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SandyCPC22

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Has anyone completed the AAPC education to drop the A ? I am trying to research if it was beneficial for finding a job ? It is getting to the point of discouraging, that I CAN NOT find anyone to hire me for a coding position !! Will completing the education to drop the A count as actual experience in the real world ? I have come across some applications that asked how many years experience do you have post apprenticeship? Which , alerts me that even if I do complete the AAPC education to drop the A , is likely not gonna matter . Questions on applications will not change !!!!! Any advice would be greatly appreciated
 
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My advice (as someone who has been in the field 30+ years and is a hiring manager) is that you should consider looking for other roles in the revenue cycle. It's very difficult to find a coding job without experience. Look at jobs in billing, medical records, front desk representative, scheduling, pre-authorization and/or anything within a hospital or practice organization where you can get your foot in the door. Then be the best employee they have. This market is very difficult, and look at how many CPC-As are credentialed every month. Hiring mangers get to pick the cream of the crop, so position yourself in an entry level role and become the employee that they can't do without.
Dropping the 'A' via education isn't going to add real-life coding experience to your resume, so don't bother. But shift your focus to finding a role outside coding and you should be more successful.
One of my very best ED coders was originally hired as a staff member in our cafeteria. She passed the coding exam, I had an entry level position open, and she was already an employee, which saved a ton of work for me. So you never know.
 
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SandyCPC22 said:
Has anyone completed the AAPC education to drop the A ? I am trying to research if it was beneficial for finding a job ? It is getting to the point of discouraging, that I CAN NOT find anyone to hire me for a coding position !! Will completing the education to drop the A count as actual experience in the real world ? I have come across some applications that asked how many years experience do you have post apprenticeship? Which , alerts me that even if I do complete the AAPC education to drop the A , is likely not gonna matter . Questions on applications will not change !!!!! Any advice would be greatly appreciated
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If you lived in Arkansas, I would interview you. We hire CPC-A's and train them.
 
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I definitely agree with Pam. If an employer requires experience, Practicode does not replace required experience. To me, any related job where you could interact with clinicians, patients, payors, coders, billers, front desk, administrative personnel, etc., will all make you a more well rounded coder that understands the full aspects of revenue cycle including coding. You also gain experience by using various EHR systems. When a newly certified CPC is willing to start somewhere other than coding, it says to me that they are a go-getter, willing to roll up their sleeves, and a team player. Yes, some do find the magical unicorn of a company willing to hire CPC-A with no related experience. But many more of us started in a related position.
One other piece of advice would be to not get discouraged. Most employers with an open coding or coding related position will have hundreds of applicants if remote. The person who gets hired had a combination of credentials, good enough resume, good interview skills, and LUCK. Being willing to work onsite (or at least train/start onsite) will also make a candidate stand out for me.
Good luck on your career path!
 
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Pam Warren said:
My advice (as someone who has been in the field 30+ years and is a hiring manager) is that you should consider looking for other roles in the revenue cycle. It's very difficult to find a coding job without experience. Look at jobs in billing, medical records, front desk representative, scheduling, pre-authorization and/or anything within a hospital or practice organization where you can get your foot in the door. Then be the best employee they have. This market is very difficult, and look at how many CPC-As are credentialed every month. Hiring mangers get to pick the cream of the crop, so position yourself in an entry level role and become the employee that they can't do without.
Dropping the 'A' via education isn't going to add real-life coding experience to your resume, so don't bother. But shift your focus to finding a role outside coding and you should be more successful.
One of my very best ED coders was originally hired as a staff member in our cafeteria. She passed the coding exam, I had an entry level position open, and she was already an employee, which saved a ton of work for me. So you never know.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the feedback. I've been employed at a Cancer Center and am the team lead for the patient portal support team. I've had my A for year now and just waiting for apprentice positions to open. I'm hoping soon. I love where I work and the mission. Wish me luck.
 
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Pam Warren said:
My advice (as someone who has been in the field 30+ years and is a hiring manager) is that you should consider looking for other roles in the revenue cycle. It's very difficult to find a coding job without experience. Look at jobs in billing, medical records, front desk representative, scheduling, pre-authorization and/or anything within a hospital or practice organization where you can get your foot in the door. Then be the best employee they have. This market is very difficult, and look at how many CPC-As are credentialed every month. Hiring mangers get to pick the cream of the crop, so position yourself in an entry level role and become the employee that they can't do without.
Dropping the 'A' via education isn't going to add real-life coding experience to your resume, so don't bother. But shift your focus to finding a role outside coding and you should be more successful.
One of my very best ED coders was originally hired as a staff member in our cafeteria. She passed the coding exam, I had an entry level position open, and she was already an employee, which saved a ton of work for me. So you never know.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this! I was driving myself crazy trying to get the experience to remove the A.
 
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Pam Warren said:
My advice (as someone who has been in the field 30+ years and is a hiring manager) is that you should consider looking for other roles in the revenue cycle. It's very difficult to find a coding job without experience. Look at jobs in billing, medical records, front desk representative, scheduling, pre-authorization and/or anything within a hospital or practice organization where you can get your foot in the door. Then be the best employee they have. This market is very difficult, and look at how many CPC-As are credentialed every month. Hiring mangers get to pick the cream of the crop, so position yourself in an entry level role and become the employee that they can't do without.
Dropping the 'A' via education isn't going to add real-life coding experience to your resume, so don't bother. But shift your focus to finding a role outside coding and you should be more successful.
One of my very best ED coders was originally hired as a staff member in our cafeteria. She passed the coding exam, I had an entry level position open, and she was already an employee, which saved a ton of work for me. So you never know.
Click to expand...
I was applying for every local and remote coding job I could find, and I found someone who was willing to take a chance on me, because (1) the ink wasn't dry on my Coding certificate and (2) 35 years of customer service experience would give me a leg-up on the NON-Billing/Coding aspects of the job. I was hired as a "Biller/Coder", with 9 other Billers, 3 other Coders, and 1 other Biller/Coder in our office. Since then, most of our Coding has been outsourced, and 7 of our Billers have moved on to other positions in the company. After 11 months, I am now doing 90% Billing, and am daily praised on my customer service skills, and having new tasks assigned to me every week. I am looking forward to having my "A" removed next month.
 
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I am going through Practicode, not because I think it's necessarily equivalent to real-life experience, but because I want to get as much of my "terribleness" out of the way before I get a job. This way, I can wrestle with many of coding inadequacies alone in the comfort of my home, and not put my employer through that. Also it gives me something practical to focus and improve on while I job hunt. And it does get that A off faster!
 
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jjhardeman123@gmail.com said:
I am going through Practicode, not because I think it's necessarily equivalent to real-life experience, but because I want to get as much of my "terribleness" out of the way before I get a job. This way, I can wrestle with many of coding inadequacies alone in the comfort of my home, and not put my employer through that. Also it gives me something practical to focus and improve on while I job hunt. And it does get that A off faster!
Click to expand...
Yes, that is a great reason to do Practicode, especially if you do not have healthcare related experience to pull from. However, I often see others complaining that Practicode was a waste of time and/or money because they believe it counts as experience. They incorrectly believe they will then qualify for jobs requiring 2 years of experience once the -A is removed.
For a position not requiring any experience, a CPC may have an initial leg up over CPC-A. I personally consider Practicode as additional education when evaluating resumes.
 
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