How to Select the Best Medical Billing and Coding Program near East Lansing Michigan

Now that you have made a decision to enter the healthcare profession by enrolling in a medical billing and coding school near East Lansing MI, it's essential that you choose the right program to ensure that you receive the proper education to ensure your success. As you no doubt know, healthcare is among the fastest growing fields in the USA, and a growing number of options are offered both on campus and online to get the training that you need. But just where do you start? A number of future students begin by looking for schools that are within commuting distance of their homes and then comparing tuition. Or they might surf the internet looking for online courses and choose the cheapest one. But while cost and location are important factors when making your choice, they should not be the sole ones when comparing medical billing and coding schools. Such qualifiers as reputation and accreditation must be taken into consideration also. We will review a list of questions that you should ask the medical billing and coding training programs you are researching in order to find out what you need to know prior to making your selection. But first, let's take a look at what medical billers and coders do and the academic and certification options offered.

Medical Coding and Billing Online Training and Certification

It's essential that you get your training from a reputable school, whether it's a community college, technical or trade school. While it is not a requirement in most cases to attain a professional certification, the school you choose should be accredited (more on the benefits of accreditation later). Most Michigan schools simply require that you have either a high school diploma or a GED to qualify. The quickest way to become either a medical biller or coder (or both) is to obtain a certificate, which typically takes about a year to finish. An Associate Degree is an alternative for a more comprehensive education, which for the majority of schools requires 2 years of studies. Bachelor's Degrees in medical coding and billing are not abundantly available. Once your education has been completed, although not required in the majority of states, you might desire to attain a professional certification. Certification is a great method for those new to the field to show prospective employers that they are not only qualified but dedicated to their career. Some of the organizations that offer certifications are:

• American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC).
• Board of Medical Specialty Coding (BMSC).
• The Professional Association of Healthcare Coding Specialists (PAHCS).
• American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

Graduating from an accredited medical billing and coding course, along with obtaining a professional certification, are the best ways to advance your new career and succeed in the rapid growing healthcare field.

Medical Coder Job Duties

Medical coders work on the forefront of the billing systems for East Lansing MI medical practices and healthcare organizations. Coders have the responsibility to review the medical records of patients and assign universal codes to all services provided. These services can be for medical, diagnosis or dental procedures, or any medical supplies or equipment used. There are multiple codes that are used in this conversion process, including the following:

• CPT codes (Current Procedural Terminology).
• ICD codes (International Classification of Diseases).
• HCPCS codes (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding).

Medical coders depend on information from sources including nursing and physician notes, patient charts, and lab and radiology reports. Coders must know not only what total services were provided for accurate reporting, but must have a working knowledge of all private payer and government regulations that influence coding as well. Improperly coded claims may result in services not being paid for, services being paid at a decreased rate, or the physician or facility being penalized for fraudulent or improper billing. Since improper coding can actually cost East Lansing MI hospitals and doctors multiple thousands of dollars in income every year, a good medical coder is a vital asset to the healthcare team. They can work in any kind of healthcare facility, including family practices, clinics, hospitals and urgent care centers. It is not uncommon for seasoned medical coders to working from home as an offsite employee or an independent contractor.

Medical Biller Job Duties

As crucial as the medical coder's job is, it would be for naught without the contribution of the medical biller whose efforts bring in revenue. Medical billing clerks are extremely important to East Lansing MI healthcare organizations and are literally responsible for keeping their doors open. Sometimes the coder and biller may be the same man or woman within a medical organization, but they can also be 2 independent specialists. When the coder has carried out her or his job, the biller utilizes the codes provided to fill out and submit claim forms to insurance carriers, Medicaid or Medicare. After being adjusted by the applicable entity, patients can then be billed for deductibles and additional out of pocket expenses. On a routine basis, a medical billing clerk can also do any of the following:

• Check health insurance benefits for patients and assist them with billing questions or concerns
• Check on submitted patient claims and appeal any that have been declined
• Act as a mediator between the healthcare provider, the insurance companies and the patients for correct claim resolution
• Create and control Accounts Receivables reports
• Create and take care of unpaid patient collections accounts

Medical billing clerks not only are employed by family practices, but also East Lansing MI hospitals, urgent care facilities, medical groups or nursing homes. They may work in every kind of medical facility that relies on the revenues generated from billing patients and third party payers.

Online Medical Biller and Coder Classes

If you are interested in convenience and the flexibility of attending classes from home, then enrolling in a medical billing and coding online program might be a good alternative. They can be particularly appealing to individuals living in East Lansing MI who plan on going to school while still working or have additional commitments that make attending classes on campus difficult. And as an added advantage, online schools are in many cases less expensive than the standard classroom alternatives. Expenses for such items as tuition, commuting and study materials may be decreased or eliminated. But be careful, as not all online colleges are reputable. For that reason it's important to verify that any online college you select is accredited to ensure a superior education. We will address the advantages of accreditation in the next section. Just make sure to establish that any online school you are looking at is accredited by one of the national accrediting organizations, for example the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. So if you are disciplined enough to commit yourself to this style of learning, then obtaining your degree or certificate online might be the right choice for you.

What to Ask Medical Coding and Billing Training Programs

Now that you have a general idea what a medical biller and coder does, along with what education options are available, you need to start the process of researching colleges. But since there a large number of training options available at community colleges and technical, trade and vocational schools within the East Lansing MI area, you must have a ready list of questions to evaluate each one. And when you include all of the online schools that offer medical billing and coding classes, the task can become rather daunting. As we have already discussed, expense and location are going to be relevant issues, particularly if you have a modest budget and will be traveling to classes from your East Lansing residence. And whether or not the school and program are accredited should be part of your vetting process as well. So let's review several of the additional questions that you should ask the colleges you are reviewing so that you can evaluate each one and make the appropriate choice.

Is the Program Accredited? It's essential that the program and school you choose are accredited by a respected accrediting organization, for example the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools. If it's an online college, it might also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which focuses on distance or online education. Not only will accreditation help guarantee that the training you receive will be of superior quality, it could help secure future employment as well. Many East Lansing MI healthcare organizations will only employ entry level applicants that have completed an accredited medical coding and billing educational course. And financial aid and student loans are in many cases only offered for colleges that have received an accreditation.

What is the School's Reputation? Before choosing a medical coding and billing school, find out what its reputation and ranking are compared to other colleges. This is particularly important if you have no experience in the industry, since potential employers will mostly be evaluating you based on the quality of your training. As we have covered, making sure that the college is accredited is a first step. Checking with college rating organizations, for instance U.S. News and World Report, can verify the quality of the school also. Another option is to call several East Lansing MI medical organizations that you may have an interest in working for and ask which programs they suggest. Bear in mind that even if the school itself does not have an excellent reputation, its medical coding and billing program may still be well regarded.

Is there an Employment Referral Program? Finding employment in East Lansing MI after graduating in your new profession might be difficult without the help of a job placement program. Find out if the colleges you are reviewing have job assistance programs and what their job placement rates are. A high and rapid placement rate is a good indication that the coding and billing school has a substantial network of medical care employers where they can refer their graduates. It also implies that the college's graduates are in high demand in the marketplace.

Where is the College Located? If you are planning on driving to class from your East Lansing MI home, then the location of the program will be of prime importance. Obviously if you select an medical billing and coding online program, then the location of the school will not be a factor. One thing to remember is that if you go to classes at a community or junior college, many require a higher tuition for pupils that reside outside of their districts. So you may want to first consider those colleges that are within your local area.

What is the Complete Cost? Medical billing and coding certification programs can vary in cost based on the type of credential acquired and the amount of training furnished. But remember, tuition is not the only cost of your education. Expenditures also include such things as the cost of books, supplies and commuting. Financial assistance may be available to help offset a portion of the cost, so don't forget to check with the school's financial assistance department to see what is available in East Lansing MI. Naturally if you decide to attend an online school, a portion of these additional costs, particularly for commuting may be minimized or even eliminated.

Are Classes Available that Fit your Schedule? Many students keep working while attending school and need a convenient class schedule. If you can only attend classes in the evenings or on weekends near East Lansing MI, confirm that they are offered at those times. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, make sure that the college you choose provides that option. Also, ask what the process is for making up classes missed because of illness, work or family responsibilities.

Find Out More on How to Enroll in a Medical Coding Course

Choose the Right East Lansing MI Medical Billing and Coding Training 

Selecting the right medical coding and billing degree or certificate program is a very important first step to help guarantee your success in this rewarding sector of medical care. Medical billing and medical coding are 2 of the most rapidly expanding professions in the medical sector. As a result, there are a lot of trade schools, community colleges and companies that provide training and instruction in medical coding and billing. As we have covered, you can elect to attend classes either on campus or online. It's also essential that the school you select offers an accredited program with an excellent reputation within the healthcare community. But however you elect to receive your training, by following the previous guidelines and posing the appropriate questions, you will be better able to analyze your options and choose the right medical billing and coding program. And with the appropriate education, you can accomplish your career objective to become a medical billing and coding specialist in East Lansing Michigan.