What Courses Are Needed to Become a Medical Billing Specialist?

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By Sheena Binkley
eHow Contributing Writer

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A medical billing specialist plays an important role in the medical field by maintaining important health documents for patients as well as processing payments and claims for a hospital or doctor's office. A person who is interested in becoming a medical billing specialist has to possess good organizational skills and be willing to learn on a daily basis. Several technical schools and colleges provide training in this area, and a student can earn a certificate in as little as six months. What follows are the sorts of courses a person might expect when studying to become a medical billing specialist.

Introduction to Health Care

This course will give an overview of the history of medicine and the role health professionals play in the industry.

Medical Billing I & II

Medical Billing I will introduce students to the field of medical billing and claims reporting. Students will understand the concepts behind processing insurance payments, billing and reimbursement, physician coding and compliance, and claims processing. Medical Billing II will be a continuation of Medical Billing I and go further into the billing process and include payments such as Medicare, Medicaid and TRICARE. Other areas that students will focus on include workers' compensation, disability and hospital billing.

Medical Terminology

Medical Terminology will help future billing specialists understand the terminology used by health care professionals. Usage of basic and complex medical terms will be discussed as well as terms related to the body.

Basic Office Procedures

This will be an introduction to basic methods of coding using the International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition, Clinical Modification (or ICD-9-CM) for diseases and Current Procedural Terminology (or CPT). Students will go through several coding exercises to fully understand the concept of medical billing and coding inside an medical office.

Medical Office Procedures

This course will cover basic administrative procedures handled in a health care facility. Lessons will include the effective use of communication, scheduling appointments, and record-keeping. Students will use medical office software programs, such as Medisoft and MedicsElite.

Medical Law and Ethics

Students will be introduced to several legal issues associated with health care, including ensuring patients' confidentiality, releasing information and court proceedings. By the end of the course, students will know basic legal terminology, retention guidelines, patient rights and health care ethics.