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Training For Medical Coders

Training of the medical coder and billers comes in a wide range! From simple basic training received on the job, or home study programs, to a technical school diploma, or 2-4 years of college! Also, training via workshops, seminars, and by electronic means, such as online distance education courses, web based seminars, message forum exchanges, audio conferences, and in-services conducted by physicians to explain new procedures are becoming increasingly popular, and readily accepted. Anything to help keep their medical coding and billing staff abreast with the latest trends and developments.

Certificate of Program Completion

For some, certificates of completion from correspondence courses and home study programs may suffice to land a job in a smaller family practice. However, the rapid advancement of modern medicine and health care make medical coding procedures increasingly complicated. Therefore, most facilities, especially larger healthcare organizations, prefer expertly trained medical coding specialists to handle these unique challenges.

Formal Training

Charlene Hargrove, CPMB of trimedbillingsolutions.com tells us: "Formal education is great because it teaches you the technical components of billing, and/or coding. Experience lets you know how to apply that education... Coding is so intricate, I do feel you need to be certified in that! I also feel that billers do code, as they don't code from a chart, knowing to put the correct modifier on a procedure is coding."

Formal training ranges from accelerated courses at vocational training institutions leading to a technical school diploma, or to two to four years of college leading to an associate degree. Upon completion of such training many coders may seek professional certification. National organizations and associations for Billers and Coders are available for the certification processes. They continue their education by attending seminars and taking continuing education classes.

Students are trained in medical billing and coding principles and technology which includes regulations pertinent to Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross-Blue Shield products, managed care, third party liability, worker's comp, Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), indemnity insurers and have a complete understanding of CPT®, HCPCS, ICD-9 coding Level I, II, III.

They also will have to gain the ability to identify data as relates to submitting a clean insurance claim for reimbursement by insurers. Further coder education will focus on the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10. The new codes may also require a greater understanding of anatomy, physiology, the disease process, and pharmacology.

What Medical Coders Need to Know

One really has to know about anatomy, diseases, surgical techniques, medical treatments, and medications. For example, having to read coronary bypass surgeries and count how many arteries were bypassed, whether autogenous saphenous veins were used, or the mammary, or thoracic artery. Furthermore, was extracorporeal circulation used (heart lung machine)? Was there prolonged mechanical ventilation after the procedure?

They don't start beginners on work like this, not to mention after training you are expected to meet daily production standards. You should like to read, because you are reading non stop all day and concentrating all day on medical office visits, radiology reports, outpatient surgeries, and inpatient visits. 

High school courses in mathematics, health, biology, typing, bookkeeping, computers and office skills will certainly proof to be helpful in paving the way for a successful medical coding and billing career. Other basic skills that will prove helpful from the beginning are:

• Computer maintenance
• Word processing
• Keyboarding
• Database maintenance
• Telephone communication
• English and written communications
• Medical terminology
• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Basic pharmacology
  

The next step is to gain a solid understanding of the coding system. A number of community and career colleges offer diplomas, degrees and certificate programs on-campus and through distance learning. Courses typically cover basic biology, anatomy, and physiology in addition to training on coding and computer billing software. Medical coding and billing graduates will also understand the over all purpose and complexities of the healthcare industry and health insurance plans that go hand-in-hand with this career.