September 28, 2021
7 min read
Medical billing and coding play a vital role in the United States healthcare system. This dynamic field offers people the opportunity to make a tangible impact in the lives of patients and care providers by ensuring that everyone receives the highest possible standard of care at an accurate and reasonable cost. If you've been considering a move into this field, you've probably found yourself wondering how to choose the best online medical billing and coding program for you.
In this article, we'll help you learn about this vital profession and help you choose which online medical billing and coding program is best for you as you explore the following sections:
Knowledgeable professors:
While not exclusive to an online medical billing and coding program, having knowledgeable professors goes a long way toward a positive education experience. Ideally, your professors will have experience both teaching the material and working within the field.
Many medical billing and coding jobs may require or at least recommend having an industry certification. Three of the most common certifications are the Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) and Certified Coding Associate (CCA). A good program will include course material that helps you build the knowledge you'll need to prepare for one or more of these exams.
Medical billing and coding does not require you to be able to perform a medical procedure, but it does require you to know the terminology. Your program should teach you about the terminology used in medical procedures, pharmacology and anatomy. This will be extremely useful when assigning codes to procedures in a professional setting.
One of the most important aspects of medical billing and coding is having an understanding of the medical codes used for billing patients and insurance companies. A good program should teach you about the different classifications used and how to use and navigate medical billing and coding databases and software.
Finally, an effective medical billing and coding program will integrate hands-on learning experiences. Even though the program may be online, you should still receive opportunities to utilize the knowledge you've gained and apply it to real-world scenarios.
Of course, these are not the only qualities that can help you determine the best online medical billing and coding program for you. There are several other factors that you'll need to take into account, such as cost, flexibility and admissions standards. Using this list will help you narrow down your list of prospective programs, making your search much faster and easier.
Program cost:
The financial cost of a program matters when it comes to your future. You need to find a program that meets the level of quality that you require for a cost that you can afford. As a student pursuing an Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding Program at DeVry University, you may apply and qualify for grants or scholarships which may help you pay for the cost of your program. Visit our Tuition and Financial Aid page for more information.
Program length:
Depending on your reason for enrolling in a medical billing and coding program, you may need to find a program that can be completed more quickly. Be sure to check out the length of the program at the institution you are researching. Keep in mind that program lengths can vary based on how many classes you take at once and if you plan to attend class year-round.
Program flexibility:
If you have a job and need to continue working during your time in an online medical billing and coding program, flexibility should be a priority in your search. Some programs are more rigid, requiring you to take classes on a strict schedule to earn your credential. Other programs allow you to move at your own pace.
If you plan on working toward an associate or bachelor's degree in the future, then you'll want to find a program that offers stackable degrees and certificates. A stackable program means that you can leverage the credits earned during your online medical billing and coding undergraduate certificate program toward an associate or bachelor's degree in a related field in the future.
To learn more about the costs of earning an Undergraduate Certificate in Medical Billing and Coding at DeVry, visit our Tuition page.
1Growth projected on a national level. Local growth will vary by location. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm
2Growth projected on a national level. Local growth will vary by location. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/home.htm
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In New York, DeVry University operates as DeVry College of New York. DeVry University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC), www.hlcommission.org. The University’s Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation. DeVry is certified to operate by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Arlington Campus: 1400 Crystal Dr., Ste. 120, Arlington, VA 22202. DeVry University is authorized for operation as a postsecondary educational institution by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission, www.tn.gov/thec. Naperville Campus: 1200 E. Diehl Rd., Naperville, IL 60563. Unresolved complaints may be reported to the Illinois Board of Higher Education through the online compliant system https://complaints.ibhe.org/. View DeVry University’s complaint process https://www.devry.edu/compliance/student-complaint-procedure.html Program availability varies by location. In site-based programs, students will be required to take a substantial amount of coursework online to complete their program.
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