Medical Billing & Coding Employment Training

Training for medical coding and billing is becoming increasingly complex.

Medical coding and billing specialists are part of the growing field of health information technology. With encouragement from government organizations such as the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the push is on to convert from the current paper-based system to electronic health records, or EHRs. While on-the-job employment training remains an option for entering this field, rapid procedural changes and advances in technology make formal education and training a better choice for long-term employment success.

Advantages of Certification

The move toward more formal education comes in part from a growing preference for employees possessing general and specialized certifications. For example, the registered health information technician (RHIT) certification, a common entry-level certification, requires a minimum of a two-year associate degree. The AAPC, or American Academy of Professional Coders, strongly recommends a minimum two-year degree for both general and specialized certifications. Certification through the National Cancer Registrars Association as a certified tumor registrar (CTR) also requires, as a prerequisite, a two-year degree or a minimum of 60 college credits.

Associate Degree

A typical associate degree program includes heavy focus on courses specific to medical coding and billing, followed by general education and professional development courses. Keeping in mind that program requirements vary depending on the school you attend, core education courses can include topics such as computerized billing, medical insurance and billing, and coding methodologies such as ICD-9 and CPT. General education courses include medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, as well as instruction on a variety of computer software programs. Professional development courses may include human resource management, supervision and medical law or ethics.

Bachelor's Degree

Career aspirations that involve moving into supervisory or management positions may require a four-year degree. This provides employment training and education leading to positions such as a medical coding administrator or registered health information administrator (RHIA). In addition to coursework that focuses on the specifics of the profession, instruction in business administration, ethics and law, compliance and management strategies are common.

Continuing Education

Although the number of credits and course content are specific to each medical coding and billing certification, all require continuing education credits, or CEUs, as a condition of maintaining certification. As of 2011, the Commission on Certification for Health Informatics and Information Management reports the continuing education requirement for a certified coding specialist (CCS) is 20 per year, plus two self-assessments. If you have an RHIT certification, the requirement is 30 CEUs, and if you possess multiple certifications, the number increases proportionally. You can meet CEU requirements by attending classes online or in traditional classroom format, authoring or editing books or publications, or via a variety of independent study options.

References

• The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology: Why Health IT?
• Health-Care-Careers: Medical Coding and Billing and Medical Records Technology-Education and Training Requirements
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition-Medical Records and Health Information Technicians
• American Academy of Professional Coders: Certified Professional Coder
• National Cancer Registrars Association: Eligibility
• Education Portal: Sanford Brown AAS in Medical Billing and Coding