Inpatient Reimbursement Coding Specialist - UI Health, Health Information Management

Hiring Department: Health Information Management – Chicago, IL (remote position; Illinois residency required within 180 days of hire)

About UI Health

The University of Illinois Hospital & Health Sciences System (UI Health) provides comprehensive care, education, and research to the people of Illinois and beyond. A part of the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC), UI Health comprises a clinical enterprise that includes a Joint Commission-accredited tertiary care hospital, outpatient clinics, and the Mile Square Health Center network of federally qualified health centers. It also includes the seven UIC health science colleges: the College of Applied Health Sciences; the College of Dentistry; the School of Public Health; the Jane Addams College of Social Work; and the Colleges of Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing, including regional campuses in Peoria, Quad Cities, Rockford, Springfield, and Urbana. UI Health is dedicated to the pursuit of health equity.

Responsibilities

• Sequence and assign ICD-10-CM/PCS diagnosis and procedure codes to complex inpatient visits by following coding guidelines.
• Interpret medical documentation to determine the principal diagnosis and procedures codes and assign the correct Present on Admission (POA) indicator to all codes.
• Assign the correct Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) and All Patient Refined (APR-DRG) while adhering to coding guidelines for sequencing.
• Write compliant physician queries and collaborate with Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) to clarify or resolve conflicting documentation prior to assigning final codes on inpatient accounts.
• Utilize Computer Assistant Coding (CAC) software to review medical documentation and select codes for billing and reporting purposes.
• Analyze and resolve coding denials from insurance companies and patient accounts.
• Follow internal workflows for accounts with documentation or other errors that must be resolved before coding.
• Follow the official ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS guidelines for coding and reporting.
• Keep up to date on coding changes and other regulations governing medical record coding and documentation.
• Maintain national standards for coding accuracy and internal standards for productivity.
• Maintain continuing education hours as dictated by certification standards.
• Maintain confidentiality of patient health information.
• Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Current certification as a Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), Certified Coding Specialist—Physician-based (CCS-P), Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), or Certified Professional Coder (CPC) or Certified Outpatient Coder (COC) by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
• One year (twelve months) of work experience comparable to that performed at the Reimbursement Coding Representative level or in other positions of comparable responsibility.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least two years of experience coding inpatient accounts at an acute-care, preferably academic hospital with a complex case mix index (CMI) and medical services such as transplant, neurosurgery, oncology, vascular surgery, and cardiology.
• Ability to collaborate with Clinical Documentation Specialists to assist with clarification of documentation for complete and accurate coding.
• Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) credential.

Benefits

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid time off
• Tuition waivers for employees and dependents

Pay

$26.09 – $50.80 per hour

Schedule

8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday through Friday (day shift)