According to the report, the survey found a growing demand for skilled coders in a tough economic and health reimbursement environment. Approximately 62 percent of respondents said they work primarily in physician-based coding; 10 percent are hospital coders; and 16 percent said they do both types.
When asked about long-term goals, about half of respondents said medical coding and billing is their planned career, while 20 percent said they are looking forward to pursuing a career in auditing. Another 12.3 percent want to be practice managers, and 9.5 percent want to work in compliance.
According to the survey, the average wage for a certified professional coder in 2011 was approximately $46,800, up $1,400 from 2010. More than half of all respondents reported earnings of more than $40,000 a year.
Around 80 percent of respondents were CPCs, and more than 55 percent said the certification was required for their employment.
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