Inpatient Coder (CCS / CIC)

$50–70/hr

rate as listed

Workload: ~15h/week
Engagement: Project-based
Location: Worldwide
Field: Other

Review inpatient records and assign or validate ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, POA and MS-DRG data used to train AI systems. The work is remote and suited to certified inpatient coders who can explain decisions using current official guidance.

Day-to-day work

You will annotate and review inpatient records, including admission notes, progress notes, operative reports, consults, test results and discharge summaries. Tasks include selecting and sequencing principal and secondary diagnoses, assigning ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS codes, determining POA indicators, validating MS-DRGs and identifying CCs, MCCs, HACs and patient safety indicators.

Coding standards

Decisions should follow UHDDS definitions, the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, and AHA Coding Clinic guidance. You may also need to flag documentation ambiguity, explain complex coding decisions and provide feedback that improves project instructions and AI training data.

What the platform screens for

The screening is likely to verify an active AHIMA CCS or AAPC CIC credential, hands-on inpatient coding experience and command of ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS and MS-DRG methodology. Expect follow-up questions about principal diagnosis selection, procedure root operations, sequencing, POA status and how you resolve cases where documentation or coding references appear to conflict. Prior AI experience is not required.

Logistics

This is a remote contractor role involving written and verbal collaboration with project stakeholders. The listing does not specify whether work is fully async, the expected weekly hours or the project duration, so candidates should be ready to state their realistic availability and scheduling constraints.

Pay band: $50–70/hr

What they look for

icd-10-cm coding
icd-10-pcs coding
ms-drg assignment
clinical documentation review
ccs or cic certification
coding guideline interpretation
medical record annotation
written and verbal communication
attention to detail
data quality assurance

Included with this listing

Interview prep — 10 questions

Matched to what this platform's screening actually measures. Answer each out loud in 60–90 seconds: claim → concrete example → implication.

What it tests: This verifies direct inpatient experience and whether the candidate has handled settings named in the listing, such as acute care, surgery, trauma, oncology, cardiology or transplant care.
A strong answer: Give a concise account of the records and service lines coded, the documentation reviewed and the coding outputs owned. Distinguish true facility inpatient coding from professional-fee, outpatient or risk-adjustment work.
Where people lose it: Candidates lose points by describing medical coding broadly without showing that they assigned inpatient diagnoses, PCS procedures and DRGs from complete hospital records.

Summary, eligibility guidance and screening preparation are prepared by Sidequest from the platform's posting. Check the source listing before applying.