Medical Billing FAQs

Why do people become Medical Coding Specialists?

Because they can make good money and have a skill that is in great demand.

What are the advantages of Medical coding and Billing ?

Yes. Security. People will always need doctors, and doctors will always need to submit properly coded records to be reimbursed for their services.

Is Medical Coding/Billing easy to learn?

Yes. Medesun Trains you step by step how to code the diagnosis, treatment, drugs and medical procedures in the proper form and how to bill.

Do I need any previous education or experience?

You must have

• Medical Terminology Knowledge
• Life science back ground
• MBBS/ BAMS/ BHMS/ BDS/ BPT/ BUMS/ B Sc nursing/ B pharmacy/ GNM/ can learn easily because of the expert knowledge of Medical Terminology.
• For Micro Biology/ Bio-Technology/ Life science Graduates can also EXCEL in this field if you acquire Medical Terminology knowledge.
• Medesun Teaches Exclusive Medical Terminology for 15-Days. (60 Hours) Classroom and Online

Are the instructors are Certified and Experienced.?

Medesun Founder and Instructor Dr. Guptha is Certified Professional Coder, certified in 2004 with 5 years of On-site and Real-time experience.
Certified in

• CPC^®: Certified Professional Coder
• CPC-H^®: Certified Professional Coder-Hospital
• CPC-P^®: Certified Professional Coder-Payer
• CPMA^®: Certified Professional Medical Auditor
• CHA^®: certified HIPAA administrator
• CHL7: Certified HL7 specialist
• and Certified Six Sigma Black belt

The Instructor have "been there, done that".

What are the Job Opportunities and salaries for a Medical Coding/ Billing Specialist?

Because Job Opening and salaries varies, we suggest you refer the job portals (www.naukri.com and www.monster.com)

Whom will I be working for?

Medical Coding/Billing Specialists work Medical BPOs.

How much work is available?

The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the demand will increase much faster than average.

Are there any extras I must buy?

You'll only need access to a CPT and ICD-9 Coding Manual. You may prefer to purchase one or we can tell you where to locate a library that has one available.

What is the potential for advancement?

As a Medical Coding Specialist, your earnings grow with your experience.

How long does it take to finish the medical coding and billing program?

The length of the medical coding and billing program varies depending on how much time you want to commit to your studies. You can finish in as little as 45 days or take as long as 3 months – it’s up to you!

How do I become certified? Is certification required for my career?

Certification is not required to get a job as a medical coder and biller, but it will give your career an advantage. It provides you with medical coding and billing course credentials – something that is highly valued in today’s medical field. Having the distinction of being “certified” can lead to better job opportunities and help you create the long-term career you want.

www.aapc.com www.ahima.org

CPC®

A Certified Professional Coder® (CPC®) is an individual of high professional integrity who has passed a coding certification examination consisting of questions regarding the correct application of CPT, and are used for billing professional medical services to insurance companies. A CPC® must have two years coding experience, maintain a yearly membership, and submit Continuing Education Units (CEUs) every two years.

CPC-H®

Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H®) A Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H®) must pass a coding certification examination sponsored by the American Academy of Professional Coders. The examination consists of questions regarding the correct application of CPT®, ICD-9-CM diagnoses and procedure codes used for billing facility services to insurance companies. A CPC-H® must have at least two years coding experience and maintain yearly renewal and CEU requirements.

CPC-P®

Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-P®) The Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-P®) credential certifies that the successful candidate has knowledge and skills to adjudicate provider claims effectively.The CPC-P® demonstrates the payer coder's aptitude, proficiency and knowledge within the payer environment. Their coding is viewed by claims reviewers, utilization management staff, benefits staff, provider relations and customer service staff. A CPC-P® must have at least 2 years coding work experience that includes working with CPT®, ICD-9-CM, or HCPCS code sets and must maintain the required amount of yearly CEUs.

Certified Coding Associate (CCA®)

Recent graduates of medical coding schools can get an entry-level coding credential to certify their competency. The CCA® is the starting point for graduates of medical coding schools who are beginning their career.

Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®)

The CCS® credential denotes a high standard of proficiency in coding beyond the entry level certification. Medical coders must be very familiar with the ICD-9-CM coding system and the CPT® (Current Procedural Terminology®) coding system's surgery section. Clinical coders must, in addition, be apprised of medical terminology, hospital practices, pharmacology and treatment options in order to translate the information within clinical case notes into medical codes.

Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based (CCS-P®)

The CCS-P® is a medical coder who is certified to work in a physician-based environment such as physicians' offices, clinics, specialty centers or other similar settings. In addition to having a sound knowledge of ICD-9-CM® and CPT® coding systems, a certified CCS-P® will also be familiar with HCPCS® (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System) Level II coding systems.

www.physicianwebsites.com www.aaham.org

"Please note that upon completion of your Medical coding and Billing Program, you will be issued a Certificate of Completion from Medesun".

What are the jobs available for the Trained medical coder?

Jobs Available To A Trained Medical Coder

Outpatient Coder An outpatient coder performs medical coding in a variety of outpatient health care settings. These include emergency rooms, hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, physician offices, and clinics.

Inpatient Coder: An inpatient coder is responsible for accurate assignment of diagnosis related groups (DRGs), diagnostic and procedural codes using ICD-9-CM for inpatient health information records.

At-Home Coder: An at-home coder completes the coding process from home using electronically transmitted records.

Coding Auditor: A coding auditor performs DRG optimization audits on inpatient and outpatient records and reviews the results of audits with coding staff and coding management to resolve noncompliance and inaccuracy issues.

Consultant: The responsibility of a consultant is to assist clients and provide support for creation, maintenance and ongoing operation of an efficient and accurate system of reimbursement and documentation. A consultant also reviews billing protocols and procedures to assure compliance will all regulatory and governmental requirements.

Privacy Officer: A privacy officer oversees all ongoing activities related to the development of, implementation of, maintenance of, and adherence to the organization’s policies and procedures covering the privacy of, and access to, patient health information in compliance with federal and state laws and the healthcare organization’s information privacy practices.

Medical Coding Instructor A medical coding instructor educates students about diagnostic and procedural coding. The training of medical coders can be provided by an instructor in a classroom setting or an online setting. This can include the training of new coders, as well as providing continuing education opportunities for current coders.

Coding Supervisor A coding supervisor provides support for and works to plan, review, and implement the policies and processes surrounding the coding and abstracting functions and maintains responsibilities for all coding functions, including appropriate staff productivity and development, implementation and monitoring of the coding compliance plan.

Health Information Manager A health information manager is responsible for the management of all aspects of the health information department, including revenue cycle management, coding, transcription, utilization review, and chart review.

How does medical coding compare to medical transcription?

The process of medical coding is a highly regulated and tightly supervised activity. Medical coding is also subject to frequent and rigorous audits to ensure accuracy in billing, as there are literally billions of dollars on the line. It is a much more scrutinized activity than medical transcription.

As a consequence, the requirements for certification are greater for individuals in the medical coding and billing field compared with many other career fields. Whereas medical transcription requires spelling and advanced literacy skills, coding is more analytical and objective.

Medical transcription is predominately performed by individuals working from home. At this point, most medical coding is still performed in hospitals and clinics.