Overview
About the Program
One-year (3 semesters) combination of part- and full-time certificate schedule with a mix of core health information management, general education, and medical billing & coding courses. Medical billers and coders evaluate and interpret health information to ensure accurate and complete capture of billing and coding information. Using various classification systems, they code and categorize patient information for insurance reimbursement purposes, databases, and registries and to maintain medical and treatment histories. After completing the certificate program, students are eligible to sit for a coding/billing credentialing exam through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) or a coding credential through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). This program is fully online and can be completed on a part-time basis. Medical billing & coding professionals work in many different settings with a wide range of job titles. According to the US Bureau of Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, medical billers & coders have a 15% growth outlook through 2024, which is expected to increase as the population ages. (BLS, September 2019).
Learning Outcomes
- Review health records and verify completeness, accuracy, and appropriateness of data and data sources according to requirements and standards.
- Code, classify, and index diagnoses and procedures for the purpose of reimbursement, standardization, retrieval and statistical analysis.
- Apply the reimbursement policies and procedures in the use of clinical data, issues and systems and perform data quality reviews to validate code assignments as well as the completion of the UB-04 and CMS-1500.
- Collect, compute, analyze, interpret, and present statistical data related to healthcare services, including quality management, utilization management, risk management, medical research, disease registries, clinical indices.
- Apply legal principles, policies, regulations and standards for the control, use, and dissemination of healthcare information.
- Use software applications and technology in the completion of Health Information Management processes.
- Use appropriate electronic or imaging technology for data/record storage.
- Query and generate reports to facilitate information retrieval using appropriate software.
Total Credit Hours: 31
Application Requirements – Limited Enrollment
Application Requirements
- MTC Application for Admission and nonrefundable application fee.
- Final high school transcript (or GED results) and college transcripts (if applicable).
- A minimum 2.5 accumulative grade point average (GPA) in high school or college-level courses (whichever is most recent).
- Completed Health Information Technology application (link to apply provided by first-year advising).
If required, College Foundation courses are available to help you meet any specialized program admission requirements. A complete listing of all requirements and policies/procedures for the program is available in the Health Information Technology Handbook.
Certification
Marion Technical College’s (MTC) Medical Billing & Coding program is designed to prepare students for the ever-changing and constantly growing field of Medical Billing & Coding. Within the program, students will cover a wide range of topics including health information management, medical terminology, electronic health records, computer applications, billing, coding, and legal issues. In the final semester of this program, students will prepare and register for coding certification testing. Upon successful completion of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) external certification examination, the graduate is awarded the credential of a Certified Coding Associate (CCA). AHIMA, 223 N. Michigan Ave, 21st floor, Chicago, IL 60602-5800, 312-233-1100. Students who complete the program are also eligible for billing and/or coding certification through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC, 2233 S Presidents Rd, Suite F, Salt Lake City, Utah 84120, 800-626-2633, www.aapc.com) by taking either the Certified Professional Coder Apprentice (CPC-A) or Certified Professional Biller (CPB) exams.
Total Credit Hours: 31
Career Opportunities
Career Opportunities
- Medical Billers
- Medical Coders
- Data Abstractors
- Claims Processing Technicians
- Accounts Receivable/Follow-Up Representatives
Total Credit Hours: 31
Curriculum
The following is a typical course sequence for completing this program. The actual time needed to complete the program will vary according to each student’s individual needs.
First Semester
Second Semester
| ALH1120 | Human Diseases | 3 |
| HIT1301 | Clinical Classifications ICD10-CM/PCS | 4 |
| HIT1302 | Current Procedural Terminology | 3 |
| HIT1401 | Healthcare Reimbursement | 3 |
Third Semester
Total Credit Hours: 31