Medical Coding Program On Campus
ASU-CE's on-campus coding and billing program and certification test preparation courses apply to current healthcare professionals who want to upgrade their skills or those with or without healthcare experience who wish to select a new career direction.
To pursue the coding and billing program, students must have a high school diploma or GED to enroll. Students with good computer, math and writing skills and some healthcare office experience will be most successful.
Courses comprising the program are: Medical Terminology I, Medical Terminology II, Basic Pharmacology,
Healthcare Office Procedures and Records, Medical Coding I, II, III, IV, V and Basic Reimbursement and Billing.
All courses meet twice a week (6 – 8 pm) in the evening and earn Continuing Education credits. The courses do not carry academic credit; thus students are not eligible for federal or state financial aid.
The complete program can be finished in 4 terms or about 15 months. The average cost of each course ranges from $139-$179, with textbooks being an additional expense. *
To complete each course students must attend 80% of the classes scheduled and be successful on the required tests and quizzes. Students receive a Continuing Education Certificate at the completion of each course.
Students who complete all the courses in the Program with a 70% average or higher will receive a Medical Coding and Billing Specialist Program Certificate.
Students with proof of substantial medical office work experience or successfully completion of comparable courses at another accredited institution may exempt certain courses in the program with permission of the Medical Coding and Billing Coordinator.
Students may take certain individual courses to upgrade their skills without participating in the entire curriculum, as long as they meet course prerequisites and there are available seats. Call the Medical Coding and Billing Coordinator for more information.
Coding Certification exams given by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and American Hospital Information Management Association (AHIMA) are discussed in our coding classes. Many of our students have successfully sat for the AAPC's CPC exam (as apprentices) or for AHIMA's CCA exam.
For information about Professional Coding Certification exams and credentials, please visit the website of AAPC www.aapc.com and AHIMA www.ahima.org .
For more information about ASUCE's coding and billing program please call ASU-CE's Medical Coding and Billing Coordinator at 706-737-1636.
*Information is accurate as of 1/2007.
Course Schedule
Entry Point - September/March
Term 1
- Medical Terminology I
- Medical Terminology II
- Basic Pharmacology
- Healthcare Office Procedures and Records
Term II
- Medical Coding I - Intro to ICD
- Medical Coding II - Intro to CPT
Term III
- Medical Coding III and IV
(More Advanced ICD and CPT)
- Basic Reimbursement and Billing
Term IV
- Medical Coding V
- Review and Preparation for CPC certification exam
Description of Courses
Medical Terminology I
This course uses the popular Dean Vaughn Total Retention Instructional System, to teach the medical prefixes, suffixes, abbreviations, and word roots needed to understand medical terms, lab tests, diagnostic procedures and basic pharmacology. Workbook. (9 mtgs) 18 hours
Medical Terminology II
Learn medical vocabulary to all body systems, diagnostic tests and procedures. Basic anatomy and physiology taught throughout the course. Textbook: Mastering Healthcare Terminology. (16 mtgs) 32 hours
Basic Pharmacology
This course is an extension of topics from Medical Terminology II textbook covering important pharmacological terms relevant to each body system. Textbook: same as Med Term II. (6 mtgs) 12 hours
Healthcare Office Procedures and Records
Learn basic medical front-office skills. Emphasis on medical records data, beginning reimbursement concepts, medications, patient relationships, workplace ethics, and communication, in the medical practice setting. Textbook: Mosby's Front Office Skills. Prerequisite: High School diploma or GED. (7 meetings) 14 hours
Medical Coding I
Basic coding principles and formats of ICD-9-CM coding classification will be covered. Required Textbooks: current ICD Coding manual and Step By Step Coding. (10 mtgs) 20 hours
Medical Coding II
CPT coding is required for reporting of medical procedures performed and services rendered . Students learn basic CPT/HCPCS conventions so they can communicate accurate information to agencies concerned with reimbursement. Required Textbooks: current CPT Coding Manual and Step by Step Coding. (12 mtgs) 24 hours
Medical Coding III
This course covers the Evaluation and Management , Anesthesia, Medicine, Pathology and Radiology sections of the CPT book. The class focuses on the guidelines and modifiers, with practical examples to code from each section and discussion of the rationale behind them. Instruction also covers ICD-9 for each section and discussion of the appropriate diagnostic codes for each practical example. Required Textbooks: CPT and ICD coding manuals and AHIMA
Coding Practice. (15 mtgs) 30 hours
Medical Coding IV
The surgery sections of the CPT coding manual and relevant ICD-9 diagnostic coding will be the focus. Emphasis on coding practical examples with discussion of rationale. Required textbooks: same as in Medical Coding III.
(13 mtgs) 26 hours
Basic Reimbursement and Billing
Focus is on the basics of medical reimbursement from the billing process to bill collection for doctor's offices and other healthcare facilities. Filing for Medicare, private and other insurers is covered, also. Required textbook: Insurance Handbook for the Medical Office and workbook.
(15 mtgs) 30 hours
Medical Coding V
This final course in the Medical Coding sequence reviews coding and reimbursement concepts learned and provides timed practice with coding exam scenarios to guide students in preparing to sit for the CPC exam given by AAPC.
(8 mtgs) 16 hours
*All information is accurate as of 12/10/2007.
How to Get Started For the On-Campus Evening Classes
- Call our main number 706-737-1636 or go to www.ced.aug.edu to register for the first course in the Medical Coding and Billing curriculum-- Healthcare Office Procedures. There is no admission application. A high school diploma or a GED is required to participate.
- If you want to exempt Healthcare Office Procedures and begin with another course you need to speak with the Medical Coding and Billing Coordinator and provide proof of work experience or successful completion of comparable courses at another accredited institution.
- Once you have begun our course series you can register for subsequent classes online at www.ced.aug.edu or call our main number at 706-737-1636.
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