Medical Billing and Coding Training

<h1>Medical Billing and Coding Training</h1>

<p align=right>by Angela Oliver</p>

<div align=justify>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. <br />
<br />
<b>Length of Training Course.</b> 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. <br />
<br />
<b>Types of Schools. </b>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).<br />
<br />
<b>Examination and Certification.</b> 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.<br />
<br />
<b>Career Advancement. </b>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). <br /></div>

<p align=center>Article source: <a href="http://www.ArticlePros.com/education/Healthcare-Education/article-35765.html">ArticlePros.com</a></p>
 
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		<p align=center><b>About the author</b></p>
		<p align=justify>This article was written by Angela Oliver for HealthCare-TrainingCenter.com. For more information about medical billing and coding, training programs, and continuing education, please visit HealthCare-TrainingCenter.com. Find jobs and available training programs in your area that can help you begin a career in medical billing and coding, or health information. <br />
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