Professional Medical Coder

Medical coding has become one of the most sought after occupations in any industry. Professional coder's are responsible for having a good understanding of the disease process, and clinical procedures in order to apply accurate identifying codes that are submitted for reimbursement of services. Professional Coder's can be found in multiple healthcare settings including private practice offices, ambulatory facilities, and hospital facilities. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for certified medical coders will increase 22 percent through the year 2022. The 2016 median income for a certified medical coder was between $29,360-$51,850, this varies depending on location and experience level. What's in this program? This program provides students with a complete, comprehensive training experience. The program has been broken down into three individual sections, Medical Terminology, Medical Coding, and ICD-10 Coding. Each section will cover the necessary skills to pass the included national certification and pursue entry level employment. In this program, students will gain basic skills in medical terminology as well as a mastery knowledge of how to properly code using the current CPT, ICD, and HCPCS systems. Enroll through one of our accredited university or college partners today!

Module 1: Medical Terminology • The structure of medical terms • The differences between prefix and suffix • Testing and radiology using medical terminology • The different body systems in relation to medical terminology Module 2: In-depth medical coding • Medical Coding CPT - Integumentary, Musculoskeletal, Respiratory Systems • Medical Coding CPT - Cardiovascular, Digestive, Endocrine, Nervous Systems • Medical Coding CPT - Evaluation Management, Medicine, HCPCS Modifiers • Medical Coding CPT - Anesthesia, Pathology, Radiology SCORM package • Medical Coding ICD-10 - Structure • Medical Coding ICD-10 - General Guidelines • Medical Coding ICD-10 - Chapter Guidelines Part I • Medical Coding ICD-10 - Chapter Guidelines Part II • Medical Coding ICD-10 - Practice Scenarios

All required reference materials are provided with this program. Technical requirements: Internet Connection • Broadband or High-Speed (DSL, Cable, Wireless) Hardware Requirements • Processor - 2GHz Processor or Higher • Memory - 1 GB RAM Minimum Recommended Software Requirements • Operating Systems - Windows 7, 8 or 10; Mac OS x 10 or higher • Microsoft Office 2007, 2010 or 2013 or a Word Processing application to save and open Microsoft Office formats (.doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx, .ppt, .pptx) • Internet Browsers - Google Chrome is highly recommended • Cookies MUST be enabled • Pop-ups MUST be allowed (Pop-up Blocker disabled) • Adobe PDF Reader

After completing this program students will be prepared to sit for the AAPC's Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam. A CPC must have at least two years medical coding experience (member's with an apprentice designation are not required to have two years medical coding experience.) Membership is required to be renewed annually and 36 Continuing Education Units (CEU's) must be submitted every two years for verification and authentication of expertise. Due to the level of expertise required of medical coders, AAPC expects certified coders to be able to perform not only in an exam setting but also in the real world. In addition to passing the certification exam, coders will also be required to demonstrate on-the-job coding experience. Those who pass the CPC exam but have not yet met this requirement will be designated as an Apprentice (CPC-A) on their certificate. CPC-A Status: Members with an Apprentice designation are still required to submit annual CEUs while completing the coding job requirement. Each state may have additional licensing requirements, be sure to research your states requirements for employment by visiting your states occupation board.

This class is an independent-study course. Students will have all the resources needed to successfully complete the course within the online material. A student helpdesk is available for technical support during the course enrollment.