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Medical Coding & Billing Course Outline

Medical Coding and Billing Estimated Time of Completion

Estimated Length of program:
5-12 months, self-paced

Medical Coding and Billing Estimated Time of Completion

Certification:
CBCS exam pass rate 88% vs. 78% National Average

Medical Coding and Billing Estimated Time of Completion

Program Goal:
To prepare students to take the certification exam of their choosing and gain entry-level employment as a medical coding & billing specialist.


Program Outcomes

Graduates of this course will be trained in the theoretical instruction and practical skills that prepare them to gain entry-level medical coding and billing positions in a variety of medical settings, such as physicians’ offices, ambulatory care centers and billing services.

Cynthia Bracy Instructor

Medical Coding & Billing Specialist Program Instructor/Course Expert

Cynthia Bracy, MPH, RHIA

At U.S. Career Institute, our dedicated team of course experts, instructors and instructor assistants are committed to developing and delivering high-quality curriculum. Our qualified Medical Coding & Billing Specialist instructor Cynthia Bracy, not only possesses extensive qualifications but has also actively worked in the field. This firsthand experience allows her to provide invaluable support to ensure the success of our aspiring Medical Coding & Billing Specialist students.

Online Medical Coding and Billing Career training outcomes

The coursework trains students to:

  • Apply theory and practical skills to assign diagnostic and procedural codes to medical records according to coding guidelines.
  • Integrate medical terminology, human anatomy, physiology and disease processes with medical coding and billing systems.
  • Apply theory and practical skills to work in medical billing.
  • Implement the essential skills of medical billing, electronic claims submission and insurance form completion for medical service providers.
  • Apply effective medical ethics and legal theory in your career.

Curriculum

Instruction Pack I: Introduction to Medical Coding and Billing

In Pack 1, students explore the roles of various healthcare professionals. Additionally, students discover the role medical records play in a coding and billing specialist’s job and gain a basic understanding of electronic records. They learn medical terminology using a unique word-building system to help them interpret new terms. After examining important ethical and legal issues that they may encounter, students build on their medical terminology knowledge within each body system.

Instruction Pack II: Medical Billing

Student begin Pack II by learning about the history and development of healthcare reimbursement. Students gain an overview of private insurance, managed care and government programs, as well as the details of military insurance and workers’ compensation. Students get extensive, hands-on practice completing the CMS-1500 form and interpreting explanations of benefits, as well as completing secondary claims. Students then explore how to deal with insurance basics, denials and aging. Finally, students learn to complete a claim using a cloud-based medical billing software.

Instruction Pack III: Diagnostic Coding

In Instruction Pack III, students will learn the basics of anatomy before diving into the specifics of the ICD-10-CM coding manual. Students examine the structure of the ICD-10-CM coding manual, as well as the guidelines and rules of ICD-10-CM coding. Additionally, students integrate diagnosis coding processes with physiology knowledge—from infections to mental disorders to pregnancy. Students also begin coding symptoms, ill-defined conditions, injuries and poisonings. Students use an ICD-10-CM coding manual to complete the course.

Instruction Pack IV: Procedure Coding and Code Integration

Students can apply their anatomy and diagnostic coding knowledge in Instruction Pack IV, which focuses on the CPT. Students gain an introduction to the HCPCS coding manual format and coding rules. Students learn about the sections within the CPT and integrating the diagnostic and procedure codes. Students use a CPT coding manual to complete the course.

Instruction Pack V: Evaluation and Management Services and Final Exam

Students learn how and when to use evaluation and management codes in their final pack. They complete a Final Exam, giving them an opportunity to apply outpatient coding skills.

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