Medical Billing and Coding vs. Medical Transcription....?

Question

I'm trying to decide which course to take on Penn Foster but I'm not sure I would have better odds with at getting a job from my home. I'm a stay at home mom and would like to work at home. I need some advice from someone with experience on which one I would be better off with.

Answer 1

I wouldn't recommend going to Penn Foster. Go to a local community college to an accredited program (one that's accredited by the right people, such as AHIMA, not just anyone).

You will need at least 1 year of on-the-job training before anyone will hire you to work at home.

Meanwhile.... to be a medical coder, most all places now REQUIRE you have a RHIT certification, which requires an Associate's degree from an AHIMA accredited program. So, I think you'd be wasting your time to go to billing and coding by going to Penn-Foster. Going there for transcription may or may not get you a job, but you will need real life experience before you can work at home.

Answer 2

Sherry,

I have friends who do both.

The one who does medical transcription does this from home. She works near a large hospital in Boise. She picks up the recordings in the afternoon and types all evening. She does make decent money for what she does.

The one who does billing has to work at an office. She makes about the same money, but it doesn't allow for stay at home work.

Good luck for whichever you decide.

"Ranger"