Medical Billing and Coding Training

The field of medical billing and coding is growing rapidly. Those with positions in medical billing and coding are also referred to as medical records or health information technicians. The field involves in depth knowledge of the coding systems and standards that are used everyday to record patient information. There are many training courses available at a number of institutions to become prepared for a career in medical billing and coding. 

Length of Training Course. Most training courses require that entrants have an associates degree. Training programs include course work in medical terminology, legal aspects of health information, coding and billing, database management, and quality improvement methods. Students are educated on the systems of coding including the International Classification of Disease (ICD-9) and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT-4). Training courses prepare students for certification in medical information management. 

Types of Schools. In order to be eligible for certification, one must attend a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM). There are currently over 200 accredited institutions in the United States. Those who do not attend an accredited school may still work in the field, but they are not allowed to take the certification examination offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Examination and Certification. Successful completion of an accredited program and examination provides the title of Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT). There are several other examinations provided by the AHIMA for health information professional including the Certified Coding Associate (CCA), and Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), as well as certification in Healthcare Privacy and Security. The AHIMA also provides examination for the advanced position of Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA). Most employers prefer to hire certified employees as opposed to non-certified.

Career Advancement. Medical billing and coding professional can advance their career in two main methods. One method is to specialize in coding, including Medicare coding or cancer registry. There is on-the-job training or intensive short term training programs to become specialize in coding. For specialization in cancer registry, there are several two year programs that prepare medical coding professional for certification by the National Cancer Registrars Association (NCRA).

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