Independent Contractor Medical Coding Jobs in Virginia

Description

Senior Medical Coding Subject Matter Expert

Federal Health Contract Support, Defense Health Agency (DHA)

Position contingent on contract award (target September 2026)

Location: Defense Health Agency Headquarters, 7700 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church, Virginia

Schedule: Full-time, on-site, Monday through Friday, 0700 to 1700 Eastern Time

Reports to: Contract Manager, ASRT, Inc.

Clearance: U.S. citizenship required. Active CAC eligibility or ability to obtain Tier 2 (Non-Critical Sensitive) suitability.

Start Date: On or about 24 September 2026, contingent on contract award notification. 

ASRT, Inc. is preparing a proposal to support the Defense Health Agency's Patient Administration Division at DHA Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia. The work supports the Military Health System's medical coding, health information management, and patient administration programs across roughly 700 Military Treatment Facilities serving 9.5 million beneficiaries worldwide. This role anchors the Medical Coding Program Branch (MCPB) support line on a five-year contract beginning September 2026.

ASRT is a Small Disadvantaged Business headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with a portfolio of 25+ active federal health contracts. 

Requirements

The Senior Medical Coding Subject Matter Expert serves as the technical lead for medical coding compliance and quality on the contract. This person works inside the Medical Coding Program Branch (MCPB), supporting MCPB staff and Military Treatment Facility coders with coding guidance, audit support, training, and policy interpretation under DoD Instruction 6040.42 (Medical Coding Program). The role is hands-on, on-site at DHA Headquarters, and reports through the ASRT Contract Manager.

Key Responsibilities

Provide subject matter expertise on medical coding rules, conventions, and DoD-specific guidance to Military Treatment Facility coders and MCPB staff.

Support enterprise coding compliance reviews and audits across Military Treatment Facilities. Identify gaps in coding accuracy and recommend corrections.

Interpret and apply DoD Instruction 6040.42, AHA Coding Clinic guidance, AMA CPT guidelines, ICD-10-CM/PCS, and HCPCS coding standards.

Author and review coding policy documents, standard operating procedures, and provider query templates.

Provide Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) recommendations and physician-query support.

Support DHA reimbursement and Private Sector Care interface accuracy by validating coded encounter data.

Train and mentor junior coders and clinical documentation staff at MTFs.

Participate in coding-related working groups and steering committees on behalf of the contractor team.

Brief MCPB leadership and the DHA Contracting Officer's Representative on coding compliance metrics on a regular cadence.

Required Qualifications

Active credential in good standing from one of the following: AAPC Certified Coding Specialist for Physician-based coding (CCS-P), AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC), AHIMA Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), or AHIMA Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) with coding specialization.

Minimum 10 years professional medical coding experience, with at least 5 years in a Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, or large federal healthcare environment.

Demonstrated working knowledge of DoD Instruction 6040.42 (Medical Coding Program) and related Defense Health Agency coding guidance.

Working knowledge of ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS coding standards.

Bachelor's degree in Health Information Management, Health Administration, Nursing, or a related field. Equivalent professional experience considered.

Active Common Access Card (CAC) eligibility or ability to obtain Tier 2 (Non-Critical Sensitive) suitability.

U.S. citizenship required.

Ability to commute daily to DHA Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia.

Preferred Qualifications

Prior coding experience inside the Military Health System, including MHS GENESIS (the DoD-wide electronic health record), the Composite Health Care System (CHCS), or other legacy DoD electronic health records.

Auditing experience under the MHS Coding Compliance Plan or a comparable federal coding audit framework.

Two or more active coding credentials (e.g., CCS-P plus CCS, or CPC plus RHIA).

Certified Documentation Improvement Practitioner (CDIP) or Certified Clinical Documentation Specialist (CCDS) credential.

Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher, or equivalent process improvement certification.

Retired military Medical Service Corps officer (O-5 or O-6) with a health information management background.

Prior experience supporting DHA Headquarters, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, or another National Capital Region Military Treatment Facility.

Work Environment and Compensation

Full-time, on-site at Defense Health Agency Headquarters, 7700 Arlington Boulevard, Falls Church, Virginia.

Standard schedule Monday through Friday, 0700 to 1700 Eastern Time. No telework anticipated for this role.

No CONUS travel anticipated outside of occasional local travel between DHA facilities in the National Capital Region.

Competitive federal contractor salary commensurate with experience and credentials.

Full benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) with company match, paid time off, and federal holiday observance.