I should be making way more than I do, yet I am considered "highly overpaid" when compared to other coders nearby. But I'm several raises away from breaking 60k, but AAPC says I should be almost making 70k a year.... Just wondering what everyone else's experience is with the reality vs expectation once they get settled into coding..,
thanks for replying! I have, and I am way below the average but they also don't say how many years experience they are basing those numbers off of, but webinars and chapter meetings and other sources say I'm making way under, not even making what the average non certified person makes and I'm a CPC and CCS and about to have CPB and shoot for a few others. I do work for a small practice, but I also live in CT where taxes are high and normally salary is higher right there with NY and CA. I do straight coding as of nowHave you looked at and used the salary info on the AAPC site? AAPC makes it very easy to look at all of this broken down:
This link shows years of experience ranges w/ salary ranges: https://www.aapc.com/resources/salary-by-experience
By state: https://www.aapc.com/resources/salary-by-location
This is so variable. I highly doubt a biller in some areas of the country would ever make more than 60k. You can't compare yourself to someone who lives in NY or CA if you are employed in AL, for example.
Aside from state or location, type of employer, nature of role, whether the person manages others or manages a practice, if it is straight coding, auditing, billing, compliance, education, etc. all makes a difference. DO you work for a very small practice or a huge hospital system, etc.?
Small practice is most likely the reason. Also depends on what the job description and daily workload/tasks are. Unfortunately, sometimes staying in the same company means you would not get pay raises or earn equivalent to someone who starts a new role at a higher pay rate. You would want to look for a large hospital system or very large practice if the current role/place is not keeping par with the going rate in your area.thanks for replying! I have, and I am way below the average but they also don't say how many years experience they are basing those numbers off of, but webinars and chapter meetings and other sources say I'm making way under, not even making what the average non certified person makes and I'm a CPC and CCS and about to have CPB and shoot for a few others. I do work for a small practice, but I also live in CT where taxes are high and normally salary is higher right there with NY and CA. I do straight coding as of now
Have you looked at and used the salary info on the AAPC site? AAPC makes it very easy to look at all of this broken down:
This link shows years of experience ranges w/ salary ranges: https://www.aapc.com/resources/salary-by-experience
By state: https://www.aapc.com/resources/salary-by-location
This is so variable. I highly doubt a biller in some areas of the country would ever make more than 60k. You can't compare yourself to someone who lives in NY or CA if you are employed in AL, for example.
Aside from state or location, type of employer, nature of role, whether the person manages others or manages a practice, if it is straight coding, auditing, billing, compliance, education, etc. all makes a difference. DO you work for a very small practice or a huge hospital system, etc.?
I agree with that completely, and not including the amount of time that your expected to keep updated on new policy/regulation changes etc, and then the time and money it takes to earn the ceu's on top of it. In comparison my job is pretty similar to yours. I work for an obgyn and do all the same charges, inpatient, outpatient, surgery, delivery, in office annuals and problem apts etc etc. We don't do much in regards to labs and mammos or dexas personally. I don't have as much experience as you I'm 2 1/2 years in and this is my first job. Our practice is 8 providers, 3 aprns, 3 midwives. I touch every charge before they go out as well. I was thinking of getting that cobcg as well to try to up my pay, havn't been offered any extra comp for it but assume they would give me something extra. I don't do anything regarding billing yet and I'm not the go to person like you are for your pod but responsible in educating the providers and for any questions of course regarding coding. You def. have your hands full and do a lot! I do feel like for getting your cobcg that it should be more than 1 an hour extra for it. our average yearly merrit raise is around that for our practice. That's my background! along with what i wrote before i'm a cpc, ccs, and about to get cpb, and want to shoot for a few others. I'm wondering how many years it takes to become one of those high earners! it doesn't seem like the starting pay and raises really keep up with inflation for most jobs...... or it just evens out and you can't really get ahead....I completely understand that this is extremely varied. Just some information about my role specifically:
Personally, I am the only coder responsible for a practice of 7 OBGYN providers within a larger company of 32 providers split up into 4 "Pods". Mine consists of 7 providers, but often we jump into other pods to assist or cover if their coder is out. Within my pod, I code for all rendered services (surgeries both inpt and outpt and in the office), gyn and OB ultrasounds, labs, e/m visits in office and hospital observations, mammograms and Dexa scans, and all deliveries. Our providers don't love being responsible for their own coding, so every single charge is touched by me before being approved for billing. I am also solely responsible for educating my providers and their staff as well as being their main point of contact to the CBO, I am expected to be available for any communication regarding coding and billing questions from all coordinators within my pod (financial, surgery scheduler, all providers, front desk, office managers). I do work in a big city, Atlanta. I have an issue with people saying our coders are overpaid, but without comparing our workload and responsibilities. I personally have been coding with this company for 2 years now, but have a total of 7 years experience in women's healthcare. We just got the opportunity to obtain our COBCG certs for a $1 an hour addon to our current pay. I feel like according to the AAPC website, additional certs should add more than that onto a salary especially when within the specialty. I really like my department and company, but I feel like outside of an annual "merit raise for rising living costs (capped at 3.8% usually)" is not coving the attention and degree of work associated with coding.... I just feel like the job associated with a true coder hasn't met up with the projected salary by employers. Maybe I'm naïve here, but I feel like it's an extremely underappreciated position. Am I just so green for feeling like this is a job way past 55k worth of application?