It depends on the employer. I live in a rural area and many individual clinics are willing to hire people who only have computer skills and a little accounting background and then train them for coding and billing. In areas where trained coders are easier to find, this might not necessarily be the case...but it may still be worth checking out.
Also, how long ago did you quit school? ICD9 is on the way out the door, so coders are all having to learn a new system that has a heck of a lot more specifics. As for working at home, I don't know if it works the same for all employers, but many are willing to let you work from home after they've gotten to know and trust you after some in-office work...with everyone I've worked for, that's just meant downloading the associated software on my home computer.
I cant really gove you an answer,but what I can give you is a way to a solution, that is you have to find the anglde that you relate to or peaks your interest. A good paper is one that people get drawn into because it reaches them ln some way.As for me WW11 to me, I think of the holocaust and the effect it had on the survivors, their families and those who stood by and did nothing until it was too late.