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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Exploring Online Medical Billing And Coding Certification Programs For Better Job Opportunities

By Anita Ortega


One industry that is relatively new but attracting a lot of attention nowadays is medical coding. People who are now working in this field are assured of lucrative careers in the future, according to studies done by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The BLS reports that opportunities in this field will continue to grow within the next ten years. If you are interested to enter this field, this is the perfect time to check on online medical billing and coding certification programs.

Job opportunities for professional coders will continue to increase, at least until 2016. There are very strict government regulations on the health industry that are meant to protect consumers. Thus, professional coders will always be needed in this industry for accurate record keeping. A career in this field is guaranteed to be secure through the years.

What responsibilities do medical coders have? They perform the very important task of encoding patient records with accuracy. There are numerous procedures that doctors perform on their patients daily. A numerical code is assigned to each procedure and it is the responsibility of professional coders to keep patient records accurate. These codes are required in keeping and updating patient records, calculate the cost of each procedure and also to make claims with insurance companies.

To be a professional coder, one should be familiar with health science terminologies and must have a working knowledge in physiology, pharmacology and anatomy. However, this does not mean you need to have a degree in medicine in order to work as an expert coder. You only need to undergo a certification training program that can help you take the exam and be a certified coding specialist.

Medical billing and coding training programs are offered by at least 200 colleges and universities in the United States. Some of these conduct their training online, teaching the students the very basic information that they need to pass certification exams. These exams are conducted by the American Health Information Management Association. Once students pass these exams, they can then earn their certificates and qualify as professional coders.

Usually, all you need is a high school diploma to get started with a certification program for medical billing and coding. The number of hours offered by colleges and universities for this program vary. There are some online universities that offer a training program which can be completed within 8 weeks, while some require longer periods from 3-12 months.

These short certification programs can also earn you credits if you want to have an Associate Degree or work towards your Baccalaureate degree. You can start working once you earn your certificate, and then take further studies in order to get more specialized and qualify for higher positions in this industry.

A career in the medical billing and coding industries can be your stepping stone to more lucrative professions in the health service industry. Online training programs can be your key to getting started in this field. Once you have earned your certificate, you can explore opportunities in doctors' clinics, hospitals and insurance companies that always need the services of expert coding specialists.




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