Course Information
640 Hours
12 Months to Complete
$2,185.00
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Outpatient Medical Coding & Billing
Certification / Licensure - Exam Prep
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Course at a Glance
Overview
The online Outpatient Medical Coding & Billing Certificate Program consists of 19 course subjects that are broken into two key segments: fundamental knowledge pertinent to the medical coding profession followed by hands-on medical coding practice. The curriculum, designed by industry experts, integrates sound, video, virtual classrooms and libraries, discussion forums, and over 700 authentic medical reports. Upon completion of each course, you are provided immediate feedback and guidance on your progress.
Program Orientation
- Become introduced to the health care coding and billing industry and the online training program curriculum.
- Learn how to navigate and use the features of your online program, including test-taking and analyzing feedback and assessment.
- Obtain a syllabus and detailed study guide for use throughout your online program.
Technology and the Medical Professional
- Learn basic computer skills, including how to use hardware, software, peripherals, and wireless technology.
- Discover ways to use the Internet as a resource and methods of operating data storage and networking services.
- Gain knowledge of the specific hardware and software products developed for use in the health care environment.
Learning and Mastering Medical Terminology – Block 1
- Become familiar with available resources for understanding medical words and their meanings.
- Learn how to look up medical words and understand how they are structured using prefixes and suffixes.
Documentation, Confidentiality and Ethics
- Gain knowledge about health care documentation standards, HIPAA compliance regulations, and the adaptation of the electronic health record (EHR).
- Understand the role of the medical coding and billing professional in maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of the medical record.
- Become familiar with the documentation and confidentiality requirements within the healthcare environment and the impact advances in technology have had on the healthcare profession.
Learning and Mastering Medical Terminology – Block 2
- Review Block 1 of Medical Terminology and preview the use of root words in building medical terms.
- Examine specific root words in two separate sets: A though Ir and Is through X.
Evolution of Coding in the Healthcare Environment
- Discover the history of health care coding in the U.S. and throughout the world.
- Explore learning objectives, career opportunities, and certification information.
- Learn about current coding systems used and future systems that are being developed. The coding system utilized in the United States, including ICD-9-CM, CPT®, HCPCS Level II, DSM-IV, and ICD-O, will be explored, as well as the future implementation of ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS.
Learning and Mastering Medical Terminology – Block 3
- Review Blocks 1 and 2 of Medical Terminology and gain new understanding of medical words.
- Examine medical plurals, slang and jargon, foreign terms, word differentiation, and abbreviations.
Health Care Structure and Organization
- Explore the structure and organization of the health care system in the U.S.
- Study the parties involved in health care organizations, including consumers, providers, governing and regulatory agencies, third-party payers, vendors, and trade associations.
Anatomy, Pathophysiology and Disease Processes – Block 1
- Learn the basic anatomical structures through a body system approach, including the disease processes that affect the body.
- Examine disease entities, diagnosis, and treatment of the skeletal, muscular, digestive, respiratory, and reproductive systems.
Exploring Pharmacology
- Analyze the scientific properties of medicinal drugs, including actions and effects, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, and drug classifications.
- Review pharmaceutical terms in the context of medical reports with exposure to commonly prescribed drugs.
Anatomy, Pathophysiology and Disease Processes – Block 2
- Expand your knowledge of the basic anatomical structures learned in Block 1.
- Examine disease entities, diagnosis, and treatment of the urinary, cardiovascular, endocrine, nervous, and sensory organs.
Medical Record Content
- Review the various medical reports included in a patient’s outpatient medical record.
- Study the composition of each report type and learn how they relate to medical coding and billing.
Diagnostic Coding with ICD-9-CM – Block 1
- Become familiar with the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codebook.
- Explore important information regarding guidelines for coding and reporting health care services.
Diagnostic Coding with ICD-9-CM – Block 2
- Expand your understanding of the ICD-9-CM codebook and review the remaining guidelines and procedure codes for coding and reporting health care services.
Exploring Health Care Reimbursement
- Learn about the various types of payment systems used to reimburse medical services.
- Gain additional knowledge on claims processing and coding, billing for health care services, auditing, and monitoring the coding process.
Medical Procedural Coding – Block 1
- Learn the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT®) codebook and discover critical coding guidelines essential to medical coding and billing.
Medical Procedural Coding – Block 2
- Enhance your understanding of the procedural codes presented in the CPT® codebook.
- Develop your comprehension of the HCPCS Level II codebook.
Skill Building for Outpatient Coding
- Analyze actual outpatient medical records drawn from medical reports from across a wide variety of outpatient settings.
- Build upon your skills as you code various reports with increasing levels of complexity.
Skill Building for Inpatient Coding
- Analyze authentic inpatient medical charts drawn from inpatient records from across a wide variety of specialties.
- Gain hands-on experience with encoding software as you assign diagnosis, procedure, and diagnosis-related group (DRG) codes.
- Build upon your skills as you code various reports with increasing levels of complexity.
Final Exam Overview and Preparation
- Review final exam information, including the structure of the exam, tips for passing, and how to schedule the exam.
Textbooks & Materials (Included in Course Fee)
- 3M Encoding Software Reference and Reference Plus Software, which includes:
- American Hospital Association’s Coding Clinic for ICD-9-CM and Coding Clinic for HCPCS
- CPT Assistant (official coding advice published quarterly by the American Medical Association)
- Clinical Pharmacology drug reference
- Dorland’s Medical Dictionary and Elsevier’s Anatomy Plates
- Coders’ Desk Reference from Ingenix
- Faye Brown’s ICD-9-CM Coding Handbook
- The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy
- Dictionary of Medical Acronyms and Abbreviations
- Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test References
- Dr. Z’s Interventional Radiology Coding Reference
- Industry Standard Codebooks
- CPT Professional (medical coding)
- HCPCS Level II Expert (procedural coding)
- ICD-9-CM Expert (diagnostic coding)
- Subscription to Career Step Coding Bulletin newsletter
You will also receive the following support services:
- Unlimited student and technical support throughout the duration of your coursework
- Access to a career help hotline for one year after graduation
- Lifetime access to networking opportunities in forums and chat rooms
- Personal consultation with an employment advisor
- New job opening notifications
- Personalized interview tutorials and training
- Individual resume and sales letter review, tips, and advice
- Extensive outpatient medical coding and billing practicum
- Printed 3-volume reference library
- Certificate of Graduation upon completion
Course Completion
You have 12 months from your enrollment date to complete the course with an 85% passing grade.
Upon successful completion, you will be awarded with a certificate of completion and a transcript with Continuing Education Units (CEUs) from the University of North Dakota.
Certification Exam
Upon successful completion of the Outpatient Medical Coding & Billing course, you will be prepared for an entry-level position doing medical coding or billing in a medical office setting and will be prepared to sit for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) national certification exam.
- Certification preparation – Though industry certification is not always an employment prerequisite, holding a credential proves a certain level of expertise to employers and improves your career opportunities. After graduation you will be prepared to sit for the CCA, CPC, or CPC-H certification exams.
- Outpatient coders can earn certification with the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
IMPORTANT! This course prepares you for the CCA certification. You must also meet the professional association's eligibility requirements for the examination. The American Health Information Management Association's (AHIMA) eligibility requirement is a high school diploma or equivalent.