Medical Claims Coding Associate, CERT

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The Medical Claims Coding Associate certificate of completion builds on the Medical Office Essentials credit diploma and addresses specialized skills in medical coding and reimbursement, including advanced techniques in medical insurance, reimbursement methodologies, basic health information management, electronic health records and basic and advanced coding, emphasizing CPT/HCPCS and ICD coding. The coding courses prepare students for a national coding exam through the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) or the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC). The courses for the Medical Office Essentials credit diploma are embedded in the Medical Claims Coding Associate certificate.

Once students have completed the Medical Claims Coding Associate certificate, they may take additional specialized courses in coding and health information technology and management to complete the AAS in Health Information Technology and Management.

Contact Information

Contact information is available on the Health Information Technology and Management program website.

Map your individual academic plan of courses with your College Advisor.

If students choose to transition to another program within the Health Sciences & Wellness pathway, they should be particularly aware of the choice points that indicate when a decision to branch off into another program must be made to ensure credits and time are not lost.

Coursework common to all degrees within this pathway is indicated by CAC, Common Academic Coursework, in the program map.

Competencies

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

Demonstrate proficiency required for a medical office environment to ensure appropriate reimbursement in a variety of health care settings.
Apply the guidelines for effective coding to ethically maximize the reimbursement levels in a health care environment.
Assign appropriate CPT/HCPCS and ICD-10-CM/PCS codes based on analysis of the documentation provided in the medical record.
Develop an effective revenue cycle system to be used in the medical office to include effective reimbursement methods, coding and analysis of the systems and how they work.
Conduct an analysis of both paper and electronic health records to assure that the documentation supports the diagnosis and procedure codes used for proper reimbursement.

Prerequisites

Milestones

Students are eligible to apply to the HITM program upon completion of the course in this semester.

Course Requirements

HLTK 1200 - Medical Terminology Credits: 2
HLTK 1210 - Human Body Systems Credits: 3

First Semester

Course Requirements

STRT 1000 - Strategies for Success Credits: 3 | CAC
HIT 1500 - Introduction to Health Care Careers and Workplace Preparedness Credits: 4
HIT 1510 - Computer Software for Medical Office Professionals Credits: 4
HIT 1550 - Medical Office Administrative Procedures Credits: 3
HIT 1600 - Introduction to Health Information Credits: 2

Semester Total: 16 Credits

Second Semester

Course Requirements

MEDC 1500 - Basic ICD-10-CM/PCS Coding Credits: 3
MEDC 1600 - Basic CPT Coding Credits: 3
MEDC 1750 - Disease Processes for Coding Credits: 3
ENGL 1010 - English Composition I Credits: 3 | CAC

Milestones

Completion of ENGL 1010 as prerequisites for other courses.

Semester Total: 12 Credits

Third Semester

Course Requirements

MATH 1000 - Problem Solving or higher Credits: 3
COMM 2010 - Public Speaking Credits: 3 | CAC
MEDC 1675 - Advanced Coding Credits: 4
MEDC 1700 - Reimbursement Methodologies Credits: 3
MEDC 1970 - Professional Practice Experience (Coding) Credits: 2

Milestones

Completion of MATH 1000 as a gateway course.
Students earn the Medical Claims Coding Associate (MCCA) Certificate upon completion of this semester.

Semester Total: 15 Credits

Program Credit Hour Total: 48 Credits

Program Comments

Students planning to apply to the Health Information Technology and Management program should work closely with their Advising Team regarding course sequence options required for completion prior to program application.

The information below is intended to be a guide, and does not guarantee regional job placement, job availability, or a specific wage after completion of the program. Students will be able to work in their chosen field upon graduation. The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) certification, a national exam offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) assists with upward mobility but is not required.

Additional information on careers in Health Information Technology and Management is available through Career Coach.

Transfer Information

LCCC courses may transfer to institutions in addition to those with formal articulation agreements. Students are strongly encouraged to determine the degree requirements and transfer policy of the specific college/university and program to which they plan to transfer.