Outpatient Coder 2 Certified / HIM Coding

hhccareers; Farmington (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits

Job summary

Hartford HealthCare is seeking a professional medical coder to validate outpatient clinical documentation and assign ICD-10-CM and CPT/HCPCS codes. You will work across the system to ensure compliant coding and accurate reimbursements.

Requires CPC/COC/CCS certification, Associate’s degree or equivalent, and 2+ years in acute care coding with strong English communication. On-site with competitive benefits across Hartford HealthCare locations.

Qualifications

• Two years of progressive on-the-job experience in an acute care hospital or physician’s office.
• CPC, COC, or CCS certification required and maintained thereafter.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong knowledge of ICD-10-CM diagnostic and CPT/HCPCS procedural codes.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and encoder/CAC software.

Responsibilities

• Applies knowledge of anatomy, disease processes, and terminology to assign codes.
• Analyzes medical records and assigns ICD-10-CM and CPT/HCPCS codes with CAC or encoder.
• Enters charges for non-soft coded procedures per policy.
• Adheres to coding/charging procedures and quality standards.
• Completes daily cases using designated work lists.
• Assists manager with special projects and training new coders.
• Reviews claims edits and revises coding to optimize submissions.
• Seeks clarification from physicians when documentation is unclear.
• Collaborates with clinicians to implement corrections.

Skills

ICD-10-CM knowledge

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Read/write English

Education

Associate’s Degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

CAC encoder / CAC software

Job description

Work where every moment matters. Every day, more than 40,000 Hartford HealthCare colleagues come to work with one thing in common: Pride in what we do, knowing every moment matters here. We invite you to become part of Connecticut’s most comprehensive healthcare network. The creation of the HHC System Support Office recognizes the work of a large and growing group of employees whose responsibilities are continually evolving so that we and our departments now work on behalf of the system as a whole, rather than a single member organization. With the creation of our new umbrella organization we now have our own identity with a unique payroll, benefits, performance management system, service recognition programs and other common practices across the system.

Position Summary:

Reviews and validates outpatient and professional clinical documentation and diagnostic results. Extracts data and assigns alpha numeric codes for billing, internal and external statistical reporting, research, regulatory compliance and reimbursement.

Codes complex diagnostic and procedural accounts, which includes but is not limited to the following:

• Professional Specialty Services
• Emergency Services
• Observation
• Same day surgery
• Pain Clinic
• Infusion Services
• Electrophysiology
• Cardiac Catheterizations
• LifeStar
• Orthopedic
• Critical Care

Position Responsibilities:

Key Areas of Responsibility

Coding

1. Applies strong knowledge of anatomy and physiology, clinical disease processes, pharmacology, and diagnostic and procedural terminology to determine the appropriate assignment of diagnosis and procedure codes.
2. Analyzes medical records, interprets documentation and assigns proper International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Edition Clinical Modification (ICD‑10‑CM), Current Procedural Terminology/HealthCare Common Procedure Coding System (CPT/HCPCS), modifiers, and Evaluation & Management codes utilizing designated software to include Computer Assisted Coding (CAC) and/or encoder, coding manuals and other reference material as required.
3. Enters charges for procedures that are not soft coded as instructed for certain patient types.
4. Adheres to all department coding/charging procedures, policies, guidelines and quality standards.
5. Completes on a daily basis cases that have been assigned to them utilizing the appropriate work lists.
6. Codes complex diagnostic and procedural accounts, which includes but is not limited to the following:
   • Professional Specialty Services
   • Emergency Services
   • Observation
   • Same day surgery
   • Pain Clinic
   • Infusion Services
   • Electrophysiology
   • Cardiac Catheterizations
   • LifeStar
   • Orthopedic
   • Critical Care
7. Assists manager with special projects/other tasks as assigned
8. Abides by the Standards of Ethical Coding as set forth by the American Health Information Management Association/American Association of Procedural Coders and adheres to official coding guidelines.
9. Meets revenue cycle goals (Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Productivity Standards).

Issue Resolution

1. Reviews claim edits and revises coding/charging as appropriate for specific range of ICD-10-CM/CPT/HCPCS codes.
2. Reviews accounts returned from various departments (including Customer Service, Billing, Coding Quality, and Revenue Integrity) and processes corrections for clean claim submission or posts claim denial review for appeal.

Communication

1. Seeks clarification from physicians or other staff in cases where documentation is absent, ambiguous, or contradictory.
2. Makes corrections based on collaboration with clinician or designee.

Training

1. As assigned, assists in training new coders to become acclimated to the environment and in understanding internal coding policies and procedures, and documentation guidelines.

Education

• Associate’s Degree or equivalent experience

Experience

• Minimum: Two years of progressive on-the-job experience in an acute care hospital or physician’s office.
• Preferred: Two to four years of progressive on-the-job experience in an acute care hospital or physician’s office.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• CPC, COC, or CCS certification required and maintained thereafter.

Language Skills

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Knowledge, Skills and Ability Requirements:

Strong knowledge of:

• ICD‑10‑CM diagnostic and CPT/HCPCS procedure codes
• Clinical information related to areas of responsibility
• Microsoft Office Products; Word, Excel
• Encoder and/or Computer Assisted Coding product (CAC)

Skills:

• Read, write and speak English proficiently.
• Strong analytical capabilities.
• Strong organizational skills.
• Proficiently read and interpret physician documentation.

Strong ability to:

• Function independently.
• Handle multiple priorities.
• Listen and acknowledge ideas and expressions of others attentively.
• Converse clearly using appropriate verbal and body language.
• Collaborate with others to achieve a common goal through mutual cooperation.
• Influence others for positive and productive outcomes.
• Use independent judgment to solve problems.
• Work across the Hartford HealthCare System.

We take great care of careers.

With locations around the state, Hartford HealthCare offers exciting opportunities for career development and growth. Here, you are part of an organization on the cutting edge – helping to bring new technologies, breakthrough treatments and community education to countless men, women and children. We know that a thriving organization starts with thriving employees-- we provide a competitive benefits program designed to ensure work/life balance. Every moment matters. And this is your moment.