Remote Volunteer Medical Coder Jobs in Salem, OR

Summary
This position is located in Health Information Services, of the Indian Health Service (IHS) Western Oregon Service Unit (WOSU) in Salem, Oregon. The purpose of the position is to manage the medical records administration program at the service unit to meet statutory and regulatory requirements. This position also provides supervision and guidance to positions in the Patient Care Component and Medical Records Teams.
Learn more about this agency
Duties
Help

• Ensure accurate ICD-10, CPT/HCPCS, and DRG assignment across all clinical services; monitors coding quality, documentation integrity, compliance with CMS/DHA standards, and drives continuous improvement.
• Advise leadership, physicians, and administrators on coding requirements, documentation standards, DRG management, and financial impacts.
• Directly supervise coding staff, assign work, evaluate performance, handle hiring and disciplinary actions, identifies training needs, and leads organizational improvements to enhance efficiency.
• Provide training to coders, physicians, residents, and other healthcare professionals on coding rules, documentation requirements, DRG methodology, and regulatory updates.
• Use data systems and audit tools to evaluate coding accuracy, identify trends or deficiencies, perform special studies, and recommend corrective actions to improve data reliability and revenue cycle performance.

Requirements
Help
Conditions of employment
Selectee may be subject to a probationary period
ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period
U.S. Citizenship is required
Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959
This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes.
A one-year supervisory/managerial probationary period may be required upon selection/placement.
Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/.
You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you.
Background Investigation Requirement:
This position requires the successful completion of a federal background investigation as a condition of employment.
A background investigation is a standard process used by the Federal Government to verify an individual's identity, employment history, education, and other relevant information to determine suitability for Federal service.
Upon receipt of instructions, applicants must complete all required background investigation forms within five (5) calendar days of issuance. Timely completion is critical to avoid delays in processing or a determination of unsuitability.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to prioritize this requirement and to maintain regular communication with their assigned Personnel Security Specialist throughout the process.
A REAL ID will be required beginning May 7, 2025, in accordance with 6 C.F.R. 37.5 (2021).
Prior to the appointment, candidates must present two valid forms of identification. If one of the documents is a state-issued ID or driver's license, it must be REAL ID-compliant.
Qualifications
To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.
BASIC REQUIREMENT(S):
Individual Occupational Requirements
General Schedule Qualification Standards - Medical Records Administration Series 0669
Education:
Successfully completed training in an approved school for medical records technicians equates to 1 year of general experience. No credit may be given for partial completion of such training.
Successful completion of a bachelor's degree in a medical records administration educational program accredited by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Medical Association's Committee on Allied Health Education and Accreditation (CAHEA) meets the requirements for GS-5 positions.
Successful completion of the requirements for a bachelor's degree (in any field) and 1 year in a medical records administration educational program accredited by AHIMA and CAHEA meets the requirements for GS-7.
OR
Specialized Experience (for positions above GS-5):
Examples of qualifying specialized experience include:

• Planning, developing, and directing a medical records program for a health care facility that meets both institutional goals and standards of accrediting agencies.
• Evaluating and analyzing the organization and operation of medical records services, including medical records and indexes, and recommending and/or implementing appropriate revisions and modifications.
• Assisting medical and administrative staff in evaluating the quality and appropriateness of patient and health care services.
• Designing information systems to collect, analyze, monitor, report, and maintain privacy and confidentiality of patient and institutional data for health care related programs, and evaluating and implementing changes to assure the reliability of data.
• Developing and implementing policies and procedures for processing legal medical documents and insurance and correspondence requests in accordance with Federal, State, and local statutes.

In addition to the Individual Occupational Requirements, you must also meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, GS-0669-9:
Your resume must demonstrate at least one (1) year of specialized experience equivalent to at least the next lower grade level in the Federal service obtained in either the private or public sector performing the following type of work and/or tasks: Supervises or oversees medical coding activities, including auditing, reviewing, and analyzing medical records to ensure compliance with regulatory and professional coding standards. Responsible for overseeing medical coding and Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) assignment operations to ensure compliance and accreditation standards for quality, accuracy, and productivity.
OR
Master's or equivalent graduate degree or 2 full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.B. or J.D., if related.
OR
A combination of the specialized experience and education. (Must provide transcripts)
Condition of Employment:
Registered Health Information Technician or Administrator (RHIT or RHIA) and Certification as a Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) or Certified Professional coder (CPC) is required within one year of employment.
SUPERVISORY AND MANAGERIAL ABILITIES: Candidates must have demonstrated in their work experience or training that they possess, or have the potential to develop, the qualities of successful supervision, as listed under the appropriate category below:

• Ability to motivate, train and work effectively with subordinates who have a variety of background and training.
• Ability to accomplish the quality and quantity of work expected with set limits of cost and time.
• Ability to plan own work and carry out assignments effectively.
• Ability to communicate with others effectively, both orally and in writing, in working out solutions to problems or questions related to work.
• Ability to understand and further manage goals as these affect day-to-day work operations.
• Ability to develop improvements in or design new work methods and procedures.

Time In Grade
Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP).
You must meet all qualification requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
Education
There are no education requirements.
You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer.
Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation.
If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Additional information
Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave.
This position is ineligible for the Bargaining Unit.
Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 1-year service agreement will be required.
The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit:
For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/
For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/
For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps
This position has no promotion potential.
You will be evaluated for this position in accordance with the OPM Merit Hiring Plan.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide short essay responses (200 words or less each) to the following four questions.

1. How has your commitment to the Constitution and the founding principles of the United States inspired you to pursue this role within the Federal government?
2. In this role, how would you use your skills and experience to improve government efficiency and effectiveness?
3. How would you help advance the President's Executive Orders and policy priorities in this role?
4. How has a strong work ethic contributed to your professional, academic or personal achievements?

• Your responses are optional and will not be scored.
• However, they may be reviewed by hiring managers and agency leadership (or designees) during the evaluation process.
• You will be asked to certify that your responses are written in your own words and that you did not use a consultant or artificial intelligence (AI) tool (such as ChatGPT or Copilot).

Expand Hide additional information
Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.
Benefits
Help
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.