Medical Billing Specialist
Program Summary
The medical industry is experiencing a tremendous demand for individuals with knowledge of medical office operations, billing and coding, processing insurance forms, and using medical software. According to the American Medical Association, there are over 1.2 million Medical Specialists in the United States. This profession is listed as one of the fastest growing professions in allied health. This growth can be attributed to the recent legislation and changes in medical insurance. With the creation of HMO's, PPO's, and managed care, physicians need employees who understand the complexities of insurance billing. Because of this demand, medical billing has become one of the most popular careers in the nation.
The career of a medical billing specialist is a challenging one with new opportunities arising continuously. Job security is high for an individual who understands claims processing and billing regulations, possesses sharp coding skills, and is successful in appealing underpaid or denied insurance claims. Recent surveys of medical office personnel “help wanted” advertisements indicate the need for individuals with these skills. In PGCC’s Medical Billing Program, students will learn the job skills they need to be successful candidates in the workforce.
At PGCC, the medical biller must have strong computer and word processing skills, as well as a good grasp on medical terminology. With these prerequisites, the program begins with an overview of the medical billing practice, computerized patient accounting, and the fundamentals needed to start a medical billing business. The program continues with hands-on training designed for physician’s office personnel. The focus is on understanding administration and paper flow within a medical office including payment processing and posting, benefits, insurance, and report generation. More advanced courses cover diagnosis and procedure, coding principles, billing applications, hands-on training, introduction to ICD-9CM/CPT/HCPCS, claims processing, third party payers, and electronic filing.
Employment Trends
- Medical billing, together with other health information technicians, is one of the ten fastest-growing allied health occupations.
- These medical billing specialists are employed in clinics, hospitals, insurance companies, consulting firms, medical coding and billing services firms, governmental agencies and computer software companies.
- Medical billing specialists can advance to be supervisors or health information administrators. The demand for medical transcriptionists continues unabated, making this a great career choice in a field that grows more each year.
- Medical billing specialists can find work in a number of diverse settings, including clinics, laboratories, hospitals, medical libraries or, if you prefer and can arrange it, from the convenience of a home office.
Program Objectives
- Successful completion of each course earns a Certificate of Completion
- Coursework leading to award of a Continuing Education Certificate
Program Curriculum
- A high school diploma or GED
- Strong computer and word processing skills
- Good grasp on medical terminology
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Crs #
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Course Name
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Hrs
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HES354
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Medical Terminology (online course)
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24
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HES414
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Introduction to Medical Billing
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12
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HES415
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Computerized Medical Billing
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24
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HES352
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Advanced Computerized Medical Billing
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6
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HES321
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Physician Office Billing
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45
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Program Total
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111
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