Medical Coding Degree

Guide to Medical Coding Degrees

Degree

What is Medical Billing and Coding?

 

More Answers From Medical Billing and Coding Professionals

Video Transcript

Host Question:
What is medical billing and coding? What does that mean?

Guest Answer:
Health care providers see patients. They write down what they do. We take that documentation using our medical terminology, anatomy and physiology information. We translate it into understandable information that we then put into code, translated into medical coding. And then we take those medical codes and we put them into insurance claims using some other data manipulation. And we work with the insurance companies and there are policies and procedures and other regulatory agencies to get money from those insurance claims. And then we do some accounting to make sure that all the patient’s claims are paid, and we report back about our progress in drawing that revenue stream for our organizations.

Guest Answer:
Well, we’re looking primarily at is the revenue cycle. And there’s 10 steps to the revenue cycle which billing and coding is all part of all that is taking the doctors chart notes and ensuring that what the doctor says is was related in the codes. You come in for a fever, that is a diagnosis code. If he removed a hangnail, then that’s a procedural code. So those are all alphanumeric codes that translate into either a dollar or into a diagnosis.

Guest Answer:
So the medical billing portion is more dealing with the insurance side of things. And you would be working from a list of rejections and that type of thing, getting the coding fixed so that the insurance companies will pay it for your practice or hospital. And the coding side is more reading what the physician has actually done or said in their office visits or procedures and inputting a diagnosis code or a CBT or ICD-10 PQRS procedure code with what he’s actually done.

Guest Answer:
So medical billing and coding is extracting billable information from the medical documentation. And then the billing aspect of that is using those same codes to create insurance claims. And they’re kind of the backbone of the health care revenue cycle.

Guest Answer:
Medical billing and coding is the practice of actually getting the claims, you know. Correct giving them at the door. And so a provider, making sure that the codes that a provider has selected are occurring. And it’s basically just the knowledge of all of that entails like to do coding and billing there one that can happen without.

Whitney Tyson

Whitney Tyson

Medical Billing Manager

21 Years Experience

Rachel Beaubouef

Rachel Beaubouef

Medical Billing and Coding

4 Years Experience

Ronald Weightman

Ronald Weightman

Medical Biller, Coder & Auditor

13 Years Experience

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Medical Billing, Coding & Auditing

10 Years Experience

Stephanie H

Stephanie H

Medical Coding Neurosurgery

11 Years Experience

Best Online Medical Coding Degree Programs

Medical billing and coding degrees are offered at the certificate, associates and bachelors degree levels. At the associates or bachelors level, the degree is often called, Health Information Management, Informatics, or Healthcare Administration in addition to Medical Billing and Coding. Below you’ll find accredited online medical billing and coding degree programs that will prepare you for your career in the field:

Search Medical Billing and Coding Programs

Get information on Medical Billing and Coding programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

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Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

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What Are Bachelors in Medical Billing
And Coding Degree Programs Like?

 

More Answers From Medical Coding Professionals

Video Transcript

Host Question:
What is the medical billing and coding associate’s degree? How long would that take to get and what types of jobs does that open you up to?

Guest Answer:
For associates, that’s going to be a two year either in-person or online. And then as far as jobs that it opens up, I’m not sure that it really opens up a lot more than a certification program. Some providers or companies they might prefer if you have an associate’s over a certification.

Guest Answer:
The associates level is useful for billing and coding, especially if you came from like the hospitality industry or some other place because the associates degree, it’s going to take you two years as opposed to a year or less with a certificate. So you’re going to get more support in your educational foundation, which is nice if you have the time, and you have the ability to invest in that, it’s a worthwhile investment because then you’re going to likely have a degree that’s probably going to be not labeled medical billing and coding, but health information management, which brings you to a level where you have even more options for certification open to you, like you can be certified in billing and coding and electronic health records and medical office administration. So you have a few more options open to you with the associate’s degree.

Whitney Tyson

Whitney Tyson

Medical Billing Manager

21 Years Experience

Rachel Beaubouef

Rachel Beaubouef

Medical Billing and Coding

4 Years Experience

Ronald Weightman

Ronald Weightman

Medical Biller, Coder & Auditor

13 Years Experience

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Medical Billing, Coding & Auditing

10 Years Experience

Stephanie H

Stephanie H

Medical Coding Neurosurgery

11 Years Experience

Best Online Medical Coding Degree Programs

Medical billing and coding degrees are offered at the certificate, associates and bachelors degree levels. At the associates or bachelors level, the degree is often called, Health Information Management, Informatics, or Healthcare Administration in addition to Medical Billing and Coding. Below you’ll find accredited online medical billing and coding degree programs that will prepare you for your career in the field:

Search Medical Billing and Coding Programs

Get information on Medical Billing and Coding programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

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Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

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What Are Medical Billing And Coding Associate Degree Programs Like?

 

More Answers From Medical Coding Professionals

Video Transcript

Host Question:
What is the medical billing and coding associate’s degree? How long would that take to get and what types of jobs does that open you up to?

Medical Biller and Coder Answer:
For associates, that’s going to be a two year either in-person or online. And then as far as jobs that it opens up, I’m not sure that it really opens up a lot more than a certification program. Some providers or companies they might prefer it if tou have an associate’s over a certification.

Medical Biller and Coder Answer:
The associates level is useful for billing and coding, especially if you came from like the hospitality industry or some other place because the associates degree, it’s going to take you two years as opposed to a year or less with a certificate. So you’re going to get more support in your educational foundation, which is nice if you have the time, and you have the ability to invest in that, it’s a worthwhile investment because then you’re going to likely have a degree that’s probably going to be not labeled medical billing and coding, but health information management, which brings you to a level where you have even more options for certification open to you, like you can be certified in billing and coding and electronic health records. And medical office administration. So you have a few more options open to you with the associate’s degree.

Whitney Tyson

Whitney Tyson

Medical Billing Manager

21 Years Experience

Rachel Beaubouef

Rachel Beaubouef

Medical Billing and Coding

4 Years Experience

Ronald Weightman

Ronald Weightman

Medical Biller, Coder & Auditor

13 Years Experience

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Medical Billing, Coding & Auditing

10 Years Experience

Stephanie H

Stephanie H

Medical Coding Neurosurgery

11 Years Experience

Best Online Medical Coding Degree Programs

Medical billing and coding degrees are offered at the certificate, associates and bachelors degree levels. At the associates or bachelors level, the degree is often called, Health Information Management, Informatics, or Healthcare Administration in addition to Medical Billing and Coding. Below you’ll find accredited online medical billing and coding degree programs that will prepare you for your career in the field:

Search Medical Billing and Coding Programs

Get information on Medical Billing and Coding programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings
Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

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Should You Get an Online Medical Billing and Coding Certificate?

 

More Answers From Medical Coding Professionals

Video Transcript

Host Question:
Are there any advantages or disadvantages to online education, specific to the topics you’re learning in medical billing and coding or the work you’re eventually going to be doing?

Medical Billing and Coding Expert Answer:
Thanks for asking that because as I said, I thought that the in-person experience was going to be richer and while I was teaching this in-person class. We kept talking about the fact that we could just be doing this online, that we could be sitting there in our pajama bottoms doing the same thing. There are electronic versions of all the books. There is screen sharing. There is teleconferencing. We can do it online. And I did find that the hybrid experiences were great and even better than some of my in-person classes. Just a quick story. And the fall semester, I got COVID. So instead of having my students be delayed in their program and extending it, I just. Coughed a little bit more than a little bit, probably online and did the classes in Zoom. And everyone wanted to stay in Zoom. So once we could get some kind of rapport, going in the classroom was great, but we ended up being fine in Zoom. I advocated for it.

Medical Billing and Coding Expert Answer:
It depends on the person. So it depends on how they learn. Like, do you like it? Are you casting or are you like, you know, just give me the basics and I can literally teach myself anything. So it kind of depends on the person because I wouldn’t recommend if you are that person where give me the basics and not going to learn it all. So go into a classroom. But then a person is like, no, I really need to be in person. So there any questions I may have? Because a lot of times when you’re looking at courses online, a lot of them may not be live, they may be recorded. So if you have a question, you have to wait to ask them to support you, email or the teacher asks the question in that way, you know, so then they are to get that answer. But if you’re a person, it’s like I’m very inquisitive. I really want to the knowledge. At that time I definitely go right into a classroom.

Whitney Tyson

Whitney Tyson

Medical Billing Manager

21 Years Experience

Rachel Beaubouef

Rachel Beaubouef

Medical Billing and Coding

4 Years Experience

Ronald Weightman

Ronald Weightman

Medical Biller, Coder & Auditor

13 Years Experience

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Medical Billing, Coding & Auditing

10 Years Experience

Stephanie H

Stephanie H

Medical Coding Neurosurgery

11 Years Experience

Best Online Medical Coding Degree Programs

Medical billing and coding degrees are offered at the certificate, associates and bachelors degree levels. At the associates or bachelors level, the degree is often called, Health Information Management, Informatics, or Healthcare Administration in addition to Medical Billing and Coding. Below you’ll find accredited online medical billing and coding degree programs that will prepare you for your career in the field:

Search Medical Billing and Coding Programs

Get information on Medical Billing and Coding programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings
Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings

Certificate, Associates vs. Bachelors Medical Billing and Coding Degree?

 

More Answers From Medical Billing and Coding Professionals

Video Transcript

Host Question:
Would you say there are reasons or advantages to going the certification route versus a college degree route?

Medical Billing and Coding Expert Answer:
Go through a certification program as opposed to going through an associates or bachelor’s degree. If you’re already planning to get your associate’s or bachelor’s degree and this is something you want to major or minor, and that would be when I would suggest going the college route. But getting a certification is going to be the fastest way.

Medical Billing and Coding Expert Answer:
It really depends on your goals. If you’re one that you just want to be in that cubicle, do the job that you really like do in that certification is perfect. If you want to get into management, you’ll get into the field. You’ll get really good at what you’re doing and you’re going to get bored. At least that’s what happened to me. And so I started looking around some of the certifications, maybe going to Western Governors University. They have a great health information program there. That’s more with another national group called the ima, and that’s health information management. That’s a different sector of things. It does incorporate a lot of billing coding, but it’s a whole different thing that really ties in with it a lot. I think it just really depends on your goals. If you’re really computer savvy and you really like doing that kind of stuff and you know what that cool language is if you know that and you’re into that kind of stuff. Hey, that’s probably about $20 grand more a year doing one of those jobs. And you can get really high up into health care corporation as an IT person.

Whitney Tyson

Whitney Tyson

Medical Billing Manager

21 Years Experience

Rachel Beaubouef

Rachel Beaubouef

Medical Billing and Coding

4 Years Experience

Ronald Weightman

Ronald Weightman

Medical Biller, Coder & Auditor

13 Years Experience

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Medical Billing, Coding & Auditing

10 Years Experience

Stephanie H

Stephanie H

Medical Coding Neurosurgery

11 Years Experience

Best Online Medical Coding Degree Programs

Medical billing and coding degrees are offered at the certificate, associates and bachelors degree levels. At the associates or bachelors level, the degree is often called, Health Information Management, Informatics, or Healthcare Administration in addition to Medical Billing and Coding. Below you’ll find accredited online medical billing and coding degree programs that will prepare you for your career in the field:

Search Medical Billing and Coding Programs

Get information on Medical Billing and Coding programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings
Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings

What are Medical Billing and Coding
Certificate Programs Like?

 

More Answers From Medical Billing and Coding Professionals

Video Transcript

Host Question:
What is a medical billing and coding certificate program? How long does that take to do and what jobs does that open up to you?

Medical Biller and Coder Answer:
The first thing to know is with the coding certifications, there are different coding certifications. Some of them don’t even require you to buy coding books, and they are just organizations that provide certification exams. So that you can prove proficiency in your skill. They aren’t something to be ignored. They are very useful, but they are really just there to prove to everyone that you have proficiency in billing and coding certification companies. Then there are certifications that are associated with professional societies like the American Academy of Professional coders or the American Health Information Management Association. They are just to get you certified and prove that you’ve taken the certification and pass. But they are whole professional societies with networking and resources and job boards and friends that so they are kind of two levels of certification.

Medical Biller and Coder Answer:
If you just already have a job lined up or you already have a goal in mind with your certification, taking a certification exam from the FHA or American Medical Careers Association, those or American Medical Billing Association, they’re fine to get just certified. Any potential employer can check that you have passed the certification exam. You are proficient in your skills. If you want to network and be involved in et cetera and so on. Then going for certification with those other organizations and being a member of a professional society is also good.

Medical Biller and Coder Answer:
Let’s start with certificate programs through a college because there are different kinds of certification programs. So a certificate through a college is usually something you can do online or in-person and work at your own pace, and usually you can complete it within a year or less.


Medical Biller and Coder Answer:
This comes in your research when you’re looking at school. Like I said, there’s a number of schools on there that will have an online certification program or a medical billing and coding certification program. And they will teach you, I’m hoping that they would teach you enough how to use a coding book. My two year program went through community college accredited because it’s a community college, but it taught me not only how to use those books, but how to take the National exams. And that’s really important because you want to be able to sit for a national exam and be accredited. Especially nowadays, there are people who’ve been in the field for 30, 40 years that aren’t certified, but they’ve been at that job for 30, 40 years. They know that job better than a kid coming out of school. Trust me, any kid coming out of school should sit at their feet and learn because you will be doing that for the rest of your life. Coding changes every year, there’s updates every year, so you have to stay on top of it. And that’s another thing with your certifications and national certifications. You pay dues. You have to have continuing education units turned in. I know it’s about every two years. It’s 36 of them. Sometimes those things can be quite expensive. You can also get very creative and there’s a lot of inexpensive CEs available out there as well. Research it’s all in the research.

Medical Biller and Coder Answer:
Oh the specific were out. It definitely took me about two years just to begin on the actual program. A lot of clearance through the agency for coding, professional certificate for professional coders or professional biller say a humor that could take up to two years just to be now with certification. But it definitely is a route out that you can take, but it also is a plethora of different jobs you can get from that as well. Because being a CPC apprentice, like I said, you start off on the lower end of the spectrum, but you could definitely work that off like you do is different programs that you can go through where you work out that and you could go for making $17 this year for making over $25 – $30 next year only because of your experience in that particular program. And if you are professional coder, that program is well, it takes about two years, which like I say, you can do the same science even with the billing portion, you can work with different providers in clinical research your way where they’re trying to see how you can be billed, what can be billed, the reimbursement rate. And so you can set your own hours if you work for a provider’s office. They probably arranging about $99 or higher, to be honest, you have this expectation. So, you know, for that particular part. In our certificates for both billing and coding combined together. I would say that takes maybe like three months, depending on who you go through.

Medical Biller and Coder Answer:
The main accreditation or certificate company that I would use is the ABC and they have their own course and you can take tests locally through them anywhere across America. So they have the billing and coding. Then their next step is the CBC. That one’s going to take a little longer, I would say like six months or so, but you don’t have to have a college background for those certificate programs. The one with the college background would be through a different accrediting organization. There would be a HEMA, and your first credential that you can get with them is the HRT and then the CCA. And those too do require that you have an associate’s degree through an accredited college, someone that is accredited through AHIMA to be teaching these courses. So you get your authority, your safety is through that. You can also take those task locally. They will actually have you go into a testing site through AHIMA.

Whitney Tyson

Whitney Tyson

Medical Billing Manager

21 Years Experience

Rachel Beaubouef

Rachel Beaubouef

Medical Billing and Coding

4 Years Experience

Ronald Weightman

Ronald Weightman

Medical Biller, Coder & Auditor

13 Years Experience

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Zia Rivera-Clarkson

Medical Billing, Coding & Auditing

10 Years Experience

Stephanie H

Stephanie H

Medical Coding Neurosurgery

11 Years Experience

Best Online Medical Coding Degree Programs

Medical billing and coding degrees are offered at the certificate, associates and bachelors degree levels. At the associates or bachelors level, the degree is often called, Health Information Management, Informatics, or Healthcare Administration in addition to Medical Billing and Coding. Below you’ll find accredited online medical billing and coding degree programs that will prepare you for your career in the field:

Search Medical Billing and Coding Programs

Get information on Medical Billing and Coding programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings
Search Medical Assistant Programs

Get information on Medical Assistant programs by entering your zip code and request enrollment information.

Sponsored Listings