Medical Coder

Specialty Orthopedic Group; Tupelo (AL); On-site; USD 52,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

Specialty Orthopedic Group is seeking a detail-oriented Medical Coder to translate clinical documentation into standardized codes (ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, HCPCS) to support accurate billing, reporting, and compliance. You will collaborate with physicians, clinical staff, and the billing team to ensure timely and accurate coding.

The role requires meeting daily production goals with a target of 95% accuracy monthly, using electronic health records in an ICD-10 environment.

Qualifications

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent and completion of an accredited medical coding or health information program.
• Strong knowledge of CPT, ICD-10, HCPCS, and modifier usage.
• Experience with EHR and practice management systems.
• Familiarity with Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payer policies.
• Minimum of 2+ years of medical coding experience (orthopedics highly preferred).
• Hands-on experience with electronic health records (EHR/EMR) systems and CAC software.
• Strong working knowledge of anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, pharmacology, and reimbursement methodologies.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to work independently and as a team member; proficient in Excel and Word.

Responsibilities

• Code Assignment: Review patient medical records and assign ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS Level II codes per guidelines.
• Documentation Review: Verify medical necessity and identify documentation gaps.
• Query Management: Communicate with physicians to clarify documentation.
• Compliance & Auditing: Adhere to coding rules, HIPAA, CMS, and policies; participate in audits.
• Denials & Edits: Review and resolve claim edits; assist in appeals.
• Production & Quality Standards: Meet productivity targets and maintain audit accuracy.

Skills

Attention to detail

Independent work

Team collaboration

Communication skills

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Accredited medical coding/health information program

RHIT/RHIA/CCST/CCS certification

Tools

EHR/EMR systems

CAC software

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

Position Overview

Specialty Orthopedic Group is seeking a detail-oriented and knowledgeable Medical Coder to review clinical documentation and translate healthcare services, procedures, and diagnoses into standardized medical codes. The ideal candidate ensures accurate code assignment for billing, statistical reporting, and compliance while working collaboratively with physicians, clinical staff, and the billing team. The main challenge of this role centers around the ability to work quickly, accurately, and independently. Coders need to meet daily production goals, and a quality 95 % accuracy rate every month. Extensive use of electronic medical records in an ICD-10 environment is also required.

Key Responsibilities

• Code Assignment: Review patient medical records and accurately assign ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS Level II codes according to official coding guidelines.
• Documentation Review: Analyze clinical charts, operative notes, and provider documentation to verify medical necessity and identify documentation gaps.
• Query Management: Communicate professionally with physicians and clinical staff through formal physician queries to clarify ambiguous, conflicting, or incomplete documentation.
• Compliance & Auditing: Maintain strict adherence to official coding rules, HIPAA regulations, CMS standards, and internal billing policies; participate in routine internal coding audits.
• Denials & Edits: Review and resolve claim edits (e.g., NCCI, MUEs) and assist the revenue cycle team in investigating and appealing coding-related denials.
• Production & Quality Standards: Consistently meet or exceed organizational productivity targets (e.g., 10 charts/hour surgical cases, 4 charts/hour in A/R and Denials) while maintaining an audit accuracy rate of , 95% or higher.

Qualifications & Requirements

Required:

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent and completion of an accredited medical coding or health information program. (RHIT, RHIA, CCST, CCS)
  • Strong knowledge of CPT, ICD-10, HCPCS, and modifier usage.
  • Experience with EHR and practice management systems.
  • Familiarity with Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payer policies.
• Experience: Minimum of 2+ years of medical coding experience (orthopedics highly preferred).
• Technical Proficiency: Hands-on experience with electronic health records (EHR/EMR) systems and computer-assisted coding (CAC) software.
• Knowledge Base: Strong working knowledge of anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, pharmacology, and reimbursement methodologies.
• Job Quality:
  • Must display sophisticated writing and interpersonal communication skills and very good attention to detail.
  • Ability to apply written instructions and standardized work practices.
  • Excellent organizational and time management skills.
  • Ability to work independently and as a team member for successful outcomes.
  • Must be efficient in Microsoft Excel and Word.

Preferred

• Orthopedic coding experience strongly preferred.
• Certified Orthopedic Coder (COSC) preferred.
• Strong billing and collection experience with knowledge of health insurance plans, policies.
• Prior experience working in a remote or hybrid production environment.