Education for certified medical coder

A certified medical coder plays an integral part of the team of medical billing that ensures health care providers are properly and promptly reimbursed by insurance companies for services rendered. Training, which can be completed in a classroom or online, prepare coders pass the certification exam.

Identification

A medical coder is a health information technician who request codes for medical tests and procedures will create claims to determine the amount of reimbursement a provider of health care insurance company. Notes from the American Association of Professional coders (AAPC) on its website and to create a specific request, a certified medical coder examine the patient record, including notes and the results of doctors.

Requirements

Successfully complete a medical program code and certification exam later, a prospective encoder should have some knowledge of anatomy and medical terminology. It must be well versed in these areas, as it will make reference to charts and medical records so heavily through his daily work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that medical coders should be comfortable with the use of computers and communication skills verbal and written strong because they are frequently in contact with the insurance companies.

Training

Medical coder training teaches students anatomy, medical terminology and coding principles. Training medical coding can be taken online or in a traditional classroom. Training courses are offered by organizations such as VAMP, encoders potential can also perform training courses offered by colleges and independent schools medical coding.

Medical coding courses can be taken online or in a traditional classroom. Students in online courses fulfill the tasks of reading and listening to audio conferencing, certified coaches are available to provide personalized advice to students taking courses online medical coding. Line and coding courses prepare students to take the certification exam is an encoder medical office or hospital outpatient coder or health care.

Certification

Following a course of medical coding, medical coder takes any certification exam. The AAPC offers several exams. The designation of Certified Professional coder (CPC) is the title of “gold standard” of the AAPC and is ideal for a coder who works in physician offices, home care agencies and outpatient medical facilities. An examination of the issue of 150 tests the candidate’s knowledge of anatomy, medical terminology and ability to assign codes to medical procedures and tests specific. AAPC also offers certification exams for a coder who works in outpatient facilities (CPC-H) with billing services (CPC-P) and the staff of radiology facilities (CIRCC). It can obtain additional certification 19 specialties including dermatology, urology, pediatrics and internal medicine.

Potential

BLS notes that employment for medical coders is expected to grow about 20 percent. 100 year 2018. This increased demand for labor is largely due to the increasing number of medical tests and procedures performed. The salary of medical coders and medical records professionals has $ 30,610 in May 2008.