Abstractor/Coder II

Department

BSD UCP - Professional Billing Coding - Anesthesia and Critical Care Specialty

About the Department

The Biological Sciences Division (BSD) and the University of Chicago Medical Center (UCMC) are managed by a single Dean/Executive Vice President and comprises the largest unit of the University, accounting for 60% of its annual budget. All physician, hospital, and clinic services are managed through the Medical Center, which is a $1.3 billion enterprise. The BSD includes the Pritzker School of Medicine, approximately 20 academic units, degree granting committees, and research centers and institutes. The BSD is located on the University's main campus in Hyde Park, ten minutes south of downtown Chicago. BSD's patient care operations are conducted primarily at the University of Chicago Hospital and clinics, which share the same campus.

The University of Chicago Practice Plan (UCPP) is the central organization that supports the clinical activity of nearly 850 clinically active faculty practicing at the University of Chicago. These clinically active faculty collectively form the University of Chicago Physicians Group (UCPG). The University of Chicago Physicians' Group (UCPG) is a component of the physician practice plan for the University of Chicago. The UCPG department provides billing services for medical services provided by University physicians and manages the accounts receivable collection and reporting processes for the Biological Sciences Division (BSD) departments. Each physician is a faculty member and is based in a specified department in the BSD.

Job Information

Job Summary:

The Anesthesiology Abstractor/Coder II is responsible for the accurate and timely review, abstraction, and coding of complex anesthesiology services, ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and coding guidelines. This role supports precise charge capture, reimbursement optimization, and documentation improvement by reviewing provider notes, assigning CPT, ASA, ICD-10, HCPCS codes, and modifiers, and validating documentation for billing accuracy. The position may involve flexible work arrangements.

Responsibilities:

• Maintains advanced-level expertise in CPT, ASA, ICD-10, HCPCS, modifier use, medical terminology, payer rules, HIPAA, and institutional billing requirements.

• Independently reviews, abstracts, and codes highly complex anesthesiology services, including time-based anesthesia, staffing, and critical event documentation.

• Ensures all services documented in the patient record are coded and posted accurately; obtains additional documentation in a timely manner following established protocols.

• Meets or exceeds departmental productivity and accuracy standards.

• Research and resolves coding-related edits, payer rejections, insurance denials, and PHA account issues.

• Tracks inpatient anesthesia services and reconciles professional and PHA charges to ensure complete and accurate capture.

• Reviews denial and rejection trends, identifies workflow, documentation, or compliance issues affecting reimbursement, and escalates issues as appropriate.

• Serves as a knowledge resource to clinical staff and faculty on anesthesia coding, documentation, and billing workflows; provides feedback to improve documentation, charge capture, and compliance.

• Participates in meetings related to clinical revenue, coding, workflow improvements, and process enhancements.

• Performs coding quality reviews, audits, and participates in departmental quality assurance activities as required.

• Identifies risk areas and error trends for providers, procedures, facilities, and coders.

• Mentors and trains less experienced coders; assists with complex questions, case reviews, and implementation of training plans for new coders or those learning anesthesia specialty concepts.

• Ensures all patient information is handled confidentially and in compliance with HIPAA regulations.

• Supports continuous process improvements in coding, documentation, and billing workflows.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies:

• Thorough working knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, as demonstrated by certification through a nationally accredited body (e.g., AAPC or AHIMA) required.

• Working knowledge of ICD and CPT coding classification systems, coding for third-party payers, including CMS guidelines and reimbursement compliance, and demonstrated knowledge of anesthesiology specialty coding concepts including the application of modifiers and documentation requirements.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Adobe required.

• Communicate effectively in English, both orally and in writing.

• Manage interpersonal relationships and interact/communicate with clarity, tact and courtesy with patrons, patients, staff, faculty, students and others.

• Identify priorities; recognize and resolve or refer problems; work effectively with supervision and as a part of a team; use or learn a range of position-related software applications.

Additional Responsibilities

Education, Experience, or Certifications:

Education:

• High School Diploma or GED required.

• Bachelor's degree preferred.

Experience:

• 5 years of coding experience with 3 or more years of coding highly complex anesthesia services required.

• Prior experience with electronic billing and medical record systems (i.e. Epic, Last Word, and IDX) is required.

• Prior experience in an academic medical center or large, complex hospital-physician billing group preferred.

• Prior experience working with Anesthesiology primary and sub-specialty physician and procedure coding strongly preferred.

Licenses and Certifications:

• Must have one of the following: Registered Health Information Administrator [RHIA], Registered Health Information Technician [RHIT], Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based [CCS-P], Certified Professional Coder [CPC], or Certified Coding Specialist [CCS]), required.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

• Standard Office Environment.

• Use Standard Office Equipment.

• Sit for 4 hours or more.

• Flexible work arrangements, including remote work options for coders in good standing.

Pay Range:

• $29.17 - $44.37 hourly

Required Documents:

• Resume

• Cover Letter

Yes

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Pay Range

$29.17 - $44.37

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Union

024- Local 743, I.B.T. Clerical

Job is Exempt

No

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Posting Date

2025-12-15

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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