Unless you have been living under a rock, you have heard much chatter and controversy over the Affordable Care Act (aka ACA or Obamacare). Under scrutiny is everything from the potential impacts on the individual consumer through the healthcare industry itself, the economy and more.
What’s not debatable is that ACA will definitively necessitate changes that will drive exponential growth in various areas of the healthcare industry – specifically new jobs.
Where will these new jobs come from? Well, it is estimated that more than 30 million Americans will gain access to healthcare via ACA. With this sharp increase in the number of insured individuals, healthcare utilization will undoubtedly rise. As utilization rises, shifts to adapt to this new reality will also drive changes in how healthcare is delivered to meet increased demands and therefore will create more opportunities for new healthcare careers.
Looking to move into an industry that has sustainability and job security for the foreseeable future? Not only is healthcare the place to be, due to Obamacare, but at least here in the U.S. we have a sizeable aging population which will require more care in the subsequent years. Oh, and have you heard any of the news about our overwhelmingly unhealthy lifestyles? That’s right about 30% of the global population is overweight or obese which leads to chronic conditions like diabetes and the need for regular care. But I digress, the fact is that we’re at a point of conflagration which is making healthcare the go to industry for career opportunities.
So what might be your healthcare job of choice? Quickly growing and no doubt soon to hit the top ten healthcare jobs list in the US is Medical Coding which would be a great career option!
What exactly is a Medical Coder you may say? Healthcare recruiters Jennifer Andersen and Christine Mosessian, who recruit and place Medical Coders, explain that “many Medical Coders focus on looking at health insurance claim files to ensure that the care provided is coded properly (there is a diagnostic code for each procedure or healthcare provided). It’s the medical record keeping that directly impacts how much money is billed to a health plan and subsequently the insured and results in what the appropriate doctor or health group receives in payment.” The ACCP which provides education and professional certification for physician-based medical coders further qualifies that “Medical coders certainly don’t need to memorize every disease in existence or every possible treatment, but they do need to navigate the medical codes for diseases and treatments, as pertaining to the diverse body parts.” As such, individuals who have meticulous attention to detail and enjoy independently handling a robust workload will thrive in this line of work.
Additional benefits to working as a Medical Coder? Many roles are available working from home, salaries not only weathered the recession well but are holding strong (see ACCP’s Salary Survey Results), the field is one that provides opportunities for continual education, but probably most important is that this work is so nuanced that technology will not be able to relegate these role obsolete in the future. How about that for job security! So as you look to your career future, don’t dismiss Medical Coding, it could be your ticket to the place where medicine and technology meet to provide steady career satisfaction!
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This blog was written by Cindy Lombardo. With nine years of experience in the staffing industry having worked in the capacities of recruitment, project management, training and marketing, Cindy currently focuses on developing and implementing digital strategies that target and attract talent across all industry sectors for both national and international employment opportunities. She is passionate about following emerging applicant trends as well as educating others about both the growing talent deficit and strategies that can drive better recruitment efficiencies and return on investment. When she’s not working on candidate marketing strategies, Cindy spends her time outside of work running a non-profit opera company, practicing judo and playing with her crazy dog Scruffy.