The Medical Billing and Coding (MBC) online program will give you the skills you need to find a job as a medical billing specialist, and/or medical coder.

Gatlin Education Services has also partnered with National Healthcareer Association (NHA) to register and prepare you for skills certification. Included in the tuition for MBC is a voucher for a study guide, preparation course, and the registration fee for the CMBC (Certified Medical Biller and Coder) certification credential.

Upon successful completion of the Medical Billing and Coding course, students will be prepared for an entry-level position doing medical billing or coding in a medical office setting and will be prepared to sit for the national certification exam.

The medical industry is experiencing a tremendous demand for individuals with knowledge of medical office operations, which includes diagnostic and procedural coding and insurance forms processing. According to the American Medical Association, there are more than 1.2 million medical billers and coders in the United States. This profession is listed as one of the fastest growing professions in allied health.

The career of medical billing and coding specialist is a challenging one with new opportunities arising continuously. Job security is high for an individual who understands claims processing and billing regulations, possesses sharp coding skills, and is successful in appealing under-paid or denied insurance claims. Recent surveys of medical office personnel Help Wanted advertisements indicate the need for individuals with these skills. With this online MBC program, students will learn the job skills they need to be successful candidates in the workforce.

The Medical Billing and Coding program will give you the skills you need to be competitive in the healthcare market, as well as the credentials through certification to prove your qualifications.

In addition to the skills already mentioned, the MBC course includes legal, ethical, and regulatory concepts– including HIPAA compliance requirements, industry-specific techniques for filing insurance, and performing diagnostic and procedural coding tasks.

Some typical tasks for the AMS include:

Performing insurance verification, pre-authorization and referral tasks

Applying insurance carrier-specific guidelines for processing insurance claims

Selection of the most accurate and specific diagnostic and procedural coding

Completing a CMS1500 insurance claim form properly

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FEATURES

Videos
Throughout the course, video interviews of medical assistants and healthcare providers working at a real-world medical office are presented as part of our Gatlin Education Video Education Series. As they talk about their day-to-day responsibilities, challenges, and rewards of working in the field, you can also watch them at work as they perform those tasks.

Simulations Each module contains step-by-step simulations for almost all of the tasks you will learn in the MBC course, including insurance claims preparation and processing, and procedural and diagnostic coding steps– to name just a few.

Games, Practice Quizzes, and Activities At the end of almost every topic within each module, Just for Fun! games, practice quizzes, and tasks are presented. There is no grade for the games and practice activities – but they will help reinforce the concepts and information in each module.

Module 1: Introduction to Healthcare

• Course Introduction and Overview

Module 2: Law, Ethics, and HIPAA

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)
• Law and Ethics

Module 3: Billing and Reimbursement

• Medical Insurance Overview
• Billing and Reimbursement
• CMS-1500 Claim Form (Provider)
• MOSS Insurance Processing
• Insurance Carriers
• Blue Cross/Blue Shield
• Medicare
• Medicaid
• TRICARE
• Worker’s Compensation
• Reimbursement and Follow-up

Module 4: Diagnostic Coding

• Diagnosis Coding Overview
• Abstracting from the Medical Document
• ICD9 Conventions, Layout, and Guidelines
• Steps for Diagnostic Coding
• ICD9 Guidelines by Body System

Module 5: Procedural Coding

• CPT Overview
• Evaluation and Management Coding
• Anesthesia Coding
• Surgery Coding (by body and organ system)
• Laboratory and Pathology Coding
• Radiology Coding
• Medicine Coding
• HCPCS Level II Coding

Module 6: Completion and Certification Prep

• Instructions for Marking Course Complete
• Employment Strategies
• Certification
• Steps to Access National Healthcareers Association
• Certification Preparation Module
• Certification Handbook and Study Guide
• Certification Exam

Upon successful completion of the Medical Billing and Coding program, students will:

• Have knowledge of medical practice settings and specialties, as well as the differences in traditional and managed care. Students also learn about commercial, HMO/PPO, federal and state insurance plans, including eligibility and coverage, as well as reimbursement methodologies.
• Have knowledge of the legal and ethical responsibilities of an administrative medical specialist, including the HIPAA mandates.
• Be able to perform the day-to-day tasks associated with medical coding, medical billing, and completing insurance forms.
• Be prepared to take an advanced coding course to prepare for more advanced national certifications.

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PC REQUIREMENTS

The Medical Billing and Coding online course must have:

• IBM compatible (PC) computer running Windows 98 or any later version up to Windows XP
• CD-ROM drive (for the software on CD in the back of your textbook)
• Students need to have access to a word processing program, preferably Microsoft Word
• Students must have Internet access. While the program will work from a dial-up connection, high-speed Internet access (like DSL or cable) is recommended

Important Note:
A Macintosh computer will not work for this course.