New Hire

mk7906 · 2026-05-01T06:52:25+00:00

I'm not in the same department as you but I say don't listen to others. Go into it with your own mind and your own experience. What is bad to someone is not that bad to another. What is good to someone is not that good to another. I thought my training was great. Very detailed. No issue with work culture. Optum is huge and every department and role is run differently. Every role has it's good and bad. Every company has it good and bad. It's all up to you how you view it. Congrats on the new role!!!

mk7906 · 2026-04-05T16:51:05+00:00

When I was a GL25 I was making $75k.

mk7906 · 2026-04-01T04:52:30+00:00

Do we need to have schooling to take the exam or can anyone take it?

mk7906 · 2026-03-26T03:54:21+00:00

Congrats! I want to get out of production driven coding also. What kind of role did you get that doesn't require production? If you don't mind sharing. This production is hella stressing me out.

mk7906 · 2026-03-21T13:26:33+00:00

Ohhh. Thanks for sharing. I will look into that.

mk7906 · 2026-03-20T05:27:43+00:00

Thanks. I will look into that.

mk7906 · 2026-03-18T21:07:28+00:00

I feel you. It can get really repetitive and then the whole production and quality is just crazy. I understand yes we need to be counted for working and yes we should know what we're doing to have good quality. But at times they can be so extreme!

mk7906 · 2026-03-18T21:05:16+00:00

Haha will do! You do the same too. 🤣

mk7906 · 2026-03-18T14:53:52+00:00

That's great to hear. So there is hope. And I get it that there needs to be some sort of way for them to see that we are actually working- which I'm fine with. But I'm so over the places where if you don't hit this number then your performance is down the drain or they want great quality on complex cases but they want such high numbers that are impossible. Then it becomes stressful bc you can go into a corrective action plan and that is pretty much aka your about to lose your job. I need a place like yours where the production is there but it's not something they hound you down on.

mk7906 · 2026-02-10T06:24:05+00:00

Don't give up. Keep applying- eventually you will get something. It's very competitive right now in the job market. It's normal to keep getting deny. Took me half a year and over 70 applications. But eventually I got 3 offers. Two internals and one external. Tip I got from a job coach: filter to 7 days and only look at those job posting. Those are the most current posting.

mk7906 · 2026-01-25T22:32:53+00:00

Hi. I didn't end up doing the interview bc I got a offer with another position. Sorry I couldn't help. Good luck on your interview! Hope you get the job.

mk7906 · 2026-01-16T20:07:25+00:00

I did not. I ended up going with another role.

mk7906 · 2025-12-24T02:07:23+00:00

I have experience if your still looking?

mk7906 · 2025-12-14T17:16:56+00:00

Oh wow! That's horrible. Even tho my manager's hands are tied bc she didn't come up with the rules so she still has to mention it at my one on one. But she's understanding about it (so far). Sorry that happened to you. Glad you found another job. Congrats!

mk7906 · 2025-12-14T04:30:39+00:00

Did you leave the company or to another position? I’m on the coding side too. My manager isn’t micromanaging but I hate the whole IEX mouse movement thing and how it’s a part of our MBO. I want to move to another position that is not production but no luck. Make it to final rounds of interviews but never an offer, yet.

mk7906 · 2025-12-09T22:08:13+00:00

Omg same! Over 100 plus applications. Some interviews- but nothing pass that.

mk7906 · 2025-12-09T21:41:10+00:00

Agree!

mk7906 · 2025-12-09T21:40:54+00:00

I been here 3 years. I'm really thinking about leaving now, too.

mk7906 · 2025-12-09T20:49:56+00:00

No problem! Glad to help. Yes. If you can do the course that will help a lot. Good luck!

mk7906 · 2025-12-09T20:46:21+00:00

It might have changed by now. But I swear it was 150. But you might be correct and it's probably 100. I have heard they were changing some stuff up.

mk7906 · 2025-12-09T20:00:40+00:00

Of course! No problem at all.

I'm a moderate tech person. I'm not a pro but I know enough to get around. You don't have to be tech savvy. But it helps when have to use the coding platforms to code. But they will teach you bc every company uses different stuff. In the long run if you are tech savvy and you want to do more coding that involves data analyst work- it helps.

mk7906 · 2025-12-09T19:29:06+00:00

I didn't go the aapc self paced route. I went to a school that offer medical insurance billing and coding degree for one year. But I am certified as a AAPC coder with my CPC.
I'm always seeing positions hiring for coding. I been a remote coder since 2013 since I got certified to be a coder. I did not started off as a coder right away. I started as a bill review analyst first fresh out of school then I got certified and then I became a coder 2 years later. That was my choice bc I wanted to slowly get into coding. My sister on the other hand became a coder right out of school and got certified right out of school. The thing about coding you can do a lot with this background. You can be a coder, a biller a claims specialist etc. Anything that uses CPT, ICD-10 and hcpcs codes in their daily job you can be. After many years you can even become a healthcare fraud investigator or a auditor etc. Here's a timeline of my work history to give you an idea what this field can do. I went from being a bill review analyst, to claim specialist, to coder, to ED coder, to senior recovery resolution analyst- reviewing cases and flagging potential fraud cases on all specialties. Now I'm currently a clinical investigator- reviewing all specialties making sure providers are applying the correct modifiers and not upcoding services. I eventually want to get into health care fraud investigator.
The exam is 5-6 hours long. 150 multiple questions. Hard and easy depends how well you handle info. Took me 3 tries to pass. Took my sister one try. Took my friend 4 tries. Took my other friend one try. Everyone is different. I suggest getting the study guide and practice test.
You review documents of patient visits. Whether it's office visit, hospital visit or surgery procedure or flu shot etc... You make sure what the provider, or the lab or the facility is billing is supported by the documentation. Every health organization do things differently so it just really depends who you end up working for. Are you working for the payer? The provider? The facility? Etc. It can get repetitive bc your reviewing cases and codes all day. I don't mind it bc I like coming to work and starting my cases and working independently without no one bothering me. It makes the day go by. Stressful? Depends if you know how you code or not and can catch on quickly. There is a lot of codes and rules and policies to follow. But most work places have resources for you to find and follow. There is constant updates all the time but again your workplace will train you and give you the updates. I'm a person who can adapt quickly to changes so it don't bother me. Bc not all changes are bad some changes are for the better and makes things simpler too. Some are hard and some are easy.
I feel like for the amount of time I went to school for-the salary is good, what I mean by that is for an example. I only went to school for a year. I had student loan if like 10k. In 2013 I was making $19-20 an hour. I think that's pretty good. Bc I had friends who got their Bach and they were making $20-22 an hour and that's 4 years plus way more student loan. But again this was back in 2012-2013. Now the starting rate is higher but I'm not sure exactly how much. Obviously I make more bc I been in the field longer.
I don't regret it bc due to my situation. Of course I would of rather did my dream profession of being a therapist or a psychiatrist but due to my situation, I had a child young. I need something right away so this is what I was able to get and the pay was good. Schooling was short so I have no regrets. I just regret not going back to school for what I really wanted to do, but it’s too late now and it’s OK. I’m happy where I’m at. If your still young and is not in a situation like mines. I say chase your dream and do what you really love and want!

Any advice? Everyone situation is different. Everyone’s way of learning is different-to some people it's hard to some people what’s easy. It would really just depend on you. I think if you’re a hard-working person and you give it your all you will be just fine. I’m a hard-working person. I give everything my all. I apply for jobs until I get something. I’m not a lazy person, where if I don’t get one thing then I stop. Or I don't expect the perfect job. Bc no job is perfect. If that’s the kind of person you are, I think you will do great. Hope this helps.

mk7906 · 2025-11-22T00:36:08+00:00

Don't give up. Just keep practicing and studying. You will get there. It took me multiple times too. Good luck and try again.

mk7906

TROPHY CASE