Certificate Program
18 weeks/430 Clock hours with 100 hours of Clinical Externship
Objectives
and goals
The Medical Billing and Coding program is designed
to prepare students for a career in medical billing
and coding fields. This program has been created for
students who have no prior knowledge or experience
in the health care environment and provides them
with an overview of the major responsibilities
needed to work in the profession
The main objective of this program is to prepare students to be able to navigate through CPT, ICD-9 and HCPCS coding format and conventions, demonstrate proper and efficient navigation skills and coding guidelines. Students are also being taught medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, completion of medical insurance forms and use of Medical Office Computer Software (Medisoft).
The core curriculum for Medical Billing and Coding Program is designed to meet national standards and competencies for Medical Billers and Coders preparing individuals to enter the profession of Medical Billers and Coders. Medical Career Institute provides on-campus lectures and work-simulated training with program appropriate equipment needed to successfully prepare students for this highly technical environment. The on-campus classroom/office affords space for lectures, demonstrations and laboratory practice for mock medical office procedures. The off-campus Clinical Externship module of the curriculum is structured to include supervised hands-on training (requiring competencies logs and evaluations) at Clinical Externship Site.
Upon successful completion of the program, the graduates will be proficient in performing entry-level duties of Medical Billers and Coders including reviewing patient's documentation to accurately code all diagnosis, procedures and services using ICD-9 Manual and HCPCS Level II for procedures and services. They also will be able to apply gained knowledge of insurance rules and regulations to accurately prepare and review generated claims to ensure that all required data are reported thus maximizing reimbursement. The Medical Billing and Coding Program prepares the reasonable diligent student to sit for credentialing exam and for success at achieving an entry-level employment.
Working conditions
Medical Biller/Coders work in clean, well lit, and
cool and relatively quiet environments. They may
well be required to sit for long periods of time,
and it is vital their attention be focused on the
tasks at hand. Most
medical billers and coders work a regular 40-hour week: although they may be
"Part-time", work nights, weekends and holidays on a rotating basis, depending
on their facility.
Employment
Many Medical Billers/coders are employed in Doctor's offices, hospitals,
ambulatory centers, and emergency departments. Some are employed directly by
doctors in the "private assistant role," while others work as self-employed
individuals. Their broad educational background, plus specialized focus, allows
medical billers/coders to function well in a number of diverse areas of their
field. Employment possibilities in addition to the aforementioned include
insurance companies and private billing companies.
Medical Billing and its related occupations are one
of the fastest growing opportunities in health care.
Insurance companies and the government are spending
more time and money researching and controlling
claims' fraud, abusive practices, and medical
necessity issues. A number of medical
billers/coders become instructors after 3 years of experience in the field.