Medical Records & Health Information Technicians
Gain Accelerated, Comprehensive Training in Medical Billing & Coding
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) Aug 20–Oct 3, held on Mon, Wed, and two Saturdays; Prerequisite to Anatomy and Pathophysiology for Medical Billers/Coders, Medical Insurance Billing A-Z Plus, Electronic Health Records, and Coding Courses.
- Anatomy and Pathophysiology for Medical Billers/Coders (83 hours) Oct 8–Dec 19, held on Monday, Wednesday, and two Saturdays.
- Medical Insurance Billing A-Z Plus (100 hours) held Oct 9–Jan 24 on Tue and Thu. 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 2019.
- Introduction to ICD-10-CM Medical Coding (63 hours), held Jan 2-30 on Mon, Wed and three Saturdays.
- Advanced Facility Medical Coding (83 hours), held Feb 4-Mar 6 on Mon, Wed and four Saturdays.
- Introduction to CPT & HCPCS Medical Coding (63 hours), held Mar 11-Apr 10 on Mon, Wed and two Saturdays.
- Advanced Physician Medical Coding (83 hours), held Apr 22-May 15 on Mon, Wed and three Saturdays.
- Advanced Facility/Outpatient Medical Coding (83 hours), held May 29-Jun 29 on 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.
Click here to open a PDF to view course descriptions for the courses listed.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).
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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 Program Information
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 Session for Fall
Register for this session 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, iPad or Kindle with electronic text upon enrollment in a program. This session is free, but you must register to reserve a seat.
Wed 6:30pm-8:45pm, Aug 15
XE-423 7281 #0159 Gateway CampusThe next information session is scheduled for Wed, March 6, 2019, 6:30 p.m.-8:45 p.m. for the following start dates for each program: Mar 18 or 25; Apr 8 or 29; May 12 or 20.
Payment Plans
Payment plans are now available through our partnership with Career Step. Register for the “Free Information Session,” howardcc.edu/HealthIT and receive payment plan information and registration instructions.Start dates for each of the following programs include:
Sep 10 or Sep 24, Oct 8 or Oct 22, Nov 5, Nov 19 or Dec 2, Jan 14 or Jan 28.
Select the start date that works best for you.
Refund policy does not apply to these courses.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.$3,115 (includes $2,525 in fees*).Professional Medical Coding & Billing With Advanced Code Sets
This 640-hour highly interactive curriculum is an American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and American Academy of Professional Coder (AAPC) approved program to prepare students for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) and Certified Professional Coder (CPC) certification exams. Enrollment includes 12 months of online access, ebooks, industry codebooks, access to online references, and a voucher for one of the national certification exams. In addition, students practice their coding skills in an extensive practical section to gain valuable hands-on experience before graduation. $3,615 (includes $3,345 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 6 months of online access, ebooks, and vouchers for the CMAA AND CHERS exams. $2,815 (includes $2,605 in fees*).Medical Billing
The Medical Billing program helps students develop the knowledge and skills they need to work in healthcare reimbursement. Students learn about the payment process, the changes brought about by the Affordable Care Act, bundled payments, and common billing forms including the 837, UB-04, and CMS-1500. Enrollment includes 6 months of online access, ebooks, and a voucher to take the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam. $3,115 (includes $2,905 in fees*).****NEW****
Inpatient Auditing Program
Inpatient Auditing is a new job field to advance in your health information management career. Recent job postings (LexiCode, Kaiser Permanente) have offered salaries ranging from $67,000 to $96,000 a year. It is now an alternate career path for inpatient coders (historically, management has been the only choice) with three years of inpatient acute care coding experience within the last five years, who hold a current RHIA, RHIT, CCS, or CPC credential, and can pass the Career Step Inpatient Auditing Skill Evaluation. AHIMA expects exponential growth through 2022 due to changes in insurance and reimbursement policies. The curriculum is designed to cover both the technical and soft skills required to be a good auditor and includes an audit practicum with up to 100 cases for hands-on experience. All prospective students must take an Inpatient Auditing Skill Evaluation to help assess their background, knowledge and skills needed to be successful in the program and to test out of material they already know. To take the skill evaluation exam, please visit: ipauditpreassess.mctesting.com. After taking the exam, please email 2pinfo@careerstep.com for your score and further directions. Enrollment includes one year of online access, textbooks and a hands-on auditing practicum. $2,819 (includes $2,239 in fees*).Health Information Technology
This program prepares students for the rapidly growing healthcare IT sector. Students graduate ready to earn the CompTIA A+ certification as well as the Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) and Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) credentials offered by the National Healthcareer Association. Students learn computer hardware/software, troubleshooting, technology security, and healthcare documentation, among other topics, and also gain hands-on experience with government-certified ezEMRx electronic health records software. Enrollment includes 12 months of online access, ebooks, exam study guides, a computer repair toolkit, a power supply tester, and four national certification exam vouchers. $3,915 (includes $3,335 in fees*).
Enroll in Classroom-Based Courses for the Current Term
Learn the normal structure and function of the body including pathologic conditions of each system. Topics include: comprehensive anatomy and functional understanding of pathophysiology for application in the medical coding and billing industry and an introduction to radiology, nuclear
medicine, pharmacology and psychiatry. Standard refund policy does not apply. Refunds issued only until the day before the class starts. No refunds on or after the class start date. Prerequisite: Medical Terminology. Purchase textbook (same textbook from Medical Terminology class) from the HCC Bookstore prior to first class. (T) 8.3 CEUs.
This hands-on course covers valuable skills to compete in the current job market and has been expanded to ensure increased hands-on practice is covered to meet eligibility requirements for multiple credentials. Learn all aspects of medical billing and claims processing from A-Z Plus including HIPAA Compliance along with a basic introduction to diagnostic and procedural coding. You will gain real-world experience with simulated practice as you manually and electronically prepare insurance claims. No previous medical experience necessary. Students who successfully complete this course will be eligible to take the National Healthcareer Association Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) exam, the Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) exam, and the AAPC Certified Professional Biller (CPB) exam (cost of exams not included in course tuition).
Prerequisite: Medical Terminology and strong computer and keyboarding skills and internet access; Anatomy and Pathophysiology strongly recommended. Computer courses may be found in earlier pages of this publication. To brush up on your computer skills, see our computer courses.
Standard refund policy does not apply. Refunds issued only until the day before the class starts. No refunds on or after the class start date. Purchase textbook and coding manuals from HCC Bookstore prior to first class. (T) 10.0 CEUs.
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 the below 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 CPT manual and the ICD-9-CM 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.*
Explore a career in health care by learning key medical terminology. Topics include 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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