New Jersey is currently struggling with an important issue of interest to medical billers and coders: the debate over whether adult adopted children should have full access to their medical records. Medical billers and coders often deal with medical records containing information on patients’ parents, as this information often provides important insight when making medical diagnoses linked to hereditary factors. In order to solve this sensitive issue, some medical billers and coders in New Jersey have proposed the idea of using a special code set designed to disguise the legally protected rights of birth parents of adopted children, while still giving all patients equal access to their medical records.
Under current New Jersey law and HIPAA guidelines, medical billers and coders in New Jersey must be familiar with privacy rules that protect the patients of the institution at which they work – including their right to make amendments to their medical records to improve accuracy. However, birth parents do not currently have the right to amend the medical records of their children in New Jersey, meaning that medical billers and coders may soon become an integral part of the amendment process in the state.
General New Jersey Medical Billing and Coding Information
- Number of Medical Billing and Coding Employees in New Jersey: 1,950
- Average Medical Billing and Coding Salary in New Jersey: $47,050
- 90th Percentile Salary: $67,900
- 10th Percentile Salary: $28,110
Medical Billing and Coding Training and Education in New Jersey
Brookdale Community College
Medical Coding Academic Credit Certificate of Achievement
This program prepares students to work as entry level coders in various healthcare settings. Students who have completed this program will be prepared to take the Certified Coding Specialist exam after gaining some work experience. The program consists of 17 credits and includes courses such as Introduction to Health Information Technology and Coding and Classification Systems. Tuition is $118.50 per credit for county residents.
Burlington County College
Coding Certificate
The Coding Certificate Program will prepare students for entry-level employment as medical coders in medical settings. Courses include ICD-9-CM Coding, CPT Coding, and Reimbursement Methodologies. There are 26 required credits that can be transferred to the Health Information Technology associates degree program if the student chooses to continue. The program is part-time and is spread over 18 months. Total tuition and fees is $120.50 per credit hour for county residents.
Camden County College
Medical Coding Academic Certificate
This medical coding course consists of 39 credits and is intended to prepare students for entry-level medical coding jobs. After completing this program, students will be prepared to take the national entry-level coding certification offered by AHIMA. Courses include Introduction to Health Information, Diagnostic and Procedural Coding, and Medical Coding Internship. This program is approved by AHIMA and all courses are online. Tuition is $101 per credit hour for county residents.
New Jersey AAPC CPC Exam Information
- City: Cherry Hill
- Proctor Name: Richard A Shultz, CPC, CPC-H
- Registration Deadline: 11/12/2011
- Exam Date: 12/10/2011
- City: Toms River, NJ
- Proctor Name: Yvonne D Dailey, CPC, CPC-I
- Registration Deadline: 11/19/2011
- Exam Date: 12/17/2011
- City: Morristown, NJ
- Proctor Name: Laurie Milligan, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/19/2011
- Exam Date: 12/17/2011
Medical Billing and Coding Jobs in New Jersey
Three significant employers of medical billing and coding professionals in New Jersey are:
Bacharach Institute for Rehabilitation
- Address: 61 W. Jimmie Leeds Rd, Pomona, NJ 08240
- Email Address: HR@bacharach.org
- Phone Number: 609-652-7000
- Website: www.bacharach.org
Bacharach was founded in 1924 for children suffering from polio. Today, Bacharach is home to 7 psychiatrists who treat patients through their neurological program, ortho day rehab, and outpatient services. Some additional services include audiology, cardiac rehab, psychology, physical and pool therapy, a sleep center, and speech and language therapy. Benefits include comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, a 403b program, life insurance, flex spending accounts, an employee assistance program, shift differentials, and the option to join a credit union.
Carrier Clinic
Opened in 1910 and situated on 15 acres of private land, Carrier Clinic today is partially powered by a massive 14-acre solar photovoltaic array, the largest solar panel distribution found in any campus in the state. Their specialties include psychiatric inpatient services such as acute care for adolescents and adults as well as older adult care for those 60 and over. Other residential and outpatient services include substance abuse treatment, adolescent special education and residency, and electroconvulsive therapy. Benefits include a generous paid time off program, medical, dental and prescription insurance, a403b retirement plan, flex spending accounts, and other perks.
Summit Oaks Hospital
- Address: 19 Prospect Street, Summit, NJ 07902
- Email Address: Click here to access their contact list.
- Phone Number: 908-522-7000
- Website: summitoakshospital.com
In 2009, Summit Oaks was named one of the nation’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. They have served the northeast region of New Jersey since 1902. They also house the oldest psychiatric and chemical abuse treatment facilities in the state, with 126 beds and 7 professionals on staff. Employee benefits include paid time off, dental, vision, medical and life insurance coverage, AD&D, bereavement leave and more.
Top Cities in New Jersey for Medical Billing and Coding Careers
1. Newark-Union, NJ
More than one-quarter of medical billers and coders in New Jersey work in the Newark-Union metropolitan area. There are roughly 550 workers who make the highest mean wages in the state. The average hourly wage is $25.26, eight dollars more than the national average, and the average annual wage is $52,530, close to the national average for the ninetieth percentile. The tenth percentile wage is $34,930 annually, second-highest in the state, and the ninetieth percentile wage is $72,500 annually, $19,000 more than the national average.
2. Trenton-Ewing, NJ
The Trenton-Ewing metropolitan area has about 90 medical billers and coders. They make an average of $23.84 per hour and $49,580 per year. The annual tenth percentile wage is highest in the state at $36,490, and the ninetieth percentile wage is $65,660 per year.
3. Edison-New Brunswick, NJ
There are approximately 410 medical billers and coders in the Edison-New Brunswick metropolitan area. The average worker makes $23.66 hourly and $49,210 annually. Those in the lower ten percent earn $30,670 per year and those in the higher ten percent make $71,950 per year, second-highest in the state.
4. Camden, NJ
In Camden, there are around 330 medical billers and coders who make an average hourly wage of $21.67 and an average annual wage of $45,060, more than $10,000 more than the national average. Those in the tenth percentile make $25,850 per year and those in the ninetieth percentile make $64,750 per year.
5. New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ
There are roughly 4,590 medical billers and coders in the New York-White Plain-Wayne metropolitan area. Workers make, on average, $20.13 per hour and $41,890 per year. The top tenth percentile of workers earn $58,890 per year and the bottom tenth make $29,050 per year.
6. Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ
In the Atlantic City-Hammonton metropolitan area, there are approximately 60 medical billers and coders who make $19.88 as an average hourly wage and $41,350 as an average annual wage. The annual tenth percentile wage is $27,250, just under the state average. The annual ninetieth percentile wage is $60,180, under the state average but above the national average.
7. Ocean City, NJ
Only around 30 medical billers and coders work in Ocean City, where the average hourly wage is $16.73 and the average annual wage is $34,800, both just under the national and state averages. Those in the bottom ten percent earn $26,280 annually while those in the top ten percent make $49,560 per year, less than both state and national averages.
8. Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ
The Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metropolitan area employs about 650 medical billers and coders. The hourly mean wage is $15.52, seven dollars less than the state average, and the annual mean wage is $32,380, $14,000 below the state average. The annual tenth percentile wage is $20,200 and the annual ninetieth percentile wage is $50,550, $7,900 and $17,000 lower than the state average, respectively.
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.
