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Cindy works as the billing manager for Tri-Care Family Medicine in Statesboro, GA. She has been there since January 2010. We asked Cindy to share some thoughts with us about medical coding and being a medical coder and here is what she had to say:
Medical Coder Profile: Cindy Rush Block
Cindy Rush Block, Billing Manager, Tri-Care Family Medicine
Do you use paper manuals or online encoders? Mostly paper manuals, although I really like Don Self’s Coding Advisor online. It’s updated daily and edits are constantly being made to make it more user-friendly. The Medicare fee schedule is on it as well. You can even enter the information for your claim and the software will “scrub it” and tell you if you need to add a modifier or if it’s a non-covered service, etc. My office manager didn’t want to pay for it because we get the paper manuals, so I only had it for a couple of months, but I highly recommend it.
What are your thoughts about specialty credentialing? Do you feel the AAPC is doing enough in the specialty fields by adding the auditing, compliance and practice management credentials? Education is never a waste of time. I do think the specialty credentials are a good idea.
Tell me about your experience with CodingCertification.org. What do you use them for? I use the Coding Certification site mostly for the discussions and the tools that can be downloaded to make my job easier. I am also a member of a Medical Manager group and get a lot of information from them. We talk about different issues in coding, billing, etc. It’s free to join and I have gotten tons of information from them over the years.
What do you like least/most about medical coding? The fact that every insurance company wants something difference drives me crazy. Our physicians and clinical staff code the office notes and I have to make cheat sheets for them to remember that Coventry doesn’t cover flu swabs, Aetna bundles UAs, etc. Of course, Medicare and Medicaid have the most rules to try and remember. What I like most is getting payment for my physicians. When I send a claim through and it pays with no issues, I consider that winning. If I have to appeal a claim and it gets paid, I call that winning too!
What are your future career goals? I’ve been an office manager and a billing manager. I’ll stick with billing. I am trying to find ways to slow down and enjoy life a little more.
What are your hobbies outside of work? I love to read, travel and surf on the computer.
How does your personality help you in your job? I have a good sense of humor. It sometimes helps me to defuse the situation with staff and/or patients.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself. I love to sing and used to be in a gospel quartet.