Is It Permissible to Work as a Medical Insurance Coder?

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas

Question: I was looking into working from home as a medical coder. The job would require me to take the diagnosis and procedures preformed by the doctor and convert them into codes for insurance purposes. Is this halal, since the coding job will be done to get payment from the medical insurances companies?

Answer: assalamu `alaykum

From what I understand from the description of a clinical coder or a medical insurance coder, the job itself is permissible. This is because the actual work such an individual does consists of entering patient information into classification systems software in order for a health care provider to determine whether they will be reimbursed by the patients insurance company.

This task of the coder is in and of itself permissible and is therefore not considered directly assisting in sin as the clinical coder is in no way drawing up the insurance contract, evidencing it, or working directly with the actual insurance company.

However, though the income from such a job would be permissible, there may be some dislikedness in the work itself as it could be deemed indirectly assisting someone in sin. As such, it is optimal to avoid if one can do so without putting oneself in hardship. Otherwise, simply dislike it slightly in one’s heart.

Also see: Is It Considered Assisting in Sin to Develop Software for Casinos, Banks, or Insurance Companies?

Salman

Checked & Approved by Faraz Rabbani