The San Joaquin Community Hospital in Bakersfield, California is opening a new outpatient surgery center sometime between May and August of 2012. The new facility will cost about $36.2 million. It will occupy 60,000 square feet and will be 4 stories in height. It will house radiation oncology, medical oncology, and a surgery center, all in the same building. The Cancer Center across the street from the San Joaquin Community Hospital is also undergoing construction. The president and CEO of SJHC, Bob Beehler, led a countdown of “3, 2, 1!,” revealing a 60-foot wide rendering of the new Cancer Center on May 17th, 2011. Once construction is complete, an estimated 100 medical professionals will be needed.
This type of development is not completely uncommon in California, as approximately 140 medical billing and coding jobs are created each year.
General California Medical Billing and Coding Information
- Number of Medical Billing and Coding Employees in California: 15,180
- Average Medical Billing and Coding Salary in California: $39,520
- 90th Percentile Salary: $60,080
- 10th Percentile Salary: $22,730
Medical Billing and Coding Training and Education in California
Loma Linda University
Coding Specialist
This certificate program is nine quarters in length, covering healthcare records, ICD-9 coding, the new ICD-10 coding, CPT coding, E&M coding, federal and state coding regulations, prospective payment systems, and coding practica. Tuition is paid quarterly. The 1st year costs $2,200 for 10 units, the 2nd year costs $3,520 for 16 units, and the 3rd year costs only $880 for 4 units. The total comes to $6,600.
Cosumnes River College
Health Information Coding Specialist
This is a certificate program covering topics such as advanced ICD coding, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding, and an intro to both spreadsheets and database management. Achieving this certificate readies the student for licensing. The program lasts 4 semesters and costs $927.
California AAPC CPC Exam Information
- City: Garden Grove
- Proctor Name: Anita D Perez, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/12/2011
- Exam Date: 12/10/2011
- City: Santa Rosa
- Proctor Name: Andrea Neace, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/12/2011
- Exam Date: 12/10/2011
- City: San Diego
- Proctor Name: Michael Anthony Reynolds, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/19/2011
- Exam Date: 12/17/2011
Medical Billing and Coding Jobs in California
Three significant employers of medical billing and coding professionals in California are:
Adventist Health
Adventist Health boasts nearly 20,000 employees, with 17 hospitals and more than 2,500 beds. They operate 32 rural clinics, 14 home health agencies, and 4 joint venture retirement centers. Benefits include medical, vision and dental plans, life and AD&D insurance, paid time off, short-term disability, tax-deferred annuities like 403b and 401k, and savings plans. They provide time off for the completion of more college credits and to renew licenses.
Desert Regional Medical Center
- Address: 1150 N Indian Canyon Dr, Palm Springs, CA 92262
- Email Address: You must contact them using their contact page.
- Phone Number: 760-323-6511
- Website: www.desertmedctr.com
Since 1951, the Palm Springs region has been served by Desert Regional Medical Center. Among the largest centers in the region, Desert Regional has 367 beds and several departments including emergency/trauma services, a women and infants center, a bariatric team, a cardiovascular institute, and more. As part of the Tenet network, Desert Regional Medical Center offers benefits that include income replacement, paid time off, an employee stock purchase plan, and medical, vision, dental and life insurance after the first 31 days of employment.
Garfield Medical Center
In 2010, Garfield Medical Center was ranked number one by HEALTHGRADES in six categories: cardiac services, cardiac surgery, stroke treatment, pulmonary services, GI services, and Women’s Health. As part of the AHMC network, Garfield Medical Center offers great benefits: tuition reimbursement, time away pay, 6 paid holidays, a 401k, flexible spending account, short and long term disability, an employee assistance program that provides counseling for an employee and his or her entire family, and more.
Top Cities in California for Medical Billing and Coding Careers
1. Los Angeles – Long Beach – Santa Ana, CA
One of the most populated areas of California, this area employs 5,730 medical billers and coders, allotting them a mean hourly and annual wage of $18.33 and $38,140, respectively. The top 10% of employees earn $60,580, while the bottom 10% earn $22,840.
2. Los Angeles – Long Beach – Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division
These large parts of California have 4,410 billers and coders who earn a mean hourly rate of $18.33, or $38,120 per year. The top 10% of employees earn $60,910 and the bottom 10% make $22,910.
3. San Francisco – San Mateo – Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division
While this area houses only 740 medical billers and coders, employees in this area earn the highest hourly wage in California at $22.26 per hour, or $46,300 per year. This area also pays the highest amount to the top 10% of workers. They are paid $67,040 annually, while the bottom 10% earn $26,150.
4. San Diego – Carlsbad – San Marcos, CA
There are a relatively high number of medical billers and coders in this region – 1,500. However, the mean wage is lower than other cities in this list at $17.56 an hour, or $36,530 per year. As for percentiles, the top 10% earn $54,950, while the bottom 10% make $23,330 annually.
5. Riverside – San Bernardino – Ontario, CA
This California region employs 1,440 medical billers and coders that make $18.91, or $39,320 per year. The top 10% of employees earn $60,220, while the bottom 10% make $22,120.
6. Santa Ana – Anaheim – Irvine, CA Metropolitan Division
This division of California is home to 1,320 medical billers and coders who make slightly less than their counterparts in the Riverside area. Mean hourly pay is $18.35, or $38,170 annually. The top 10% earn $59,920, while the bottom 10% earn $22,720.
7. San Jose – Sunnyvale – Santa Clara, CA
This area of California only employs 610 billers and coders, but these employees earn a higher median hourly and annual wage than coders who work in 7 of the other cities in this list. Wages are $22.81 per hour, or $47,450 per year. The top 10% of wage earners take home $66,100, while the bottom 10% take home $33,570.
8. Oakland – Fremont – Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division
The top 10% of the 1,180 billers and coders in this area bring in $65,590 a year, while the bottom 10% make $23,470. They have average hourly wages of $20.10, or $41,810 annually.
9. San Francisco – Oakland – Fremont, CA
This region of California employs 1,920 billing and coding professionals – slightly more than the Oakland metro area. Average hourly wages are $20.93, or $43,540 annually. The top 10% make $66,420, while the bottom 10% earn $24,210 per year.
10. Sacramento – Arden – Arcade – Roseville, CA
This section of California is home to 650 medical billers and coders whose mean hourly and yearly wage is $20.20 and $42,020, respectively. The top 10% of coders make $66,300, and the bottom 10% bring in $25,970.
About our expert. Jan Jacobs has worked in medical offices since the early 1980's. Ms. Jacobs has worked for M.D.'s and D.O.'s in primary care and specialty care. She is employed as a senior medical biller and has been at her current job for nearly 10 years, where she uses three different billing systems.
