Top Online Medical Billing and Coding Programs
Medical billing and coding positions require an eye for detail. These professionals process payments, review patient data for completeness and accuracy, and input information into databases. Since medical billing and coding professionals do most of their work on the computer, they can often work from home.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects jobs for medical records and health information technicians to grow by 8% between 2019 and 2029 — significantly faster than the projected average growth rate of 4% for all occupations. Individuals who want to enter this growing field must pursue higher education. Keep reading to learn more about what medical coding and billing involves, the top medical billing and coding online programs, information covered by these programs, salary averages, and accreditation information.
| Rank | School | Location | Average Net Price 2017-2018 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Central Texas College | Killeen, TX | $5,258 |
| 2 | Northwest Technical College | Bemidji, MN | $11,348 |
| 3 | Minnesota State Community and Technical College | Fergus Falls, MN | $10,235 |
| 4 | Laramie County Community College | Cheyenne, WY | $6,650 |
| 5 | Keiser University — Ft. Lauderdale | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $31,371 (2020-21) |
| 6 | Minnesota State College Southeast | Winona, MN | $12,854 |
| 7 | Guilford Technical Community College | Jamestown, NC | $9,478 |
| 8 | Hazard Community and Technical College | Hazard, KY | $6,044 |
| 9 | Northland Community and Technical College | Thief River Falls, MN | $10,406 |
| 10 | Dakota College at Bottineau | Bottineau, ND | $9,107 |
Featured Online Programs
What Is Medical Billing and Coding?
Medical billing and coding involves sending information to insurance companies and processing patient payments. These two separate processes work hand in hand. Once a patient receives a service, the medical coder translates these services into universal codes for insurance companies.
The medical billing portion of the process requires communicating the amount owed to both the patient and the insurance company through a bill. Sometimes, one professional takes on both of these tasks.
Medical billing and coding are crucial steps in the healthcare process. These professionals work with insurance companies to help patients save as much money as possible. Medical billing and coding professionals also review patient accounts to look for payment discrepancies and correct rejected insurance claims. They help the hospital collect funds to maintain financial health.
This career requires knowledge of both paper billing and paperless billing. Many hospitals and healthcare facilities have been phasing out paper billing and switching to online payment portals. Medical billing professionals also need similar skills as customer service professionals, as they often field calls and emails from patients and insurance professionals.
What Is the Difference Between Medical Billing and Medical Coding?
Medical billing and medical coding serve as two crucial, yet different processes. The medical coding process is similar to language translation.
Once medical coders receive a patient file, they review the provided services and assign a universal insurance code to each. Once the insurance company receives these codes, they communicate how much they can pay to the medical billing professional.
Medical billing refers to the process of communicating medical codes to the insurance company and the remaining balance to the patient. These bills sometimes come in the form of physical letters or emails.
Education Needed for a Medical Billing and Coding Career
"The medical and coding field experiences changes each year, especially when new healthcare legislation passes."
According to the BLS , the typical entry-level education for medical billing and coding jobs is a postsecondary nondegree designation. However, some employers may prefer applicants with bachelor's degrees. Four-year degrees can position individuals as competitive job candidates.
Some employees pursue additional education to gain pay raises or promotions. Other medical billing and coding professionals may choose to earn additional certifications to specialize in a specific area.
However, additional education is just one way to earn more money in this field. Certain employers may offer raises and job promotions merely based on years of experience.
The medical and coding field experiences changes each year, especially when new healthcare legislation passes. Professionals must commit to lifelong learning to stay current with these changes. Many employers provide paid continuing education opportunities and training through webinars.
Types of Online Medical Billing and Coding Programs
Certificate A postsecondary certificate is often the minimum educational requirement for medical billing and coding positions. Note that a certificate varies from certification. Traditional four-year colleges and two-year vocational schools provide medical billing and coding certificates that offer a high-level overview of the field's foundations. A certificate does not provide an in-depth look into a profession, but it provides learners the qualifications to earn a job in the field. Students can typically earn a certificate in less than one year.
Associate An associate degree offers more surface-level knowledge about additional areas in the field. Earning an associate in medical billing and coding online takes about two years. Typically, this degree does not include any in-person requirements, but some programs may feature supervised exams. Both traditional four-year colleges and two-year vocational schools offer associate degrees in medical billing and coding. However, since these programs cannot cover every topic in-depth, some programs may focus more on coding and others on billing.
Bachelor's A bachelor's in medical billing and coding online typically takes four years. Most of these programs require around 120 credits and cover coding topics more in-depth than an associate degree or certificate. However, bachelor's degrees also require general education courses like math, English, and science. Some bachelor's programs accept transfer credits earned through an associate degree. Many bachelor's programs allow students to select a minor or concentration.
Master's Professionals who want to enter leadership roles within the medical billing and coding field can earn a master's degree. Online courses in a master's program review medical billing and coding basics and also dive into business and leadership aspects. Master's degree-seekers learn how to create budgets for an organization, delegate tasks, and review patient files and bills to ensure accuracy.
What Will I Learn in an Online Medical Billing and Coding Program?
Billing and coding programs teach students to translate medical records into codes, communicate with insurance companies, administer bills, and collect payments. Most medical billing and coding programs cover both hard and soft skills.
Unlike some soft skills, hard skills do not always come naturally to students. Medical billing and coding programs cover hard skills such as translating insurance coding and using online billing platforms.
Soft skills are harder to quantify and test. Online medical billing and coding programs cover soft skills such as interpersonal communication and organization skills. Read below for five common courses in a medical billing and coding program.
Certification Requirements for Medical Billing and Coding Careers
Many health organizations do not require certification for medical billing and coding careers, but employers often favor candidates with certifications. Individuals can earn multiple types of certifications. Some demonstrate specialized knowledge, while others provide generalized knowledge.
For example, the American Academy of Professional Coders provides learners with certified professional coder designation once they pass an exam. This test includes 150 multiple-choice questions, which candidates must complete in five hours and 40 minutes. Individuals can take these two exams online or in person. The in-person version costs $399, and online costs $299.
The Professional Association of Healthcare Coding Specialists awards the certified basic medical coding Specialist certificate. This certificate costs $250 and requires a written exam.
Before pursuing certification, individuals should compare and contrast the different types and research employer preference. The four main accrediting bodies and types of certification for medical billing and coding online graduates are:
American Academy of Professional Coders
This organization offers three types of specialized certified professional coder certificates.
American Health Information Management Association
The AHIMA offers the certified Coding associate and certified coding specialist certificates. The association also offers the registered health information technician and registered health information administrator credentials.
Board of Medical Specialty Coding & Compliance
This organization offers the special coding professionals and advanced coding specialists certificates.
Professional Association of Healthcare Coding Specialists
PAHCS awards the certified basic medical coding specialist certificate.
What Can I Do With an Online Degree in Medical Billing and Coding?
Online medical billing and coding programs can position individuals to work in a variety of positions and environments, including hospitals, dental offices, doctors' offices, and nursing homes.
See below for five common careers individuals can pursue with a medical coding and billing degree, including salary and occupational duties for each. These occupations may require varying levels of education and experience.
According to PayScale, certified medical coders earn $48,150 per year on average, and other medical coders earn $42,300 on average. These professionals receive diagnostic and treatment terms from medical providers and transform them into specific codes for insurance and billing purposes. They must know how to properly read medical records and understand medical terminology.
Salary Expectations for Medical Billing and Coding Careers
Salary varies greatly depending on a professional's position and experience level. For example, PayScale finds that medical coding auditors with less than one year of experience earn $20 per hour, while professionals with more than 20 years of experience earn $32 per hour.
Geographical location also impacts pay. For example, employers in urban cities near the coasts typically pay more than employers in rural Midwest areas.
Finding the Right Online Medical Billing and Coding Program
Selecting the right medical coding degree takes time and research. Online programs allow students to explore many affordable options. When researching programs, prospective students should note factors like credit requirements and program pace, which impacts the overall time it takes to earn the degree.
Most medical billing and coding online programs support a specific certification. Future students should consider programs that cover content relating to their desired certification. Course descriptions can guide learners in their research process.
Prospective learners should also consider which professional groups maintain a presence within a particular school or program. Some schools feature student chapters of common professional organizations, like the American Medical Billing Association.
Accreditation for Online Medical Billing and Coding Programs
Accreditation is another important factor to consider when choosing a program. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation oversee third-party accrediting organizations. When a college or university earns accreditation, it means the school passes a certain set of quality standards.
Educational institutions can earn regional or national accreditation. When a school earns regional accreditation, it means it earns accreditation from an agency that only accredits schools in a certain region. For example, the Higher Learning Commission grants accreditation to schools in the Midwest.
On the other end, accrediting agencies that receive permission from the ED to accredit schools all across America can grant national accreditation. However, employers typically view degrees from regionally accredited schools as more prestigious.
Programs can also earn accreditation. The Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management is the top accrediting body for medical billing and coding programs.
Medical Billing and Coding Scholarships
Scholarships help students fund their education without accruing significant debt. However, many scholarships are competitive. Students can increase their chances of earning a scholarship by applying for scholarships with specific qualifications, like awards reserved specifically for medical billing and coding students. See below for five scholarships for these majors.
American Academy of Professional Coders Hardship/Disaster Assistance Scholarship
Who Can Apply: Members of the American Academy of Professional Coders can apply for a scholarship if they experience hardship. These funds go toward books, study guides, and membership renewal fees.
Amount: Varies
American Health Information Management Association Foundation
Who Can Apply: This organization offers scholarships for students pursuing nearly any level of education within the health information management or technology fields. To qualify, individuals must join the American Health Information Management Association and maintain at least a 3.5 GPA.
Amount: Varies
Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions Scholarship of Excellence
Who Can Apply: Students who attend schools with membership to this association can apply for this scholarship. Individuals must complete at least one term of study at any degree level before applying.
Amount: $1,000
Robert D. Kruse Memorial Scholarship Fund for Allied Health Professionals
Who Can Apply: Full-time students completing their final year of studies in the health sciences field may apply. Applicants need at least a 2.5 GPA to qualify.
Amount: $5,000
Sharps Compliance, Inc. Scholarship Contest
Who Can Apply: Students applying to or currently enrolled in an accredited university majoring in a healthcare-related field may apply for this scholarship. Applicants must submit an essay about how prescription drug collection programs assist the opioid epidemic.
Amount: $1,500
ICD – International Classification of Diseases, a type of code
CPT – Current Procedural Terminology as determined by the American Medical Association
HCPCS – The Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System, often pronounced "hick picks" according to its acronym
CM – Clinical Modification; listed as "CM" at the end of a line of updated code or used to indicate a revision to the ICD, such as in the latest tenth revision (ICD-10-CM) in 2020
CMS – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
NCHS – National Center for Health Statistics
WHO – World Health Organization
E-codes – Used to indicate an injury, poisoning, or adverse effect due to an external cause, such as a bad reaction to a drug
V-codes – Describes a patient visit for a reason other than disease or injury, such as a person with a live-born infant or unspecified risk due to family history
Category – When referencing medical billing and coding, the CPT code set features three categories: Category I (the largest and most commonly used) describes medical procedures, technologies, and services; Category II is used for performance management and additional data; Category III houses the codes for emerging and experimental medical procedures and services
E/M – Evaluation and Management; code used for varying types of physician-patient encounters
Modifier – Used to alter or describe a compound medical service or supply
Modifier-exempt – A code for a single, straightforward service that is not eligible for an "add-on" or extension descriptor
Pathology – The science of disease, including its causes and effects
Subcategory – In ICD codes, the digit after the decimal point that describes the nature of the illness or injury, and possibly its location or area of manifestation
Subclassification – An extension of the subcategory descriptor, further describing the manifestation, severity, or location of an injury or disease
Technical component – Describes only the technical aspect of a medical procedure
Z-codes – Similar to V-codes; indicate a reason not due to immediate illness or injury for a patient to visit a healthcare professional
Top Online Medical Billing and Coding Programs
Top Online Medical Billing & Coding Programs for 2019
Central Texas College's two-year, 60-credit AAS program in medical coding and billing prepares students to enter this fast-growing field. Based in Killeen, Texas, but operating over 100 locations worldwide, CTC boasts a robust military support program. Satellite campuses at military installations throughout the U.S. and Europe allow active-duty servicemen and women to take both online and in-person classes with support from school staff.
Students in CTC's online medical billing and coding program earn their degree completely online. Many courses are available in open-entry format, meaning that students can complete them at their own pace.
Courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and pathophysiology acquaint students with the basics of the medical field. The program builds on this general knowledge with instruction in coding and classification systems, insurance, and industry-specific software. Classes in business English, humanities or fine arts, and social science round out the AAS degree.
CTC is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
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To determine the best online Medical Coding and Billing programs, we looked at the most important factors prospective students, mainly common predictors of future success and a school's commitment to online programs. This boils down to admissions rate, student loan default rate, retention rate, graduation rate, and the percent of students enrolled in online classes. All data points are taken from information provided by colleges and universities to the National Center for Education Statistics.
Each factor is weighted evenly in order to give an objective view and determine the best online Medical Coding and Billing programs. To calculate our rankings, we looked at a school's ranking when organized by a single factor, and then averaged each category's ranking to find an overall score: Admissions Rate (20%) + Default Rate (20%) + Retention Rate (20%) + Graduation Rate (20%) + Percent of Students Enrolled in Online Classes (20%) = Final score.