Medical Coding and Billing, Associate in Applied Science (MCBA)
Department website: https://www.dccc.edu/academics/academic-divisions/allied-health-emergency-services-and-nursing/medical-coding-and-billing
Effective: Spring 2016
The Medical Coding and Billing A.A.S. Degree provides students with the skills necessary to function as Physician-Based Coders, Hospital Coders, or Medical Claims Reviewers. Today, there are many demands for coding specialists and accurately coded data from the medical record in all types of health care institutions. Coded data is used on claims for reimbursement, patient care management and healthcare evaluation and research. The curriculum includes medical terminology, human anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, administrative medical office management, electronic health records and CPT and ICD coding. An Associate in Applied Science will be awarded upon completion of the program with a 2.0 GPA and a “C” or better in all Allied Health and Nursing (AHN) courses.
CERTIFIED CODING ASSOCIATE (CCA) CERTIFICATION EXAM
The graduate of this degree may take the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Certification Exam offered by AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association). After completing CCA exam and/or working in the field, students qualify to take the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) or Certified Coding Specialist - Physician Based (CCS-P) exam offered by AHIMA.
Upon successful completion of this program, students should be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the anatomical structure and physiological functioning of the human body and of medical terms descriptive of body systems.
- Describe the ethical and legal concepts of concern as they apply to reimbursement in health care and health information management.
- Apply and identify appropriate coding systems as they pertain to the identification of diseases and procedures in medical practices and hospital settings.
- Evaluate the revenue cycle management process.
- Demonstrate ability to successfully complete the necessary health record documentation approved by private and government medical reimbursement systems.
- Identify the routes of administration, indications, adverse effects and related laboratory studies for commonly used medications.
- Explain the disease process and concepts of pain assessment and management.
- Create a portfolio to demonstrate professional skills to enhance marketability for employment.
- Compare and contrast coding specialties to determine similarities and differences of the different body systems.
- Verify documentation in the health record is timely, complete and accurate.
- Define the roles and responsibilities of various providers and disciplines throughout the continuum of healthcare.
- Identify and use secondary data sources.
| First Semester | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| AHM 233 | Medical Terminology | 3 |
| AHM 104 | Body Structure and Function I 1 | 3 |
| AHM 105 | Body Structure and Function II 1 | 3 |
| AHM 220 | Applied Microbiology | 1 |
| AHM 102 | Introduction to Health Care | 3 |
| ENG 100 | English Composition I | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| CS 100 | Introduction to Information Technology | 3 |
| AHM 231 | Introduction to CPT Coding | 3 |
| AHM 208 | Pathophysiology and Pharmacology | 4 |
| AHA 207 | Ethical/Legal Aspects of Health Care Management | 3 |
| MAT 120 or MAT 121 | Modern College Mathematics or Introduction to Probability and Statistics | 3 |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| AHM 202 | Fundamentals of Health Information Technology Science | 3 |
| AHM 140 | Professional and Communication Issues in Health Care | 3 |
| AHM 232 | Advanced CPT Coding | 3 |
| AHM 239 | Introduction to ICD-10-CM Coding | 3 |
| Any Oral Communication designated course | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| AHM 240 | Hospital Coding and Case Studies | 3 |
| AHM 241 | Revenue Cycle Management and Reimbursement Methodologies | 3 |
| SOC 110 | Introduction to Sociology | 3 |
| Any Global Understanding designated Humanities course | 3 | |
| Hours | 12 | |
| Fifth Semester | ||
| Summer | ||
| AHM 242 | Virtual Professional Practice Experience Capstone Course | 3 |
| Hours | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 62 | |
- 1
BIO 150 Human Anatomy and Physiology I and BIO 151 Human Anatomy and Physiology II may be taken in place of AHM 104 and AHM 105.
Notes
Oral Communication designated courses
Global Understanding designated courses
HYBRID DEGREE (online* and classroom)
66% online
The following courses may not be available online:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Classroom Only | ||
| AHM 220 | Applied Microbiology | 1 |
| AHM 231 | Introduction to CPT Coding | 3 |
| AHM 202 | Fundamentals of Health Information Technology Science | 3 |
| AHM 232 | Advanced CPT Coding | 3 |
| AHM 239 | Introduction to ICD-10-CM Coding | 3 |
| AHM 240 | Hospital Coding and Case Studies | 3 |
| AHM 242 | Virtual Professional Practice Experience Capstone Course | 3 |
- *
Some online courses have field requirements or in person/proctored testing. Online courses with these requirements have additional information posted under the COURSE DESCRIPTION section when you are registering. Please make a note of it during registration.
Career Information for this Program
Medical Coding and Billing (Associate in Applied Science)
Browse or search for careers and we will give you relevant data on wages, employment, and the training you need.
DCCC Career and Counseling Services
Faculty and staff in Career & Counseling Services are eager to help you become successful in college and in life. We offer services to assist you at any point in your academic journey and we tailor our approach to meet your individual needs.
