Required Qualifications (Non‑Negotiable)

• U.S. citizenship
• Must reside within 50 miles of the nearest VA Medical Center
• Active credential from AHIMA (RHIA, RHIT, CCS, CCS‑P, CCA, CDIP) or AAPC (CPC, CPC‑H, or successor)
• Completion of an accredited program in coding, HIM, or HIT
• Minimum 6–8 years of coding experience (outpatient or inpatient)
  • This is significantly higher than typical requirements; 2–3 years does NOT qualify
• Current CEUs required to maintain credential
• Ability to pass a National Agency Check (NAC), local file check, and obtain a PIV card
• Cannot be a current VA employee — federal conflict‑of‑interest restriction

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior VA/VHA coding experience
• Surgical, anesthesia, or pathology coding experience
• History of tracking/reporting personal accuracy and productivity metrics

Medical Records Technician (Coder)

VA Central Iowa Health Care System (VACIHCS) – Des Moines, IARemote Contract Position — Must Reside Within 50 Miles of a VA Medical Center

Position Type

• Contract
• Remote 

Schedule Expectations

• Training Phase: Fixed schedule, 08:00–4:30 PM CST, Monday–Friday
• Post‑Training: After sustaining 95% accuracy and meeting productivity standards for a full bi‑weekly pay period (~4 weeks), coders may move to a flexible 8‑hour shift between 06:00 AM–5:00PM CST

Key Responsibilities

Outpatient Coders 

• Code outpatient encounters, ancillary services (radiology, lab), prosthetics, and ambulatory surgical episodes
• Apply ICD‑CM, CPT, and HCPCS

Inpatient Coder 

• Code inpatient facility episodes 
• Assign ICD‑CM diagnoses, ICD‑PCS procedures, and POA indicators
• Additional Requirements for Inpatient Role
  
  • Proven ICD‑10‑PCS experience
  • Strong understanding of POA indicators, DRG logic, and inpatient professional fee coding
  • Experience creating encounters in the Patient Care Encounter (PCE) application preferred

All Coders

• Work within VA systems: VistA/CPRS, national encoder, and required VA applications
• Apply NCCI bundling rules and correct modifier usage
• Flag insufficient documentation
• Re‑review and correct coding within 1 business day when questioned due to billing edits or denials
• Submit daily coded‑status reports and weekly summaries
• Maintain 95% minimum accuracy — audited monthly and strictly enforced