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Optum Medical Coding Jobs in Iowa (NOW HIRING)

Software Engineer

Waterloo, IA · Remote

$72K - $130K/yr

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people ... Join our team as a Software Engineer where you will work on the Intelligent Medical Network to ...

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Optum Medical Coding information

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$14

$24

$35

How much do optum medical coding jobs pay per hour?

As of Jun 26, 2026, the average hourly pay for optum medical coding in Iowa is $24.75, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $20.34 and $27.79 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Is it easy to get into Optum?

Optum Medical Coding positions typically require relevant certifications such as CPC or CCS and some experience in medical coding. The application process involves submitting a resume, passing skills assessments, and demonstrating knowledge of coding guidelines, making entry competitive but achievable for qualified candidates.

What is an Optum Medical Coding job?

An Optum Medical Coding job involves reviewing medical records and assigning standardized codes for diagnoses, procedures, and treatments. These codes are used for billing, insurance claims, and healthcare data analysis. Coders must follow industry regulations, such as ICD-10, CPT, and HCPCS coding systems. Accuracy and compliance are crucial to ensure proper reimbursement and minimize claim denials. Optum medical coders may work remotely or in healthcare facilities, collaborating with providers and billing teams.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the Optum Medical Coding position, and why are they important?

To thrive as an Optum Medical Coding specialist, you need a solid understanding of medical terminology, anatomy, and ICD-10-CM, CPT, or HCPCS coding systems, often supported by a relevant certification such as CPC or CCS. Familiarity with electronic health record (EHR) systems and medical billing software is essential for accurately capturing and processing patient data. Attention to detail, analytical thinking, and strong communication skills help ensure precise code assignment and effective collaboration with healthcare providers. These competencies are crucial to ensure claims are accurate, compliant, and processed efficiently, supporting optimal billing outcomes and healthcare operations.

What is the highest paid Medical Coder job?

The highest paid medical coding roles are often senior or specialized positions such as Coding Manager, Coding Director, or Certified Professional Coder (CPC) with extensive experience and certifications. These roles typically offer higher salaries due to increased responsibilities, leadership duties, and expertise in complex coding systems like ICD-10 and CPT. Salaries can also vary based on industry, location, and employer size.

Are medical coders going to be replaced by AI?

Medical coders, including those in roles like Optum Medical Coding, perform complex tasks that require understanding medical terminology, documentation, and coding guidelines. While AI and automation tools are increasingly used to assist with coding processes, human oversight remains essential to ensure accuracy, compliance, and handling of complex cases. Therefore, medical coders are unlikely to be fully replaced by AI in the near future but will continue to work alongside automation tools to improve efficiency.

Are medical coders still in demand?

Medical coders, including those in roles like Optum Medical Coding, are in steady demand due to ongoing healthcare industry needs for accurate billing and record-keeping. The role requires knowledge of coding systems such as ICD-10 and CPT, and certifications can enhance job prospects in a growing field.

What are the typical daily tasks for someone working in Optum Medical Coding?

As an Optum Medical Coding professional, your daily responsibilities involve reviewing clinical documentation, accurately assigning appropriate medical codes for diagnoses and procedures, and ensuring that billing submissions comply with regulatory requirements. You may regularly communicate with physicians or clinical staff to clarify documentation or resolve discrepancies. Additionally, coders often participate in audits, ongoing education, and quality assurance checks to maintain high standards of coding accuracy. The role typically involves working with a supportive team of other coders, billing specialists, and healthcare professionals, often in a remote or office-based setting.

What are the most commonly searched types of Optum Medical Coding jobs in Iowa? The most popular types of Optum Medical Coding jobs in Iowa are:
What are popular job titles related to Optum Medical Coding jobs in Iowa? For Optum Medical Coding jobs in Iowa, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Optum Medical Coding job openings in Iowa as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 80% Full Time, and 20% Part Time. Highlights an 84% In-person, and 16% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $51,489 per year, or $24.8 per hour.
Software Engineer

Software Engineer

UnitedHealth Group

Waterloo, IA • Remote

$72K - $130K/yr

Full-time

Retirement

Posted 2 days ago


UnitedHealth Group rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 141 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

188th of 876 rated healthcare providers


Job description

Optum is a global organization that delivers care, aided by technology to help millions of people live healthier lives. The work you do with our team will directly improve health outcomes by connecting people with the care, pharmacy benefits, data and resources they need to feel their best. Here, you will find a culture guided by diversity and inclusion, talented peers, comprehensive benefits and career development opportunities. Come make an impact on the communities we serve as you help us advance health equity on a global scale. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together. 

Optum Insight is partnering with payers, providers, governments, and life sciences companies to simplify and enhance clinical, administrative, and financial processes through software-enabled services and analytics, while advancing value-based care as part of Optum's broader mission to help millions of people live healthier lives. Through this work, teams contribute to better health outcomes by improving how care, data, and services connect across the health system. Join us to start Caring. Connecting. Growing together.

Join our team as a Software Engineer where you will work on the Intelligent Medical Network to build, enhance, and maintain highly scalable and reliable applications. In this remote role, you will focus on cloud-native software engineering within AWS, leveraging modern serverless architecture such as Amazon ECS on Fargate and AWS Lambda. You will leverage cutting-edge tools to streamline your engineering workflows while utilizing GoLang and Python to develop high-performance services. This is an exciting opportunity to work with innovative technology that directly impacts the connection of data and services across the health system, with opportunities to develop and deploying advanced AI-powered integrations.

You will enjoy the flexibility to telecommute* from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Design, develop, test, and deploy scalable, secure, and reliable serverless applications and microservices on AWS
  • Build and optimize serverless infrastructure leveraging AWS Lambda and Amazon ECS on Fargate
  • Leverage enterprise-approved AI tools to streamline workflows, automate coding tasks, and drive continuous improvement
  • Evaluate emerging technology trends to inform solution design, strategic innovation, and future platform enhancements
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product owners, architects, and QA engineers, to deliver high-quality software solutions for the Intelligent Medical Network
  • Maintain and improve existing codebase, ensuring clean, efficient, and well-documented code
  • Create and execute robust unit, integration, and performance tests to ensure application quality and stability
  • Support the deployment and continuous integration (CI/CD) pipelines to automate application delivery
  • Participate in code reviews, technical discussions, and agile ceremonies to share knowledge and foster continuous improvement

You'll be rewarded and recognized for your performance in an environment that will challenge you and give you clear directions on what it takes to succeed in your role as well as provide development for other roles you may be interested in.

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related technical field OR 4 years of professional software engineering experience
  • 2 years of experience working with AWS cloud platforms (e.g., Lambda, ECS, S3, RDS)
  • 1 years of experience developing, deploying, and maintaining RESTful APIs or microservices

Preferred Qualifications:

  • 2 years of professional experience developing software applications using Python
  • Experience developing with Go (GoLang)
  • Hands-on experience with serverless container architectures on AWS, specifically ECS on Fargate and AWS Lambda
  • Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform or AWS CloudFormation
  • Experience in the healthcare industry, particularly working with clearing houses, medical networks, or claims data
  • Knowledge of modern CI/CD practices and version control tools (e.g., Git)

*All Telecommuters will be required to adhere to UnitedHealth Group's Telecommuter Policy.

Pay is based on several factors including but not limited to local labor markets, education, work experience, certifications, etc. In addition to your salary, we offer benefits such as, a comprehensive benefits package, incentive and recognition programs, equity stock purchase and 401k contribution (all benefits are subject to eligibility requirements). No matter where or when you begin a career with us, you'll find a far-reaching choice of benefits and incentives. The salary for this role will range from $72,800 to $130,000 annually based on full-time employment. We comply with all minimum wage laws as applicable.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. 

Application Deadline: This will be posted for a minimum of 2 business days or until a sufficient candidate pool has been collected. Job posting may come down early due to volume of applicants. 

At UnitedHealth Group, our mission is to help people live healthier lives and make the health system work better for everyone. We believe everyone-of every race, gender, sexuality, age, location, and income-deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life. Today, however, there are still far too many barriers to good health which are disproportionately experienced by people of color, historically marginalized groups, and those with lower incomes. We are committed to mitigating our impact on the environment and enabling and delivering equitable care that addresses health disparities and improves health outcomes - an enterprise priority reflected in our mission.

UnitedHealth Group is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer under applicable law and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

UnitedHealth Group is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

#RPO #GREEN


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