Medical Coders in Chicago, Illinois at Akicita Federal, LLC

Akicita Federal is hiring Medical Coders to support accurate and compliant clinical documentation for the Department of Veterans Affairs at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, IL. In this role, you will play a critical part in ensuring Veterans receive proper care by translating clinical encounters into precise medical codes that drive reimbursement, reporting, and continuity of care. This is an on-site position supporting one of the VA's major medical centers in the Chicagoland area.

- Review and analyze clinical documentation from physician notes, operative reports, discharge summaries, and other health records to assign accurate diagnosis and procedure codes

- Apply ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS coding guidelines to inpatient and/or outpatient encounters in compliance with VA and federal coding standards

- Query providers as needed to clarify documentation deficiencies or ambiguities that impact code assignment

- Ensure coded data supports proper DRG or APC assignment, sequencing, and compliance with official coding guidelines

- Maintain productivity and quality benchmarks aligned with VA Medical Center expectations and coding audits

- Safeguard patient privacy and handle sensitive Veterans' health information in accordance with HIPAA and VA privacy policies

- Collaborate with Health Information Management staff and clinical teams to support coding accuracy and documentation improvement initiatives

- Demonstrated experience in medical coding, including proficiency with ICD-10-CM and CPT/HCPCS code sets

- Working knowledge of official coding guidelines (AHA Coding Clinic, AMA CPT guidelines) and compliance standards

- Ability to work on-site at the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital in Hines, IL

- Ability to handle and protect sensitive federal health records in accordance with HIPAA and VA information security requirements

- Familiarity with electronic health record (EHR) systems used in a hospital or clinical setting

What sets candidates apart:

- Active AHIMA or AAPC certification (e.g., RHIT, RHIA, CCS, CPC, COC) is strongly preferred

- Prior coding experience within a VA, DoD, or other federal healthcare environment

- Experience with inpatient DRG coding and/or outpatient facility coding in a high-volume academic or medical center setting

- Familiarity with VA's VistA or CPRS electronic health record platforms

- Background in clinical documentation improvement (CDI) programs or provider query processes

About Akicita FederalAkicita Federal is a Native American-owned federal contractor delivering healthcare, clinical, IT, and program-support services across the Indian Health Service, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and other federal agencies. We hire the people who do the work clinicians, analysts, engineers, support staff and we treat them like the professionals they are.

Equal Opportunity EmployerAkicita Federal is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Akicita Federal complies with the Indian Preference provisions of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (P.L. 93-638) where applicable.