How to Get a Medical Billing & Coding Certificate
Whenever we go to the hospital or get services in any health care setting, the diagnoses and treatments given are always recorded. However, in order for health care providers to get paid for the services that are provided, they have to bill insurance companies and they have to submit treatment information in the form of medical codes. As a result there is a profession which is solely dedicated to medical billing and coding.
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Instructions
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Identify a Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) approved medical billing and coding program that is located in your geographical area. If you are a high school graduate or if you have completed a GED, then you will be eligible to attend a CAHIIM-approved associate's degree or bachelor's degree program. CAHIIM determines the standards of educational preparation for medical coders and billers.
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Successfully complete the required courses at a CAHIIM-approved medical billing and coding program. Courses will include topics such as an overview of the medical coding and billing profession, medical terminology, coding basics, procedural coding, diagnostic coding and professional issues.
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Complete the required supervised coding and billing experience that is usually a part of CAHIIM-approved medical coding and billing programs. The supervised work experience will usually involve you going to a specific health care site that is approved by your university program and actually doing medical coding and medical billing under the supervision of professionals already working in the medical coding and billing field.
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Take the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) exam which will enable you to become either a RHIT or a RHIA coder. Pass the exam with a passing score. An RHIT is a Registered Health Information Technician and usually this designation goes to individuals who have graduated an associate's degree program. An RHIA is a Registered Health Information Administrator and usually this designation goes to individuals who have graduated a bachelor's degree program.
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Find jobs in hospital settings, doctors offices, or other medical settings. There are usually job listings at the AHIMA website. Associate's degree graduates have starting salaries in the range of $20,000 to $30,000 per year. Bachelor's degree graduates have starting salaries in the range of $30,000 to $50,000 per year. After working five years, you can make $50,000 to $75,000 per year.
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