Medical Records & Health Information Technicians
You can become a vital part of a health care team as a medical biller and coder. Employment of health information technicians is projected to grow 15 percent by 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. Every insurance company requires an itemized list of procedures, medicines and other materials before they pay a claim. Every procedure has a unique code. That’s why medical billing and coding are in such high demand and why you can enjoy a great career in the health care industry.
Medical records and health information technicians, commonly referred to as health information technicians, organize and manage health information data to ensure quality, accuracy, accessibility, and security.
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Course Series Requirements
For entry-level job preparation and certification eligibility, please see the below requirements.
- Strong computer technology skills (keyboarding up to 40 wpm or better and Microsoft Office Applications), and a strong foundation in medical terminology is required to succeed in the Medical Insurance Billing A-Z class and for employment. These skills plus Anatomy and Pathophysiology are also required to succeed in the coding courses.
- Internet access is also required. If you need to brush up on your computer skills, see our computer courses.
- The curriculum design of courses in sequence provide comprehensive theoretical and practical instruction to train you in all aspects of medical billing and claims processing as well as skills to research and assign diagnostic and procedural codes to medical records. Each course must be taken in order so that you can have the skills needed for the next course in the sequence.
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Sequence of Classroom-Based Courses
All courses are led by instructors with relevant industry experience. They are offered in sequence during fall, winter, and spring except for Anatomy and Pathophysiology for Medical Billers/Coders and Medical Insurance Billing A-Z Plus, which are offered to be taken simultaneously.
Classroom-based courses to be taken in order include:
- Medical Terminology (55 hours, fall only) Aug 24–Sep 23, held on Mon, Wed, and Saturday; prerequisite to Anatomy and
Pathophysiology for Medical Billers/Coders, Medical Insurance Billing A-Z Plus, and Coding Courses. - Anatomy and Pathophysiology for Medical Billers/Coders (83 hours, fall only)held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Medical Insurance Billing A-Z Plus (100 hours) held on Mar 10-Jun 9, Tue, Thu, and two Saturdays. NOTE: After successful completion of this class, you will be prepared to seek employment as a medical biller while taking the coding courses.
- Coding courses include up to five separate courses offered in sequence beginning in January–June 2020.
- Introduction to ICD-10-CM Medical Coding (63 hours), held on Jan 6-Feb 3, Mon, Wed and three Saturdays.
- Advanced Facility Medical Coding (83 hours), held on Feb 5-Mar 9, Mon, Wed and three Saturdays.
- Introduction to CPT & HCPCS Medical Coding (63 hours), held on Mar 11-Apr 20, Mon, Wed and three Saturdays.
- Advanced Physician Medical Coding (83 hours), held on Apr 22-May 30, Mon, Wed and three Saturdays.
- Advanced Facility/Outpatient Medical Coding (83 hours), held Jun 1-Jun 29, Mon, Wed and four Saturdays.
Cost of courses will include access to current coding and billing resources and access to the online Medicare Learning Network® for Medicare & Medicaid Services guided by instructors.
The above series of classroom-based courses, led by instructors with relevant industry experience, will include approximately 613 hours of instruction (approximately 10 months) to prepare you to be successful in the industry as well as the national certification exams given by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
- Medical Terminology (55 hours, fall only) Aug 24–Sep 23, held on Mon, Wed, and Saturday; prerequisite to Anatomy and
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Course Costs
Cost of courses will include access to current coding and billing resources and access to the online Medicare Learning Network® for Medicare & Medicaid Services guided by instructors. To view individual course costs and to see full descriptions for the courses listed, see the “Courses for the Current Term” section below. For more information about courses offered in other terms, email conedhealthcare@howardcc.edu.
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Certification
Successful students who complete the Medical Insurance Billing A-Z Plus course are eligible for stackable credentials by:
- Taking the national medical billing certification exam given AAPC to earn the credential, Certified Professional Biller (CPB), The National Medical Administrative Assistant Certification exam, and the Electronic Health Records Certification exam given by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
Successful students who complete all courses are eligible for:
- Taking the national coding certification exam given by AAPC to earn the credential, Certified Professional Coder (CPC).
- Employment almost anywhere in the medical field, from physician offices to government agencies (Completing the Medical Terminology and Medical Insurance Billing A-Z plus helps students enter the job market immediately).
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Online Course Offered With Career Step
You can also train at home! If you are interested in preparing for a health information technician job (Transcription, Medical Coding and Billing, Medical Administrative Assistant) and certification eligibility, this self-paced program offered in partnership with Career Step, one of the nation’s leading providers of online training, allows you to learn according to your schedule.
Free Information Sessions
Sign up for these online sessions for an in-depth overview of each program and to get all your questions answered. At this information session you will receive customized registration documents and instructions and learn about receiving a free laptop when you pay in full upon enrollment in a program. These sessions are free, but you must sign up to reserve a seat.
9/23/20 Wednesday, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
11/4/20 Wednesday, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
Start date for the program is:
25th of each month. Select the start date that works best for you. Refund policy does not apply to these courses.
Payment options
Financial Aid information for noncredit classes
Financial Aid Email: noncreditfinaid@howardcc.edu
HCC also offers Payment Plan. Contact finance office financeoffice@howardcc.edu for payment plan.
Medical Transcription Editor
Successful completion of this program can give you the potential to make up to $40,000 per year. The 640-hour curriculum is approved by the Association for Healthcare Documentation Integrity (AHDI, formerly the American Association of Medical Transcription or AAMT). Enrollment includes 12 months of online access, foot pedal, ebooks, an AHDI membership, and a voucher to take the RHDS national certification exam. $3,319 (includes $3,099 in fees*).Professional Medical Coding & Billing
This 390-445 hours Professional Medical Coding and Billing program prepares individuals for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA), Certified Professional Coder (CPC), and Certified Outpatient Coder (COC) certifications. Topics covered include reimbursement methodologies, biomedical sciences, and current code sets. Enrollment includes 12 months of online access, codebooks, and a voucher for one of the certification exams. $3,819 (includes $3,589 in fees*).Medical Administrative Assistant with EHR
Approved by the National Healthcareer Association, the Medical Administrative Assistant with EHR program prepares students for the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) and Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) credentials. This interactive curriculum also includes over 20 hours of training on the government-certified ezEMRx EHR software. Enrollment includes six months of online access, ebooks, and vouchers for the CMAA and CHERS exams. $3,319 (includes $3,099 in fees*).Career Step programs are designed to be completed in four to six months or less of full-time study. However, the online training format allows for a self-pace schedule so each program includes six to 12 months of online access for your convenience.
Enroll in Classroom-Based Courses for the Current Term
Short Introductory Online Courses
Not sure if a career in medical billing/coding is right for you? You may enroll in these short online Ed2Go courses to explore if this is the right career for you.
This introductory course does not fulfill prerequisites for certification. Take this course if you’re interested in exploring a career as an Administrative Medical Assistant but are not sure if it’s the right career for you.
Explore a career as an administrative medical assistant. Topics include scheduling patients, billing, and insurance claims.
After you register, please create an online account at ed2go.com/howardcc. This is where you will access the course. For more information, please call 443-518-4680.
This introductory course does not fulfill prerequisites for certification. Take this course if you're interested in exploring Medical Coding, but are not sure if medical billing/coding is the right career for you.
You will learn to use the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) manual and the ICD-9-CM (an official system of assigning codes) to find medical codes for diseases, treatments, and surgical procedures.
After you register, please create an online account at ed2go.com/howardcc. This is where you will access the course. For more information, please call 443-518-4680.
This introductory course does not fulfill prerequisites for certification. Take this course if you’re interested in exploring Medical Billing/Coding, but are not sure if it’s the right career for you.
You will learn key medical terminology, including root terms, word associations, and word combinations.
After you register, please create an online account at ed2go.com/howardcc. This is where you will access the course. For more information, please call 443-518-4680.
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