Medical Information Coder/Biller Overview (6528)
Type of Award
CCC - College Credit Certificate
Program Website
www.palmbeachstate.edu/career-pathways/pathway-health/default.aspx
Program Description
This AHIMA PCAP approved program prepares students for employment as medical coders and health insurance specialists. The medical coder is responsible for assigning correct diagnostic and procedural codes to medical documentation from patients’ medical records to ensure appropriate medical insurance reimbursement and compliance.
The Medical Information Coder/Biller program content is comprehensive, covering both inpatient and outpatient coding and documentation principles. This requires knowledge and abilities in anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, computer software, reimbursement, health insurance, ethics, legal and regulatory requirements, and health information management.
Program Accreditation
The Medical Information Coder/Biller program is approved through the Professional Certificate Approval Process (PCAP) by the American Health Information Management Association Foundation. This designation acknowledges the coding program as having been evaluated by a peer review process against a national minimum set of standards for entry-level coding professions. This process allows academic institutions, health care organizations, and private companies to be acknowledged as offering an AHIMA Foundation PCAP Approved Coding Certificate program.
General Admission Requirements to the College
- Complete an Application for Admission, located at www.palmbeachstate.edu/admissions/Admissions-Applications
- Submit an official high school or GED transcript and official college/university transcripts from each post-secondary institution attended. Refer to the Admission Procedures section of the college catalog for more information regarding transcripts.
Completion Requirements
Students must complete all courses listed in the catalog for this program with a grade of C or higher.
Program Length
Total program credits: 37. Total program length: 5 semesters part-time. Most of the Medical Information Coder/Biller courses are formatted as hybrid online courses.
Location
The program is offered at the Loxahatchee Groves campus.
For More Information
www.palmbeachstate.edu/faculty/steffj/micb_info_session/ 561-868-4035
Employment Opportunities
Upon completion of this program, the student may seek employment as a medical coder or health insurance specialist in a hospital, physician’s office, intermediate care facility, insurance company, billing company or clinic. A medical information coder/biller uses the clinical documentation, diagnosis and procedures and translates them into numeric codes. These numeric codes are input into the computer system and used for reimbursement, quality assurance and research.
Career Path Notes
Completion of the program will provide students with 34 credits, which may be applied to the Health Information Technology Associate in Science degree.
Upon completion of the program students may sit for the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) CCA certification examination and/or the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) CPC-A certification examination.
Career Center
www.palmbeachstate.edu/Career
For more information about employment opportunities including job outlook and salary information visit: Occupational Outlook Handbook: www.bls.gov/ooh
O-Net Online: www.onetonline.org
Required courses:
Required Courses (Credits: 37)
BSC2085 | Anatomy and Physiology 1 (AA) | 3 credits (3 lecture hours) |
BSC2085L | Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lab (AA) | 1 credits (3 lab hours) |
BSC2086 | Anatomy and Physiology 2 (AA) | 3 credits (3 lecture hours) |
BSC2086L | Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab (AA) | 1 credits (3 lab hours) |
CGS1100 | Microcomputer Applications (AA) | 3 credits (3 lecture hours) |
| Or | |
HIM1610C | Office Applications for Health Professions (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HSC2531 | Medical Terminology (AA) | 3 credits (3 lecture hours) |
HIM1000C | Introduction to Health Information Management (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HIM1433C | Pathophysiology for Health Information (AS) | 2 credits (1 lecture hour, 2 lab hours) |
HIM1442C | Pharmacology for Health Information (AS) | 2 credits (1 lecture hour, 2 lab hours) |
HIM1282C | Fundamentals of Medical Coding (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HIM2222C | Applied Inpatient Coding (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HIM2272C | Medical Reimbursement and Revenue (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HIM2253C | Applied Outpatient Coding (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HIM2810L | Advanced Coding Lab (AS) | 1 credits (8 lab hours) |
HIM1012C | Health Information Law, Ethics, and Compliance (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
Total Credit Hours: 37
Course Sequence
Term One - Fall (Year One) (Credits: 10)
HSC2531 | Medical Terminology (AA) | 3 credits (3 lecture hours) |
BSC2085 | Anatomy and Physiology 1 (AA) | 3 credits (3 lecture hours) |
BSC2085L | Anatomy and Physiology 1 Lab (AA) | 1 credits (3 lab hours) |
CGS1100 | Microcomputer Applications (AA) | 3 credits (3 lecture hours) |
| Or | |
HIM1610C | Office Applications for Health Professions (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
Term Two - Spring (Year One) (Credits: 7)
BSC2086 | Anatomy and Physiology 2 (AA) | 3 credits (3 lecture hours) |
BSC2086L | Anatomy and Physiology 2 Lab (AA) | 1 credits (3 lab hours) |
HIM1000C | Introduction to Health Information Management (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
Term Three - Summer (Year One) (Credits: 10)
HIM1433C | Pathophysiology for Health Information (AS) | 2 credits (1 lecture hour, 2 lab hours) |
HIM1442C | Pharmacology for Health Information (AS) | 2 credits (1 lecture hour, 2 lab hours) |
HIM1282C | Fundamentals of Medical Coding (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HIM1012C | Health Information Law, Ethics, and Compliance (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
Term One - Fall (Year Two) (Credits: 9)
HIM2222C | Applied Inpatient Coding (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HIM2272C | Medical Reimbursement and Revenue (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
HIM2253C | Applied Outpatient Coding (AS) | 3 credits (2 lecture hours, 2 lab hours) |
Term Two - Spring (Year Two) (Credits: 1)
HIM2810L | Advanced Coding Lab (AS) | 1 credits (8 lab hours) |
Total Credit Hours: 37