Outpatient Certified Coder - Health Information Management

Ventura County; Ventura (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Educational Incentive

Bilingual Incentive

Merit Increases

Deferred Compensation

Health Plans

Flexible Spending Accounts

Pension Plan

Holidays

Additional Benefits

Job summary

Ventura County Health Care Agency is seeking a Coder-Certified to review and code outpatient hospital and physician professional records. You will assign ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT, HCPCS codes, and determine PPS, DRG, and APC classifications across diverse outpatient settings.

The role requires knowledge of E/M guidelines, strong analytical skills, and the ability to communicate with physicians for coding clarity. This is a regular full-time position with potential educational and bilingual incentives.

Qualifications

• Two years of recent experience in acute care coding.
• Experience performing outpatient hospital and physician professional coding.
• Strong knowledge of ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT, HCPCS guidelines and reimbursement methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Code and abstract outpatient hospital and physician professional records using ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, HCPCS, PPS, DRG, and APC systems.
• Identify in documentation the need for additional clinical data and query physicians for clarification.
• Train and educate providers on coding guidelines and audit results.

Skills

ICD-10-CM

ICD-10-PCS

CPT

HCPCS

E/M coding

Outpatient coding

DRG

APC

Job description

The Health Care Agency is a comprehensive healthcare system serving our diverse community of Ventura County through Ventura County Medical Center (VCMC), Santa Paula Hospital, primary and specialty care clinics, Ambulatory Care, Public Health, and Behavioral Health. Join our team and use your coding expertise to support accurate documentation, appropriate reimbursement, regulatory compliance, and quality patient care.

Are you a detail‑oriented coding professional who takes pride in accuracy and continuous learning? The Health Care Agency is seeking a Coder‑Certified to perform outpatient facility and physician professional fee (Pro‑Fee) coding across hospital and ambulatory care settings.

THE POSITION:

Under general direction, the Coder‑Certified reviews and analyzes medical documentation, assigns appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes, applies coding and billing guidelines, and collaborates with physicians and other healthcare professionals to support accurate and compliant coding.

IDEAL CANDIDATE:

The ideal candidate has specialized knowledge of ICD‑10‑CM, ICD‑10‑PCS, CPT, HCPCS, E/M coding, outpatient surgery coding and applicable reimbursement methodologies including PPS, DRG, and APC along with strong analytical, organizational, and communication skills. This position offers an opportunity to work across a variety of outpatient services and specialties while contributing to accurate documentation, appropriate reimbursement, and quality patient care.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Educational Incentive - Some positions may be eligible for educational incentive. This incentive may be 2.5%, 3.5%, or 5% for incumbents in eligible positions based on completion of an Associate’s, Bachelor’s, or Master’s degree that is not required for the classification.
• Bilingual Incentive - Some positions may be eligible for bilingual incentive depending on the applicable memorandum of agreement and the needs of the department. In order to qualify for this incentive, incumbents in eligible positions must take and pass the applicable bilingual fluency exam with a score of seventy percent (70%) or higher. Proficiency levels by exam are $0.69/hour (Level I), $1.00/hour (Level II), or $1.32/hour (Level III).
• Merit Increases - New employees serving their initial County service probationary period are eligible for an initial 5% merit increase upon completion of at least 1,040 hours (approximately six months) assuming work meets satisfactory standards. Subsequent merit increases will be upon completion of each additional 2,080 hours (approximately one year) from the initial merit increase.
• Deferred Compensation - Eligible to participate in the County's 401(K) Shared Savings Plan and/or the Section 457 Plan. If you participate in the County sponsored 401(K) plan, the County will match a part of your contribution up to 3% of your salary, on a per pay period basis.
• Health Plans - You are afforded a flexible credit allowance for purchasing medical plan under the County’s Flexible Benefits Program. County now pays 100% of dental and vision premiums.
• Flexible Spending Accounts - Pre-tax benefit towards eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses.
• Pension Plan - Participate in the County's defined benefit pension plan that provides lifetime payments to retirees. Members are "vested" after attaining five years of retirement service credit. If eligible, you may establish reciprocity with other public retirement systems such as CalPERS.
• Holidays - 13 paid days per year which includes a scheduled floating holiday.
• Additional Benefits - Tuition Reimbursement, Disability Plans, Employee Assistance Program, Life Insurance, Wellness Program.
• To learn more about the benefits, please follow the link below: https://vcportal.venturacounty.gov/CEO/HR/MOA/docs/SEIU_MOA_2025-2029.pdf

AGENCY/DEPARTMENT:

Health Care Agency - Administration

The Coder‑Certified is represented by the Service Employees' International Union (SEIU) and is eligible for overtime compensation.

NOTE: This classification is within a bargaining unit that is subject to an agency shop arrangement which mandates a Regular employee to either join Local 721 of SEIU and pay dues as a member OR either pay a service fee to Local 721 or direct that an amount equivalent to the service fee be distributed to a qualified charitable organization.

The eligible list established from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future Regular (including Temporary and Fixed‑Term), Intermittent, and Extra‑Help vacancies within the Health Care Agency.

There is currently one (1) Regular vacancy in outpatient coding.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

OPENING DATE: 10/07/2026

CLOSING DATE: 10/21/2026 at 5:00 p.m.

Duties may include but are not limited to the following:

• Codes and abstracts, and reviews discharged outpatient medical records and physician professional services for a multi‑specialty teaching facility using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‑10‑CM); International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification and Procedure Coding System (ICD‑10‑PCS); Current Procedural Terminology (CPT); Health care Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS); Prospective Payment System (PPS); and/or Diagnosis‑Related Group (DRG) assignments based on Prospective Payment System (PPS) and/or Ambulatory Payment Classification (APC) methodologies; including Evaluation and Management codes (E/M), procedure codes, modifiers, National and Local Correct Coding Initiatives (NCCI) edits;
• Examines and analyzes provider documentation and medical charts for completeness, accuracy, and relevancy in accordance with Federal and State regulations, ICD‑10‑CM Official Coding Guidelines and American Medical Association (AMA) guidelines;
• Identifies the need for additional clinical documentation and sends queries to physicians for clarification on diagnoses and procedures performed to assign and/or validate the diagnosis or procedure code(s);
• Conducts provider training and on‑going education on billing guidelines and audits the work of non‑facility coders;
• Assists the Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) team with education CPT/HCPCS codes, billing guidelines and charge capture Outpatient ancillary department clinical staff;
• Inputs completed patient data coding classification systems into the hospital’s Information Management System in accordance with The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Corporate Integrity Agreement between VCMC and the Office of the Inspector General;
• May process fee‑for‑service physician claims and audit physician billing for contract compliance;
• Identifies coding trends or issues and assists in resolving them;
• Ensures codes meet payer‑specific requirements and resolves denials; and
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

These are entrance requirements to the examination process and ensure neither continuance in the process nor placement on an eligible list.

EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERIENCE:

Two (2) years of recent experience in an acute care setting using ICD‑10‑CM, ICD‑10‑PCS, CPT, HCPCS, PPS and/or DRG assignments.

NECESSARY SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Must have experience performing outpatient hospital and physician professional (Pro‑Fee) coding.

For Hospital Coding -

• Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
• Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
• Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
• Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
• Certified Professional Coder (CPC) as credentialed by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)

For Physician Professional Coding -

• Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
• Certified Coding Specialist‑Physician (CCS‑P)
• Certified Professional Coder (CPC) as credentialed by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:

Thorough knowledge of:

• ICD‑10‑CM, ICD‑10‑PCS, CPT, HCPCS, PPS, DRG and APC systems; E/M and procedure codes, modifiers, and NCCI edits;
• anatomy, physiology, disease pathology, and medical terminology necessary to correctly code diagnoses, procedures, and services;
• Pro‑Fee coding

Working knowledge of:

• The Joint Commission standards for Medical Records Management and Clinical Documentation Programs/

Working Ability to:

• Code and abstract outpatient medical records and/or physician professional fees using ICD‑10‑CM, CPT, HCPCS, and applicable coding and reimbursement methodologies (such as PPS/APC).

Ability to:

• Communicate with all levels of professionals, including physicians;
• Train and educate providers on professional coding.

Working Conditions: Duties are performed primarily in an indoor hospital environment with heavy personnel and public contact. Tasks involve both sedentary and moderate activities.

FINAL FILING DATE

Applications must be received by County of Ventura Human Resources in Ventura, California, no later than 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.