Medical coding ranks high among essential services in the healthcare industry. With the competitiveness of the global job market, the coding profession is in high demand. Considering the job outlook, high salary, and many other factors, many candidates try hard to get into the job. However, if you want to start a new chapter as a medical coding professional, it is essential to get Medical Coding Certification through Medical Coding Courses.
Here we have provided you with some must-know things for you thinking of learning to code. What can you do with coding? What do you need to do to start a career?
What Medical Coding Training, Courses Should You Get? Read on to learn everything.
What is Medical Coding?
We can introduce medical coding professionals as an integral part of preparing patients’ medical records. They provide more accurate data about a patient’s overall health. They provide a means for doctors and health care providers to obtain insurance reimbursement for related services. Coders are responsible for the overall financial well-being of their employing organization.
Medical coding is an essential service for any patient receiving healthcare. Its main objective is to maintain a standardized and secure language between providers and payers for communicating patient information related to reimbursement. Also, if a patient is connected to the doctor’s office, emergency room, or telehealth, it is not a problem.
Any medical coding service has an outstanding essential function. That is, they must review the clinical records written by the physician and convert the procedures and diagnoses into CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS level codes.
What is the best medical coding course?
Overall, the best Medical Coding Courses, Degrees and Medical Coding Training will allow you to establish yourself in the industry. Most coding schemes may also include several subspecies. Accordingly, below are some of the best coding palettes you should get among the rankings.
Learn More: Medical Coding Certification: A Complete Guide 2022
Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
You can get a medical-based coding education in this medical coding course. In the CPC preparation curriculum, students thoroughly know how to prepare health care plans using CPT, HCPCS Level 2, and ICD-10-CM codes.
Students can complete the CPC curriculum as a foundation to gain more advanced medical coding skills. There is a group for whom this training program is most important. Healthcare environments, walk-in clinics, doctor’s offices, and telehealth teams exist.
The CPC medical coding certificate students receive at the end of this course is more suitable for coders working in an outpatient setting. According to the AAPC, students can earn other certifications at the end of the CPC curriculum.
You might also need to read:
All You Need to Know About CPC, COC, and CIC Exams
The CPC Exam – Online or In-Person?
Certified Professional Coder CPC Certification Exam
Certified Inpatient Coder Training Course (CIC)
It is a course that trains students to report inpatient examinations, judgments, and specific procedures. CIC is most important for resident medical coding professionals working in a hospital setting. The final CIC Medical Coding certification can confirm that students have mastered the ICD-10-PCS code set and MS DRG systems.
Certified Outpatient Coder (COC)
This medical coding scheme was formerly known as CPC-H. It is essential for medical coders working in hospital settings.
It is a primary medical coding palette for hospital groups, billing and coding departments, and ambulatory surgery centers. Its core teachings include CPT, HCPCS Level 2, ICD-10-CM codes, and applications to insurance companies for outpatient facilities. Students receive practical training for the COC exam, and this course can begin careers in outpatient services.
Advanced ICD-10-CM Code Set Training
ICD-10-CM coding is essential for revenue cycle management in any healthcare organization. Students who complete this coding training course master the highest coding skills. Additionally, they confirm the integrity of ICD-10 reporting. This medical coding curriculum and certification can be critical to physicians and providers with sharp diagnostic coding skills.
Behavioral health coding training
This curriculum teaches students about behavioral health and substance abuse guidelines. The general purpose of this certification series is to support billers and other medical office professionals in making behavioral health diagnoses. Students will also have the best chance to learn ICD-10-CM, CPT, and E/M coding guidelines.
Dental billing and coding with medical cross-coding
This comprehensive medical coding course covers the principles of billing for dental coding. Students will thus be able to get a complete introduction to CDT. And they have the opportunity to understand many of the practical scenarios presented by the ADA’s CDT 2020 Coding Companion. This Medical Cross Coding and Dental Billing and Coding Series are very important if someone wants a complete coding guide and an understanding of conventions.
Accordingly, students will eventually be able to perform any coding for dental services. That means they will quickly understand CDT, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level 2, and CPT codes through this curriculum.
Also, students can learn terminology related to revenue cycle management and oral cavity anatomy about dentistry. The specialty of this certificate program is that students do not need any other education or experience for the program.
Advanced neurology and neurosurgical coding palette
This course is most useful for coding professionals working in neuroscience. Through the curriculum, students can gain a very high understanding of the anatomy of the nervous system and how to code relevant procedures for neurological diseases.
In addition, this is also an excellent opportunity for them to study in-depth CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS level 2 coding that applies to the field. At the end of the training course, you’ll be able to identify critical clinical documentation issues affecting neurology and surgical reports separately.
Pathology Online Training Course
Completing this series is essential for those who wish to focus more on understanding disease processes and progression. Through training courses, students can gain complete knowledge about the causes of major diseases and their systemic effects and dysfunctional physiology. Also, this is an excellent opportunity for students to get basic knowledge related to the steps of revenue cycle management in the relevant fields.
Home Health Coding Palette
If you are interested in working with a home health agency, you should take the home health coding course. You know home health care is a highly regulated and monitored industry. Through the curriculum, students can get an education in clinical case management and medical information review.
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Coding Series
The Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Coding course provides students with a thorough knowledge of coding rehabilitation. It is also an excellent chance to gain proficiency in physical medicine services. If you are a medical coding professional working in a PMR center, take this course to get specialized training.
EHR and EMR Expert Series
By the end of this entire course, students will learn how to navigate electronic health record systems. They also know how to maintain the security of electronic records, use EHR/EMR, and avoid errors with checks and balances. The main goal, of course, is to ensure the integrity of patients’ medical records. In other words, students get the opportunity to capture the patient’s data correctly.
MACRA proficiency course
MACRA proficiency students will eventually become healthcare professionals and competent coders. Under some quality payment programs (QPP), medical professionals must receive total financial rewards for the care they provide to healthcare providers. At the end of a complete course, students can acquire the knowledge to run a modern coding program with compatibility.
Denial Resolutions
Through the curriculum, students can complete CMS-1500 proper claims, learn revenue cycle management and rejection classification and learn steps to resolve them. Advanced training for medical coders provides the most up-to-date information on billing and denials from insurance carriers.
Certified Risk Adjustment Code (CRC)
This risk-adjusted coding curriculum allows students to develop their skills to the next level. That can lead to a higher impact on provider reimbursement, especially after they become medical coding professionals. This CRC course provides students with a clear understanding of the hierarchical category, risk adjustment models, and health and human services models used by Medicare and several commercial payers. In addition, they will better understand the risk adjustment model and the disability payment system.
Online Medical Coding Courses
Nowadays, we can often see online training courses. A large number of medical coding training courses are also now conducted online. Through them, students can get proper education anytime from home without difficulty. There, students can get complete training and study through the course for certification. It’s an excellent chance for them to serve in a financially rewarding field and establish their careers appropriately.
Most of the ones mentioned above belong to this online color series category. We have categorized them into individual online training courses, and You can see the list below.
- CPC: CPC Preparation Charts, Physician’s Office Medical Coding
Price – $1995.00
- COC: Code of Preparation, Outpatient Facility Coding
Price – $1895.00
- CIC: Code of Preparedness, Inpatient Hospital Facility Coding
Price – $1995.00
- CRC: Computational Correspondence, Adjusted Risk Coding
Price – $1195.00
What are the advantages of choosing online medical coding courses?
Online medical coding courses prepared by various regulatory organizations will guide you to the most excellent jobs. They provide a more comprehensive education that prepares you to crack the exams. AAPC’s online medical coding courses often give you about 50% more quality value than others.
And anyone can complete an online course in as little as six months. It is not as long as university education. Also, attend classes even while commuting from your home or office. Also, this has the advantage of learning faster whenever you have free time.
Classroom training vs. online training for medical coding
If you take online training, you can get certified faster than college students. And you can be ready for a professional life in 4 to 12 months. You can also get regular online training at a lower price than a 2- or 4-year degree program.
Classroom training ensures that you are well-prepared to take your training, course exam. Online learning is also a great option to prepare you for the certification required by an employer.
Duration of Medical Coding courses
Several factors determine the length of time it will take you to earn a medical coding training course and medical coding certification. That is, depending on the route you want to take, the duration of the way you choose will vary.
Most diploma programs can take you a year to complete. Also, if you participate in an associate degree program, you can complete your degree in less than two years after completing the training. Also, if you appear for the CPC exam, you may have to spend extra time to meet the required qualifications.
Even if you pass the exam, you must have work experience to get full CPC status. Otherwise, you will have to work as a CPC Apprentice until you provide proof of educational qualifications and experience.
What it takes to start a medical coding career
If you choose medical coding as a career, you don’t have to have a related degree. Here, all the health information you need starts with technology. You can complete the above criteria and obtain the certificate from a recognized institution. That means you can create your medical coding career using the CPC credentials you get in a short period.
Most professional coders work independently. Also, a coder must complete the interaction between physicians, office coding staff, and medical billers. Experienced medical coders miss versatility in many cases.
The color scheme you choose can vary depending on several factors. That is, the training courses vary in terms of time and curriculum. Some of them can be completed in 4 months, and some will take about six months. However, you need CPC certification or enough experience first.
For moms: Medical Billing And Coding Jobs For Moms 2022
Steps to becoming a medical coder
1. Get an education
To enter the medical coding career, one can first complete a high school or college education and earn a certificate or associate degree. A certificate program gives you the ability to enter the profession quickly. As mentioned above, students can learn many things, such as medical office technology, billing procedures, and regulatory requirements.
It’s also a good idea if your degrees include an associate’s degree in health security management or health information management. In all those ways, you need to meet in the end with writing ability, communication, and thinking skills.
Earning an associate degree may take you longer than a certificate program. Also, you have a chance to grasp a much more comprehensive range of skills than a certificated palette. Subjects covered by students include human resources, health policy, data analytics, and project management.
2. Pass the exam.
The purpose of any curriculum is to train you for the exam. Accordingly, students must obtain the CCA credential, a nationally recognized standardization certification in health information management. AHIMA has stipulated that students undergo six months of training before getting it. You can apply for a good-paying job by earning a certificate.
3. Gaining work experience
After you get your certificate or degree, you should enter and work in an office. You can easily access the latest career resources by joining professional organizations like AHIMA or AAPC. You can also consider obtaining work experience, custom work plans, hospital medical staffing, and other types of professional credentials. It may vary depending on your needs and level of education.
4. Get additional credentials
After gaining work experience, you can obtain professional credentials such as Certified Coding Specialist and Certified Coding Specialist MD. As mentioned above, CCS is a certificate for specialists who classify medical data for hospital patients. CCS-P allows you to specialize in medical-based settings as a medical coder.
5. Pursue continuing education
The certificate you get from steps 2 and 4 above is limited to a specific period only. If you have two AHIMA certificates, you must complete 30 CEUs every two years. That means recertification is essential for you to do.
There are several continuing education initiatives. That is teleconferences, published studies, formal educational programs, delivered sermons, personal research, and many more things are included in it.
Workplaces of medical coders
When you start coding professionally, you will have opportunities in many workplaces. Among them are the following.
Healthcare systems, laboratories, hospitals, doctor’s offices, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent and semi-urgent care clinics, imaging centers, therapy centers, sports medicine care centers, hospitality establishments, consulting firms, medical equipment and supplies outlets, insurance companies, EHR Software Marketing Services
Many are concerned about the few companies that pay medical coders more than most.
The salary paid to a medical technician varies depending on the service company or employer. That is, larger healthcare institutions pay them more.
Also, a large healthcare organization often has health information technicians, medical billers employed by health systems, and various medical coders in such an organization. It is often different from a single practice or a small group, where it earns 19.36% more than others.
Service Profile of a Medical Coder
There is a strong need for medical billing and coding professionals for any sector within the healthcare sector. They primarily process health-related data and increase access to it among those in healthcare facilities. Most of the time, this profession is done through computers and the internet.
Medical coders must always be responsible for the security of the data and records they handle. The essential knowledge they must have is knowledge about classification systems. Healthcare professionals can use the information they process to obtain reimbursement from insurance companies for medical operations.
Is it a good idea to choose a medical coding specialist career?
According to the reports available in World Reports, among the job opportunities available to any student without a college degree, medical coding is mentioned as the third profession. Anyone who becomes a coding professional and a highly qualified specialist can enjoy a competitive salary and many other benefits. Also, they can work from home at a high level.
Salary of a Medical Coding Professional
A medical coder earns an average annual salary of $58,055. That’s generally higher than the median annual salary of all other U.S. jobs. Also, if you make another certification that demonstrates some extensive coding expertise, you have the potential to make as much as $64,712.
Average annual salary by the size of the workplace
- Coaching Services – $68
- Outpatient Central Practice Teams – $50,541
- Outpatient Large Practice Groups – $55,437
- Inpatient and Outpatient – $57,862
Average annual salary depending on experience.
- One year of experience – $45,456
- 2-4 years of experience – $450,490
- 5-9 years of experience – $57,769
- More than 30 years of experience – $73,150
Coders with more experience usually earn more. Because of their knowledge, they are more adept at charting more patients in a shorter period. Medical coders are generally compensated through one of three payment models. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, certain hourly wage workers must receive overtime pay if they work 40 hours.
The other category includes salaried employees exempt from FLSA regulations. However, the total payment by any organization depends on factors such as the number of coders they increase, the number of coders who work remotely, and the number of graphs they can complete in a given period—the higher their coding speed, the higher their salary potential.
Want to become Medical Coding Specialist? : Medical Coding Specialist Career Guide 2022
