Lead Medical Coder

Job Summary

Lead Medical Record Technician – Coder (Inpatient/Outpatient)

Client: VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System (Cleveland, OH)Type: Full-time, W2 contractSchedule: Monday–Friday, within the facility’s 6:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. Eastern coverage windowLocation: Remote (U.S.-based) through a secure VA VPN connection

About the Role

Aptive Resources is hiring a Lead Medical Coder Coder to lead our medical coding team supporting the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System. It is a large, Joint Commission-accredited tertiary care and teaching facility with an academic medical school affiliation. You’ll help supervise a 14-person team: Inpatient Facility, Outpatient Professional and Ambulatory Surgery coders, plus a Coding Lead. You’ll own the team’s productivity, accuracy and compliance results with VA Health Information Management (HIM) leadership. All coding is done in Oracle Health with the Solventum CRS encoder.

Primary Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• Carry a coding workload in your specialty (inpatient or outpatient) while leading a team of coders.
• Coordinate daily workflow for the team:
  • distribute assignments and balance workloads
  • monitor work queues and backlogs
  • escalate staffing gaps, performance concerns and employee issues to the Supervisor/Project Lead
• Serve as the team’s technical resource: answer coding questions, interpret official guidelines, and help resolve complex or unclear cases.
• Help the team meet performance standards:
  • ≥95% accuracy in ICD-10-CM/PCS, CPT/HCPCS and E/M
  • initial coding finished within 5 calendar days of assignment
  • daily productivity targets per coder
• Perform internal quality reviews of coded records, track error trends by coder, and give one-on-one feedback and refresher training.
• Help resolve claim edits, coding-related rejections and uncoded or outstanding encounters.
• Guide coders on the VHA Provider Query Process so queries are compliant and non-leading. Track open queries to closure within 30 days.
• Collect quality, productivity and training data for the Supervisor’s monthly reports and corrective action plans.
• Attend meetings with the VA COR and HIM staff as requested, and help respond to coding issues within 48 hours.
• Help the Supervisor onboard and train new coders, and update training materials.

Minimum Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Active credential: RHIT, RHIA, CCS, CCS-P or CPC. You must hold it at hire and keep it current.
• AHIMA credential holders must have completed the required ICD-10-CM/PCS baseline CEUs. AAPC credential holders must have passed the ICD-10 Proficiency Assessment.
• At least 2 years of continuous coding experience at a VA medical center of comparable size and complexity (level 1A), or at an equivalent large tertiary or teaching hospital.
• Must meet all qualifications of the Coder roles.
• Proficient in ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, DRGs, CPT, HCPCS and E/M across inpatient, outpatient, professional and surgical settings.
• Experience with Oracle Health (Cerner) coding workflows.
• Formal training in anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, pathophysiology, pharmacology and reimbursement methodologies.
• U.S. citizenship and strong written and spoken English.
• Able to pass a VA background investigation (NACI) and complete VA Privacy and Information Security training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous lead experience which includes help manage a coding team.
• Familiarity with legacy VA systems (VistA, CPRS, VIRR).
• Experience with Solventum (3M) CRS encoder and 360 Encompass.
• Inpatient credential (CCS) with DRG validation or audit experience.

Physical Requirements

Physical Requirements: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit for extended periods, use a computer keyboard and mouse, and communicate verbally and in writing. The employee may occasionally need to stand, walk, bend, or lift up to 15 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

About Aptive

Arrow ARC supports Veterans Health Administration facilities and offices across the U.S. with health care staffing and program support via the 10-year Integrated Critical Staffing Program (ICSP). We provide staffing solutions to address critical shortages in VHA medical facilities caused by turnover, recruitment issues, seasonal needs, surges or emergencies.

Arrow is a certified Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business joint venture between Artemis ARC and Aptive Resources, two award-winning companies that share an agile, mission-focused, results driven approach in the federal sector.​ Arrow provides management consulting services and specializes in working with federal government agencies like the Department of Veterans Affairs and Office of Personnel Management.​

EEO Statement

Aptive is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, parental status, veteran status, age, disability, or any other protected class.

Veterans, members of the Reserve and National Guard, and transitioning active-duty service members are highly encouraged to apply.