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Laureen: OK, good. This is a favorite part that people are loving. We have a guest tonight, let me un-mute her, Brenda Moonyham. She is old school and doesn’t have a picture, so I said we’ll put up a smiley face. Brenda, you’re un-muted. Hello Brenda!
Brenda: Hello!
Medical Coder Profile: Brenda Moonyham, CPC — VIDEO
Laureen: There you go. Alicia is going to interview her.
Alicia: I’ve had the privilege of talking to Brenda several times on the phone. It’s always so much fun to talk to her because I love her accent. Tell them what state you are in, Brenda.
Brenda: Tennessee.
Alicia: She has a lovely accent. One of the things that’s fun to talk to Brenda about is that she’s kind of Laureen and I, very excited about CCO. The first time I talked to her, I kept thinking to myself, oh she’s a real groupie, one of those real CCO groupies. Very energetic, bubbly and have so many positive things to say, again, like Laureen said before, it’s one thing to hear the negative but Brenda exudes a positive air about her. Brenda, can you tell everyone how you first learned about CCO?
Brenda: I signed up for a medical coding class and I needed more information on it to help me with a class because what we were taught, you just read the chapter and answer the questions. I needed more help, so I just went to the internet looking for stuff and I run across Laureen’s medical coding Blitz and I played it and I ordered it, and it was the best thing that I ever did. I prayed I would find something to help me, it was this Blitz. So, I’m telling it’s heaven sent, because without her I would not have passed a test.
Alicia: Do you feel like you’re more visual learner, Brenda, is that why? What was it about the Blitz that did it for you?
Brenda: She brought it down to where I could understand it.
Alicia: So, the examples?
Brenda: Yes. Brought it down to understand it, about the three stents with the stent rules and then the ballooning and the atherectomy… Every tape was beneficial for each chapter, brought it so I understand it. The E/M classes that we had, it didn’t make any sense until I did her Blitz tape.
Alicia: Right. It’s one thing for an instructor to tell you, “This is the code that you use because I said so, because this is rules.” It’s another one to have somebody give you practical applications that you can apply, isn’t it?
Brenda: Yes.
Alicia: You mentioned several times when we talked about how you shared CCO with others. Did you find anybody else that have heard of CCO or have used something to help them pass the test, maybe another product?
Brenda: No. The people that they have a class… I told them about Laureen’s Blitz tapes and they passed. They took it and they passed it. I told six other people that took her class. Other people, I had a friend in North Carolina that actually drove to Tennessee to take this class. She told two other people in North Carolina – we’ll it’s probably more than that but they were taking her Blitz. There’s a lot that are using her stuff just by word of mouth.
Laureen: That’s what we like.
Alicia: Right. When you were taking your medical coding course and you alluded that EM coding was very difficult and stuff, what overall though in the course, what do you think was more difficult for you? Was it the E/M, or were there any other sections like the ICD-9, CBT, HCPCS? Was there a section that you struggled with besides the E/M?
Brenda: I would say the E/M was the hardest.
Alicia: I found that too. A lot of people really struggle with that. When you signed up for the medical coding course or if you just want to get the EM Coding, CEU package, you can do that; and it kind of put you over the top, like you said. What do you think if somebody came up to you and said, “Brenda, I’m thinking about being a coder.” What advice would you give them?
Brenda: To get her Blitz tapes if they want to pass.
Alicia: To get certified? Definitely to get certified?
Brenda: And to understand it. Just reading didn’t do it for me. I had to have something else to help me. Somebody else has got to teach me. In class, I was teaching myself.
Alicia: Now you’ve just finished the MTA course, and that just got approved for 40 CEUs, but what do you think the MTA course has that’s beneficial for people?
Brenda: Well, I never took medical terminology albeit radiology because that’s my background. That tempered all the medical terminology, do the whole bit. It’s excellent. The tape, if you watch her videos that go with it, they are excellent, excellent, excellent. If you’ve never had anatomy, you need to get her tapes.
Alicia: Were you nervous about taking the course?
Brenda: Not really.
Alicia: OK. Because you already knew her teaching style, because I know some people are a little intimidated by terminology and anatomy.
Brenda: I love her teaching style. I had the opportunity to take the billing class with AAPC, but when I found out that she was teaching it, I’m not taking it with them.
Alicia: [Laughs] Last question, Brenda, ICD-10 the Mini-Course, you’ve just started that. What are your feelings about that? A lot of people again are fearful of ICD-10 because it’s so different than what they’re used to. What can you tell them about that to alleviate their fears?
Brenda: Right now, I’m on Chapter 6, starting Chapter 6. In this course, she is offering right now is awesome. It makes it easy for me; I’ll be honest with you. Her tapes, the Blitz tapes that she gives over in each chapter and the questions at the end and the tests, it makes it easy for ICD-10; it really does.
Alicia: You’re not fearful. You would suggest people not to be scared of ICD-10, is that what you’re…?
Brenda: If it’s anything like she’s teaching, no. I don’t…
Alicia: Good.
Brenda: It’d be okay. I think we’ll pass it, if you take her classes for ICD-10. I think everybody will pass her class.
Laureen: No pressure.
Alicia: Brenda, you’ve been great and I want you guys to know we didn’t pay for Brenda saying was nice. She really just spews all that great stuff. You can imagine why we want you to talk to her.
Laureen: Thank you so much.
Alicia: Brenda, you’re wonderful. I really appreciate you coming on and giving your take on what CCO has. You’ve taken several things with us. It’s not just one individual item, so that’s great. Thank you very much, Brenda.
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