10 Free Online Classes for Medical Billing and Coding With Laptop

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Online education for medical billing and coding is generally affordable for most certification programs. There are even opportunities to take free online classes for medical billing and coding with free laptops, at some institutions.

Although there is no guarantee of employment immediately after completing a training program, many online programs provide a foundation in the basics of real-world coding jobs within the healthcare system. This article will show you how to learn medical billing and coding for free before beginning a coding career.

Are There Any Free Online Medical Billing and Coding Classes?

Yes, there are schools and companies, such as the Absolute Medical Coding Institute, that offer free introductory courses � and occasionally a full coding certification. While the latter is less common, the free courses online do a solid job of teaching the basics of coding systems in the healthcare industry.

For full credentials in billing and coding, you may need to attend a community college to become a certified professional coder. This is the most common path toward gainful employment in most medical offices.

Is It Possible To Get a Free Laptop With a Medical Billing and Coding Course?

You rarely get to keep the laptop you get for online coding courses. The perk of the ''free'' laptop involves not paying for one out of your own pocket just to attend the course (but you must return it after the program). There are many ways to get a free or low-cost laptop by exploring the company's website or reading some of our other articles on the topic.

Finally, if you have other concerns about paying for a medical coding certification, don't forget to research your options for financial aid for accredited medical billing and coding schools. This gives you the chance to get financial aid or tuition reimbursement for select associate degree programs in this field.

Free Online Classes for Medical Billing and Coding

Here is a list of 10 free online classes for medical billing and coding. Some of these are online colleges that offer laptops or lend them to you for the program duration.

1. Absolute Medical Coding Institute

Absolute Medical Coding Institute (AMCI) offers a free online medical coding course for beginners. It covers several coding languages in the field, including ICD-10-CM. This can also serve as a refresher course for entry-level coders.

2. University of the District of Columbia

The University of the District of Columbia offers a medical billing and certification course � which is 100% online, free, and available for new enrollment at any time. This course teaches the differences between medical billing and coding and prepares students to use common coding languages like the Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)

3. Moorpark Unified School District

The Moorpark Unified School District has a free medical billing and coding course as part of its adult-learning services in California. The course lasts 18 weeks and typically hosts 50 students at a time for hands-on training in medical record billing and coding.

4. Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services

The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services have online training for medical coding through self-directed home and community business services. You can access the free training through any Medicaid or Medicare service. The coursework is entirely self-directed.

5. Coursera

Coursera offers a one-month course you can take at your own pace for about 10 hours of training each week. It teaches students about the different phases of the revenue cycle for medical billing, how to understand difficult medical terminology, and includes an opportunity to earn a certification through MedCerts.

6. PPMC Academy

PPMC Academy offers a certified medical coder course where you can complete a certification through AHIMA for those who finish the training and pass the CPC exam. It focuses on simpler documentation requirements, time-based coding, medical decision-making (MDM), and several other topics.

7. CrossPurpose

CrossPurpose has a 100% online, free medical coding certification that you can begin at any time. The program partners with Penn Foster Online to create a flexible learning opportunity, available to residents of the Denver metro area, which it claims leads to a 100% employment rate among those who complete the certification.

8. Alison

Alison is an organization with several training and certification opportunities across multiple career fields, including medical coding. It divides its course into four modules:

• introduction to medical billing and coding
• anatomy and physiology
• medical terminology
• coding systems

9. American Academy of Professional Coders

The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) offers free training and study guides for its medical coding certification program. Students must purchase the certification exam to gain access and complete the credential. AAPC also offers students the chance to use Codify, the premier medical coding software, for free.

10. CertificationCoaching.Org

CertificationCoaching.Org (CCO) also offers in-depth training courses and certifications, along with free exam preparation materials � but you must pay to take the final certification exam. Its course catalog has five offerings altogether, including physician-based medical coding, inpatient coding, and facility-based medical coding.

What Free Medical Billing and Coding Classes Cover

These programs introduce students to several essential topics, including medical terminology for medical assistants and specific coding systems. One of the most common standardized coding systems is the HCPCS, but there are others, including the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and ICD-10.

It's also important for new students to learn the basics of billing procedures for the largest insurance companies. Finally, if you work for a medical office, you'll need to comply with all the regulations set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to protect patients' privacy and medical records.

Limitations of Free Medical Billing and Coding Programs

There are some limitations to online medical billing courses. Not all of them include a certification upon completion, and almost every program requires you to return ''free'' laptops. Also, some employers may not recognize the credential or training, since most of these programs do not receive accreditation.

FAQs About Free Online Medical Billing and Coding Programs

Check out some frequently asked questions (FAQs) from coding program learners. This covers topics like certification opportunities, program accreditation, and program duration.

Is Certification Included in Free Online Courses?

There are a few institutions that include certification with their courses, but this is more of an exception. Most focus on delivering informative webinars for learning purposes and let anybody enroll at any time. Then again, some courses are 100% free but require a small fee to take a certification exam and receive legitimate credentials to become a certified professional coder (CPC).

Are These Programs Accredited?

Most of the free programs for coding training do not have accreditation. It does not mean that the coursework is invalid or unhelpful, only that these courses and certifications may not have much recognition among employers in various healthcare settings.

How Long Does a Billing and Coding Course Take?

The program duration for billing and coding courses varies depending on the provider. There are some YouTube tutorials and courses that are as short as one hour, and others that elaborate on the training, taking up to two months. Many online coding courses offer beginners an entirely self-paced exploration of medical procedures, procedure coding, and other aspects of becoming a medical assistant.

Explore Online Courses

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