Those interested in working in the medical field can obtain a certificate in medical billing. Read on to learn about training program options, what curriculum to expect, common courses, and employment outlook information.
What Are Medicare and Medicaid Billing Training Programs Like?
In a medical billing training program, you'll learn about medical terminology and how to use computer programs to record and track patient healthcare information. You'll assign accurate industry standard codes to medical procedures and submit invoices for reimbursement by Medicare, Medicaid and other insurers. This training will qualify you for work in medical practices, nursing facilities, clinics or hospitals.
Associate's and bachelor's degrees may be offered in the broader field of health information technology or management, with medical coding courses included in the program. Master's degree programs in health information technology could qualify you for upper management positions.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Curriculum</b></td><td> Learning medical terminology and industry codes in a seminar training setting</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td> Anatomy, physiology, coding and billing</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Outlook (2019-2029)</b></td><td> 8% growth (<i>for all medical records and health information technicians</i>)*</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)</b></td><td> $44,090 (<i>for all medical records and health information technicians</i>)*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCoursesWouldITake">What Courses Would I Take?</h3><p>In Medicare and Medicaid billing training, you might study anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, coding and billing, reimbursement and health data management. You could obtain entry-level medical coding skills through certificate programs available online and onsite from proprietary technical schools and non-profit 2-year or 4-year colleges.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatCareerOptionsAreAvailable">What Career Options Are Available?</h3><p>According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), most professionals in the medical record and health information technology field have an associate's degree, and the BLS projects a 8% employment increase from 2019-2029 (<i>www.bls.gov</i>).
</p><p>You may be able to boost your career prospects by qualifying for the American Health Information Management Association's (AHIMA) Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT) designation. This certification requires graduation from a 2-year associate's degree program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education and passing an AHIMA qualifying test. The American Academy of Professional Coders also offers specialized certifications, including the Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-C) designation.</p>
