Remote opportunity at
Northwestern MedicineOutpatient Coder II, HB Coding, Full-time, Days (Remote - Must reside in IL, IN, IA, WI, MO - Sign-on bonus eligible)
Northwestern Medicine is hiring a full-time Outpatient Coder II to work day shifts remotely. The job title also specifies HB coding. Candidates must live in Illinois,…
Career Tools
About This Role
Northwestern Medicine is hiring a full-time Outpatient Coder II to work day shifts remotely. The job title also specifies HB coding. Candidates must live in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin or Missouri. The position centers on complex outpatient encounters, including observation stays, same-day procedures, cases at a surgery center and outpatient bed stays, where the coder needs a deeper understanding of disease processes, anatomy, physiology and pharmacology. The coder serves as…
Job Description
Northwestern Medicine is hiring a full-time Outpatient Coder II to work day shifts remotely. The job title also specifies HB coding. Candidates must live in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin or Missouri. The position centers on complex outpatient encounters, including observation stays, same-day procedures, cases at a surgery center and outpatient bed stays, where the coder needs a deeper understanding of disease processes, anatomy, physiology and pharmacology.
The coder serves as a reference point for ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding and for HCPCS, CPT codes and modifiers. Each day involves reviewing complete medical records, assigning diagnoses and procedures, and sending physician queries when documentation needs clarification. The posting sets accuracy at 95 percent and productivity at 90 percent for each outpatient encounter type.
Coders also help improve the computer-assisted coding system by reporting problems such as misrouted documents or wrong system-assigned codes to the IT liaison. They clear NCCI edit conflicts using hospital-approved modifiers, work in the 3M Encoder, and explain their code selections when asked, including after data quality audits. The role also includes testing changes to coding software.
Northwestern Medicine describes a patient-first culture and mentions tuition help, loan forgiveness, retirement matching and lifecycle perks. Sign-on bonus eligibility depends on internal status and recent employment history. The employer runs background checks in line with applicable law.
Responsibilities
- Assign ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes and CPT-4 procedure codes to outpatient visits with at least 95 percent accuracy.
- Read complete medical records and derive diagnoses and procedures from all available documentation.
- Send physician queries when documentation is unclear or incomplete.
- Apply HCPCS and CPT guidance, Coding Clinic updates and CPT Assistant advice when choosing codes.
- Clear NCCI edit conflicts by applying approved hospital modifiers, using 3M Encoder resources.
- Flag computer-assisted coding issues, such as documents filed to the default folder or incorrect system-assigned codes, to the IT liaison.
- Support testing of software changes that affect coding systems.
- Explain the rationale behind code selections when requested, including after a data quality audit.
- Hit the department's productivity target of 90 percent and quality bar of 95 percent per encounter category.
Requirements
- Three to four years of coding practice inside acute-care hospitals.
- Credentialed as RHIT, RHIA or CCS.
- AHIMA credentialing, with 20 to 30 continuing education credits every two years.
- Capable of working independently with little oversight.
- Residence in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin or Missouri.
Qualifications
- A bachelor's degree in a related field.
- Roughly four years of coding work within acute care hospitals.
Core Skills
Benefits
- Tuition reimbursement.
- Loan forgiveness.
- 401(k) matching.
- Lifecycle benefits.
- Sign-on bonus eligibility under the posting's terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers are based only on the employer’s listing; where it doesn’t say, neither do we.
Where do I need to live?
The posting requires candidates to reside in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Wisconsin or Missouri.
Is a sign-on bonus available?
The posting says the job is sign-on bonus eligible, but people already on staff and those rehired within a year of leaving are excluded. Some exceptions apply, such as new graduates already on staff seeking their first licensed nursing position.
Which credentials are needed?
The posting requires AHIMA credentialing and RHIT, RHIA or CCS credentials, plus 20 to 30 continuing education credits every two years.
Is a salary listed?
No. The posting does not specify a salary.
Sample Interview Questions
AI-generated questions tailored to this specific role — a preview of the full practice set.