Associate's Degree in Healthcare: Billing and Coding91 Total CreditsThis program provides students with a solid foundation in the critical skills needed in healthcare billing and coding practices, and the technologies that support them. Successful graduates will be well-prepared to enter the healthcare field as billing and coding specialist as both physician-based and in-patient-coders, with a valuable level of general education, technological competence, interpersonal abilities, and a keen understanding of the value and importance of correct billing and coding. They will also be well prepared to take either the AAPC or AHIMA certification exams for Apprentice level certificates.
Healthcare Courses Healthcare Courses - 59 Credits Introduction to the Healthcare Field This course is designed for individuals entering the Healthcare Field with an emphasis on the highly specialized billing and coding procedures. It will also provide a glimpse into a Day in the Life of a Billing and Coding Specialist. This will include understanding basic concepts of medical terminology as they relate to human anatomy, physiology, disease and the practice of medicine; Medical Terminology This course will provide students with a foundation to recognize medical terms using the four word part approach (prefixes, word roots, suffixes, combining vowels). This will prepare the student to better understand and master the terminology common to diseases and the medical field and related to health care delivery. Emphasis will be placed on improving written and oral communication skills pertaining to medical terminology. Pronunciation, identification, and spelling are stressed. The student will experience real life applications of medical terminology through the use of pathology, and history and physical forms from actual hospital medical records. A working knowledge of medical terminology is desirable for anyone entering one of the health science fields. Simulations will provide students with the opportunity to practice creating billing and coding records. Students will learn how to apply knowledge of medical terminology and anatomy to code medical procedures and diagnoses. This course will help students understand and utilize insurance and medical terminology Introduction to Medical Billing and Coding I This course will also explore managed care and Medicare plans and their effects on medical care, medical costs, and reimbursement. The students will also learn the basic financial and bookkeeping applications used in the medical environment. Students will learn to transform verbal descriptions of diseases, injuries, and procedures into numerical designations. This is an introductory course on the basics of the most current ICD-9-CM, CPT, and HCPCS coding and other related healthcare software systems. The course will also show students how to perform mathematical calculations, based upon medical benefits, to advise patients of possible balances before claim submission. Anatomy and Physiology I This course outlines the organization of the human body from the single cell to the coordinated whole, with emphasis on the interaction of all body systems. Special attention is paid to clinical and pathological conditions, and an extensive vocabulary of medical terminology will be incorporated. This includes an emphasis on the clinical and pathological conditions of all body systems. Special focus will be placed on adding to the vocabulary of medical terminology and the dialogue with the Doctor, especially as it relates to the work of the Billing and Coding Specialist. Anatomy and Physiology II This course provides a basic understanding of the organization of the human body with emphasis on the clinical and pathological conditions of all body systems. Special emphasis will be placed on adding to the vocabulary of medical terminology and the dialogue with the doctor and other medical staff, especially as it relates to the work of the Billing and Coding Specialist. Billing and Coding Law and Ethics The course content is designed to acquaint medical personnel with various legal aspects relevant to their profession, and with applying these principles to medical situations. The goal is to provide the student with a working knowledge of medical ethics, HIPPA Regulations, release and consent forms and jurisprudence, as it relates to local, state and federal regulations for billing and coding. The course will also demonstrate proper responsibility when working with patient confidentiality issues by adhering to HIPPA guidelines. Medical Office Procedures for Billing and Coding This course will familiarize the student with the medical office. The student will build patient files, post entries, make appointment schedules, complete patient billing procedures, generate reports, complete and file medical records and code for accurate insurance billing. ELabs will enable the student to use actual versions of the software, used in medical environments, to practice data entry based on conversations and other types of information. Medical Billing and Coding II This course prepares students for basic billing and coding skills necessary in a doctor’s office or other medical facility. This course includes Front Office Management, Filing Part B HCFA 1500, filing Part A HCFA 1450, Medicare, Medicare Billing Problems, and Patient Record Keeping using Medisoft, Medicare as Secondary Payer, Medicare and Home Health, Medicare and Women’s Health. A CD will be included in the course that will show examples of various billing systems and their requirements. Students will begin to learn the need for accuracy and speed when billing and coding through various practice exercises and begin to understand the complexity of the billing and coding system. Medical Billing and Coding III This course will provide medical billing and coding specialists with the skills necessary for employment in physicians' offices, clinics, hospitals, and insurance companies. Students will learn current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codes, diagnosis codes (ICD-9-CM), HCPCS coding (supplies and injectables) while focusing on HIPAA, OIG, and Medicare compliance. Professional Edition CPT, ICD-9, and HCPCS manuals will be used from the preferred publisher St. Anthony’s/Medicode. Focus is on various medical insurance policies as they relate to codes and billing. Discusses managed care companies in this area and their requirements. Medical Billing and Coding IV Students will learn to transform verbal descriptions of diseases, injuries, and procedures into numerical designations. Accuracy will be stressed to enable students to provide proper billing of their physician’s assessment for the patient’s condition(s) and/or problem(s). Proper coding is emphasized as an essential part of every successful modern medical practice. The course shows students how medical billing and coding helps health care professionals avoid miscoding, which can lead to lost revenue, slowed receivables and even an audit. This course will show students how to apply knowledge of ICD-9-CM and CPT-4 coding to properly link codes for maximum reimbursement. Medical Billing and Coding Practicum V This course reviews and summarizes the preceding Medical and Billing Coding courses. Through real-world scenarios and case studies, listen and learn examinations, eLabs, one-on-one mentoring and role playing with other students, billing and coding situations that will be encountered on the job will be presented, tested and evaluated. The goal of this course is to prepare the student to use what they have learned and show them the intricacies of billing and coding that they will face when they are at work. Basic Pharmacology This course covers the basic principles of pharmacology, therapeutics and pharmacy. It includes the basic and applied aspects of both the desirable and undesirable effect of the major drug groups, basic and applied aspects of pharmacokinetics and drug delivery systems. It will enable the billing and coding specialist to better understand the doctors and medical staff when they are describing various medical conditions and their treatments. Medical Office Procedures In this course the student will learn to manage the administrative functions in the electronic office such as handling telephone communications, implementing records management systems, and managing business information. The student will also learn the importance of appropriate patient relationships, good working relationships, team-building and problem-solving for career success. This course covers the development of business administration skills important to the effective management of a medical office. Focus is on development of the organizational skills utilized by the billing and coding specialist. Medical Communications This course will begin to acquaint students with the specialized medical language and jargon used in the healthcare field. Special emphasis will be placed upon the dialogue that occurs between billing and coding specialists, doctors, medical staff and patients. Students will have the opportunity to listen to and evaluate what is being said between doctors, nurses, patients and billing and coding specialists. Medical Customer Service Principles This course introduces and reinforces basic service principles and helps students develop professional customer handling and telephone skills to help ensure customer satisfaction when inquiring about billing or insurance related issues. It includes the communication skills of listening, questioning, call control and empathy. Difficult situations are covered, with an emphasis on problem solving and assertive communication. TECHNOLOGY COURSES - 10 Credits Basic Computer Skills I This course is designed for any individual who needs to improve touch keyboarding skills applicable to today’s sophisticated electronic typewriter and computer keyboards. A minimum touch keyboarding speed of 35 wpm is required for course completion. Advanced Computer Skills II This course introduces computer novices and/or beginning students to the features and functionality of computer hardware and computer literacy, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Applications such as Word and Excel and email. Email will be used to link students with classmates, faculty, and the World Wide Web. Upon completion, students will be prepared for immediate and successful productivity in other courses utilizing computer technology. Medical Keyboarding Practicum This course develops touch control of the alphabetic and numeric keyboard, reinforces proper keyboarding techniques, builds basic speed and accuracy, and provides practice in applying those skills to the formatting of coding and billing screens, reports, related business letters, and envelopes. Students must achieve a "C" or better. Minimum speed requirement for the course is 40 wpm/three minutes/three errors or less. GENERAL EDUCATION COURSES - 22 Credits Research and Study Skills The purpose of this course is to help the student transition to a college environment. The course is designed to assist the student to be successful through presentation of information regarding effective study habits, career and academic planning, and other resources available to students. Practical Writing In this course the student will develop writing ability for study, work, and other areas of life. The course emphasizes writing the paragraph and essay form with some attention to occupational correspondence and reports. The course guides the student in learning writing as a process: understanding audience and purpose; exploring ideas and information from traditional and popular forms of communication; revising; and editing. General Psychology This introductory course identifies those scientific methods used to study human behavior. Discussion centers around the contribution of heredity, environment, learning, perception, motivation and emotion in shaping our individual personalities. Students learn theories and concepts of behavior, perception, and personality. Topics include biological, physiological, and cognitive processes, learning and motivation, emotion, lifespan development, social behavior, and applied psychology. Introduction to Sociology An introductory course designed to acquaint the student with a working knowledge of the concepts used by sociologists and with the well-established generalizations in the field. Topics to be studied include socialization, culture, population, group processes social stratification, ethnic/racial stratification, gender stratification, and social change. Communication Skills This course explores the principles and techniques of effective written business communications. Students will discuss, critique, and practice business-writing strategies to produce e-mail messages, letters, reports, and presentations, while developing critical thinking skills. Emphasis on public speaking and critical thinking. Business Mathematics Students explore applications of mathematics in economic and business contexts. Specific topics include functions and related business formulas, tables and graphs, and finance (including interest). The basic tools of quantitative analysis are also covered. This course includes a basic understanding of simple accounting procedures, all part of the medical skill set needed by billing and coding specialists. Principals of Medical Management This course is designed to provide the billing and coding student with a practical understanding of management principles, techniques, and concepts used in a medical office. Course topics include an overview of the nature of organization and the primary functions of a manager or supervisor: creating, planning, organizing, motivating, communicating, and managing. Students explore each managerial function through case studies and problems focused on a billing and coding office in both a physicians office and a hospital setting. Career Development This course will be used to enable graduates of the program to create a compelling and complete portfolio of the skills and knowledge they have gained from the program. It will help graduates portray themselves as skilled individuals whose talents range from billing and coding to patient interactions to computing skills. It will prepare them for employment as a billing and coding specialist in a medical office, clinic, hospital, and nursing home or insurance company. It will show a depth of skills and knowledge for insurance biller/clerk, as well as jobs dealing with medical records and medical data entry. Students focus on career strategies, including resume writing, interviewing, and employment research. Students explore career and industry opportunities and use web-based and other job-search tools. Students will finish this course with a professional resume containing their work history and all the skills learned during the program. Optional Programs Spanish Medical Translation Students will learn to understand and translate from Spanish to English and English to Spanish, the key medical terms and conditions that may occur during interactions with Patients for whom English is a second language. Special emphasis will be placed upon the dialogue that occurs between billing and coding specialists and patients with regard to phone calls and inquiries regarding insurance and billing questions. A dictionary translating common Spanish words and phrases into English will be supplied for this course. A CD-ROM will also be used with audio of simple language exercises and correct pronunciations to help the listener learn spoken Spanish as well as written Spanish. National Exam Test Prep This course compiles and summarizes the official coding guidelines concerning the most common yet complex diagnosis coding issues. The course is organized by major body system chapters, as found in the ICD-9-CM manual. Each chapter is organized by (1) Issues (2) Coding Clarification (3) Physician Documentation Issues, and (4) Coding Scenarios. The accompanying CD presents real life coding problems illustrating the issues are presented with ICD-9-CM solutions This course is designed to prepare the student to take both the Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H) examination administered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
Topics for review include Medical Terminology, Human Anatomy, CPT Coding Guidelines, ICD-9-CM (Vol. 1, 2, and 3) Diagnostic Coding, HCPCS Level 2, E/M Coding, Anesthesia Coding, Surgical Coding, and Use of Modifiers. Students will also be supplied with a test prep CD. |
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