Outpatient Medical Coder, Part-Time

This position is available to Veterans, Transitioning Military, National Guard and Reserve Members, Military Spouses, Wounded Warriors, and their Caregivers.

About the role

The Part-Time Outpatient Medical Coder is responsible for performing remote coding on all outpatient visits and surgical procedures by the Veteran Affairs Health Care System (VAHCS). The medical coder will access the Veteran Affairs VistA/CPRS system to read and code medical records identified by the Veteran Affairs and enter codes into the approved encoder or other package. The Medical Coder is required to comply with all HIPAA provisions for a Business Associate, and all provisions in this Performance Work Statement.

This is a part-time opportunity requiring a minimum commitment of 20 hours per week, scheduled at your discretion from Monday through Sunday.

Responsibilities

• Perform coding activities with qualification and competence.
• Comply with all VA privacy and security requirements.
• Maintain a minimum auditing score of 95%.
• Code all types of encounters, including outpatient, inpatient facility and professional, and surgical.
• Apply all applicable modifiers to appropriate CPT codes.
• Apply knowledge of current Diagnostic Coding and Reporting Guidelines for outpatient services.
• Use CPT format, guidelines, and notes to locate and sequence correct codes for all services and procedures.
• Apply knowledge of procedural terminology to recognize when an unlisted procedure code must be used in CPT.
• Code in accordance with Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) Bundling Guidelines.
• Use the CMS Common Procedural Coding Systems (CPCS), where appropriate.
• Code inpatient discharges when requested by VHA (e.g., quarterly census).
• Complete yearly privacy and security processes and training as required by the VAHCS.
• No reimbursement for mileage, travel time, meals, parking, etc.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• A minimum of 2 years of Outpatient coding experience.
• At least 6 months of recent Veteran Affairs or other relevant coding experience, either as a Department of Veterans Affairs employee or with another Government contractor supporting the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Experience using VIRR/WebVIRR.
• Experience with Surgery, Professional Fee, IP, and Auditing is a plus.

Qualifications

Candidates must possess one of the following certifications:

• American Health Information Management Association:
  • Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
  • Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
  • Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
  • Certified Coding Specialist-Physician (CCS-P)
  • Clinical Modification/Procedure Coding System Trainer
• American Academy of Professional Coders:
  • Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
  • Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H)
  • Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC)

Formal training in the following areas is required:

• Anatomy and physiology
• Medical terminology
• Pathology and disease processes
• Pharmacology
• Health record format and content
• Reimbursement methodologies and conventions
• Rules and guidelines for current classification systems (ICD, CPT, HCPCS, E&M, etc.)

About the company

Sierra7 is a Small Disabled Veteran Owned Business founded in 2009 with the mission of “serving those who serve.” We are a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and CMMI-SVC Level 3-appraised member of the government technology and services industry. We are a proud recipient of the 2024 Gold HIRE Vets Medallion Award from the US Department of Labor, recognizing employers who successfully recruit, hire, and retain Veterans.

Benefits

• 401k Plan
• LinkedIn Learning Certification
• Support for obtaining Security Clearances and other certifications