Medical Information Coder/Biller, CCC

The Medical Information Coder/Biller College Credit Certificate (CCC) is part of the Health Information Technology AS degree. The program is designed to prepare students for employment in a variety of health care settings as entry level coder, medical record coder, coding technician, or coding clerks, or medical coder/billers. Medical information coder/biller professionals provide reliable and valid information for healthcare reimbursement and research.

The Certificate is comprised of courses that will provide coherent and rigorous content aligned with challenging academic standards and relevant technical knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in the Health Science Career cluster of programs. It provides technical skill proficiency, and includes competency-based applied learning that contributes to the academic knowledge, higher-order reasoning and problem-solving skills, work attitudes, general employability skills, technical skills, and occupation-specific skills, required of programs in the Health Science Career cluster.

Credentials for Medical Information Coder/Biller:

Students who complete the Medical Biller Coder program may take a number of credentialing exams from different organizations.

1. AHIMA - The American Health Information Management Association

The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) credential exam as the first step in their coding career.  The CCA is an entry-level credential that distinguishes new coders in the job market. Individuals with a CCA credential:

• Exhibit a level of commitment, competency, and professional capability usually absent in a newcomer to the field.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the coding profession.
• Distinguish themselves from non-credentialed coders and those holding credentials from other organizations less demanding of the higher level of expertise required to earn AHIMA certification.
• The CCA should be viewed as the starting point for an individual entering a career as a coder.
• Note: The AHIMA CCS and CCS-P exams demonstrate mastery level skills in coding.  Most individuals challenge the CCS or CCS-P exams after two or more years of work experience in coding.

2. AAPC - The American Academy of Professional Coders sponsors a certification exam for coders with expertise in physician-based settings which leads to the title of Certified Professional Coder (CPC) or Certified Professional Coder Hospital (CPC-H).
3. The National Healthcare Association also offers a national certification examination for a Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).

Curriculum Sequence and Advanced Study Opportunity:

The Certificate requires 37 semester credit hours of instruction that incorporate anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, human diseases and essentials of pharmacology into the curriculum. These courses provide a foundation for the student to learn the intricacies of medical information coding. The billing component of the curriculum allows the student to gain insight into the revenue cycle of a health care facility or office. Students will also participate in a coding practicum that will provide experience in coding patient records across the continuum of care at both the facility and professional provider level.

It is highly recommended that students have strong English communication skills before entering the program. Students are expected to progress through the curriculum in a prescribed sequence. The Certificate can be completed in four semesters. It may also be completed in only three semesters if Semester 1 and Semester 2 courses are combined into one Spring semester program start.

This Certificate is a planned sequence of instruction consisting of 37 credit hours. Students will progress through the program as a group/cohort and courses must be taken in sequence. Full time and part time cohort sequencing is available. Note that some courses are only offered one time per academic year.

All courses in the Certificate, completed with a grade of “C” or better, will articulate or apply towards the AS degree in Health Information Technology. Some students may choose to only complete the Certificate. Others may choose to continue and complete the Health Information Technology AS degree program. Graduates of the AS Program are eligible to take the National Certification Examination to become a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT).

Accreditation:

The Florida SouthWestern State College Health Information Technology Associate in Science degree program is nationally accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education (CAHIIM) 233 N. Michigan Avenue, 21st Floor Chicago, IL 60601-5800 www.cahiim.org/