AAPC recently released its 2012 Health Care Salary Survey of healthcare billers, coders, practice managers, auditors and educators, and put the data in a five-year perspective of progress from 2008 to 2012.
Here are some statistics about compensation and various factors involved.
Average compensation:
• The overall average salary in 2012 is $47,970.
• Certified professional coders earn $47,796, up nearly $900 from 2011.
• Certified professional coders in hospital outpatient earn $56,466, up nearly $1,800 from 2011.
• Certified professional coders for payors earn $55,255, up nearly $3,800 from 2011.
• Certified professional medical auditors earn $59,365, up more than $3,200 from 2011.
• Salary by workplace has increased 9.7 percent from 2011 for those in smaller groups or practices.
• Salary at a solo practice was $40,290 in 2010, $41,301 in 2011 and $45,312 in 2012
• Salary in an outpatient hospital was $43,685 in 2010, $43,751 in 2011 and $45,399 in 2012.
Salary by region:
• Salaries in all nine U.S. regions are up from 2008.
• 19 percent work in rural areas, 37 percent work in suburban areas, 44 percent live in urban areas
• The pacific region — which includes California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii — has the highest average salary at $54,980
• The east south central region — which includes Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland — has the lowest average salary at $41,709.
Credentials:
• In 2008, 47 percent of employers required job credentials
• In 2012, 54 percent require credentials
Experience:
• Salary increases directly correspond with years of job experience, and this has remained consistent since 2008.
• Professionals with 15 or more years of experience saw the biggest salary increases over the last five years. In 2008, their average pay was $50,000 and in 2012 it's more than $60,000.
• Beginning salaries have stayed mostly the same, and in 2008, starting salaries were slightly higher than in 2012. Starting salaries were lowest in 2011.
Education:
• Those with an associate degree or some college make an average of 9 percent more than those who have not attended college.
• Bachelor's degrees make 21 percent more than those with an associate degree or some college.
• Master's degrees and greater make 46 percent more than those who have a bachelor's degree.
• Of all professionals surveyed, 53 percent have some college or an associate degree; 18 percent have bachelor's degrees; 12 percent went to technical school; 11 percent are high school graduates; 6 percent have a master's degree or above.
Benefits:
• More than 50 percent of respondents work an average of 31 to 40 hours per week.
• 40 percent work more than 40 hours per week
• Employer-sponsored perks appear little changed for four years.
Workplace:
• 22.4 percent of professionals worked for small group or solo practices in 2010, compared to 19 percent in 2012
• 14.2 percent worked for medium group practices in 2010, compared to 12.1 percent in 2012
• 20.2 percent worked for large group practices, compared to 20.1 percent in 2012
• 11 percent worked for hospital outpatient centers in 2010, compared to 11.6 percent in 2012
• 7.6 percent worked for hospital inpatient in 2010, compared to 8 percent in 2012
Unemployment:
• For certified professional coders with AHIMA credentials, unemployment is up from 1.62 percent in 2011 to 5.08 percent in 2012.
• For CPCs with AAPC credentials, unemployment is up from 2.71 percent in 2011 to 3.1 percent in 2012.
• For all coding apprentices who are breaking into the field, unemployment is down from 25.45 percent in 2011 to 23.41 percent in 2012.
More Articles on Coding, Billing and Collections:
EHRs May Cause Medicare, Insurance Bills to Increase
Colonoscopy Coding Inconsistencies Create Confusion
10 Ways to Get Paid Appropriately From Commercial Payors in an ASC
Here are some statistics about compensation and various factors involved.
Average compensation:
• The overall average salary in 2012 is $47,970.
• Certified professional coders earn $47,796, up nearly $900 from 2011.
• Certified professional coders in hospital outpatient earn $56,466, up nearly $1,800 from 2011.
• Certified professional coders for payors earn $55,255, up nearly $3,800 from 2011.
• Certified professional medical auditors earn $59,365, up more than $3,200 from 2011.
• Salary by workplace has increased 9.7 percent from 2011 for those in smaller groups or practices.
• Salary at a solo practice was $40,290 in 2010, $41,301 in 2011 and $45,312 in 2012
• Salary in an outpatient hospital was $43,685 in 2010, $43,751 in 2011 and $45,399 in 2012.
Salary by region:
• Salaries in all nine U.S. regions are up from 2008.
• 19 percent work in rural areas, 37 percent work in suburban areas, 44 percent live in urban areas
• The pacific region — which includes California, Washington, Oregon, Alaska and Hawaii — has the highest average salary at $54,980
• The east south central region — which includes Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland — has the lowest average salary at $41,709.
Credentials:
• In 2008, 47 percent of employers required job credentials
• In 2012, 54 percent require credentials
Experience:
• Salary increases directly correspond with years of job experience, and this has remained consistent since 2008.
• Professionals with 15 or more years of experience saw the biggest salary increases over the last five years. In 2008, their average pay was $50,000 and in 2012 it's more than $60,000.
• Beginning salaries have stayed mostly the same, and in 2008, starting salaries were slightly higher than in 2012. Starting salaries were lowest in 2011.
Education:
• Those with an associate degree or some college make an average of 9 percent more than those who have not attended college.
• Bachelor's degrees make 21 percent more than those with an associate degree or some college.
• Master's degrees and greater make 46 percent more than those who have a bachelor's degree.
• Of all professionals surveyed, 53 percent have some college or an associate degree; 18 percent have bachelor's degrees; 12 percent went to technical school; 11 percent are high school graduates; 6 percent have a master's degree or above.
Benefits:
• More than 50 percent of respondents work an average of 31 to 40 hours per week.
• 40 percent work more than 40 hours per week
• Employer-sponsored perks appear little changed for four years.
Workplace:
• 22.4 percent of professionals worked for small group or solo practices in 2010, compared to 19 percent in 2012
• 14.2 percent worked for medium group practices in 2010, compared to 12.1 percent in 2012
• 20.2 percent worked for large group practices, compared to 20.1 percent in 2012
• 11 percent worked for hospital outpatient centers in 2010, compared to 11.6 percent in 2012
• 7.6 percent worked for hospital inpatient in 2010, compared to 8 percent in 2012
Unemployment:
• For certified professional coders with AHIMA credentials, unemployment is up from 1.62 percent in 2011 to 5.08 percent in 2012.
• For CPCs with AAPC credentials, unemployment is up from 2.71 percent in 2011 to 3.1 percent in 2012.
• For all coding apprentices who are breaking into the field, unemployment is down from 25.45 percent in 2011 to 23.41 percent in 2012.
More Articles on Coding, Billing and Collections:
EHRs May Cause Medicare, Insurance Bills to Increase
Colonoscopy Coding Inconsistencies Create Confusion
10 Ways to Get Paid Appropriately From Commercial Payors in an ASC