Lakewood University

Medical Billing & Coding Certificate

Program Highlights

32 Week Program
Accredited
Instructor Assistance
Your Own Success Coach
Books Included in Tuition

Overview

As this is one of our combination programs, you will find that there are two different course descriptions; one for each portion of the program:

Medical Billing:
Lakewood University’s Medical Billing program provides a comprehensive understanding of medical billing and its components. This program will contain many topics regarding medical billing topics such as managed care, insurance claim processing, a brief introduction to ICD-10-CM coding, HCPCS coding, and CPT coding and reimbursement methodologies. It will also cover claim form submission for Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Workers’ Compensation, and TRICARE. It will also cover the basic office needs, how coding and billing interrelate, and how to maintain and establish the electronic health record.

Medical Coding:
Lakewood University’s Medical Coding program provides a comprehensive understanding of medical coding and its components. This program covers many topics including navigating the International Classification of Disease, ICD-10-CM, Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding Systems (HCPCS). This program will also take students through a series of individual coding cases that will require them to use all three coding books for individual body systems.

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Useful Links

Program Outcomes

Program Outline

What You Receive

Career Outlook

Program Cost

Apply medical terminology
Explain the importance of health insurances and managed health care
Process an insurance claim for commercial insurance, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and Workers’ Compensation
Demonstrate the basics of medical coding
Explain the importance of coding for medical necessity
Explain the legalities of medical billing
Follow essential CMS-1500 Claim instructions
Describe the difference between Medicare Part A, B, C, and D
Locate and translate regulatory rules and regulations as they apply to medical billing and coding
Describe the structure of an ICD-10-CM code
Demonstrate the ability to navigate the layout of the ICD-10-CM, CPT, & HCPCS manuals
Describe the layout and guidelines of the ICD-10, CPT, & HCPCS manuals
Illustrate ability to abstract diagnostic statements from the medical record and differentiate between main and modifying terms and subterms in the coding manuals.
Choose diagnoses and procedures using the ICD-10, CPT, & HCPCS manuals, following chapter-specific guidelines.
Recognize the structure of an ICD-10-CM code

Program Outline

Lakewood University’s Medical Billing & Coding Certificate is comprised of 1200 clock hours which provides “hands-on” instruction on the following topics:

Lesson Number	Lesson Name
Lesson 1	Medical Terminology and NHA Registration
Lesson 2	Health Insurance Specialist Career
Lesson 3	Introduction to Health Insurance/Managed Health Care
Lesson 4	Processing an Insurance Claim
Lesson 5	Legal and Regulatory Issues
Lesson 6	ICD-10-CM Coding
Lesson 7	CPT Coding
Lesson 8	HCPCS Coding System
Lesson 9	CMs Reimbursement Methodologies
Lesson 10	Coding for Medical Necessity
Lesson 11	Essential CMS-1500 Claim Instructions
Lesson 12	Commercial Insurance
Lesson 13	Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans
Lesson 14	Medicare & Medicaid
Lesson 15	TRICARE & Workers’ Compensation
Lesson 16	Exam
Lesson 17	Reimbursement, HIPAA, & Compliance
Lesson 18	An Overview of ICD-10-CM / ICD-10-CM Outpatient Coding & Reporting Guidelines
Lesson 19	Using ICD-10-CM
Lesson 20	Using ICD-10-CM (continued)
Lesson 21	Introduction to the CPT and Level II National Codes/Modifiers
Lesson 22	Evaluation and Management (E/M) Services, Anesthesia/Surgery Guidelines and General Surgery
Lesson 23	Integumentary System/Musculoskeletal System
Lesson 24	Respiratory System/Cardiovascular System
Lesson 25	Hemic, Lymphatic, Mediastinum, and Diaphragm/Digestive
Lesson 26	Urinary and Male Genital Systems/Reproductive, Intersex Surgery, Female Genital System, and Maternity Care and Delivery
Lesson 27	Endocrine and Nervous Systems/Eye, Ocular, Adnexa, Auditory, and Operating Microscope
Lesson 28	Radiology/Pathology/Laboratory
Lesson 29	Medicine
Lesson 30	Inpatient Coding
Lesson 31	Final Examination

TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS The following lists the minimum recommended hardware and software requirements a student will need to successfully access Lakewood University’s online academic programs: Audio: sound card and speakers or headphones for listening Internet connection: 56 Kbps for self-paced courses (caution: if the video is present, it may be poor at this speed) Screen resolution: at least 800 x 600 Internet browser: IE 7 or greater, Firefox 2 or greater, browser set to accept cookies and to show the newest version of a page Media Player such Windows Media Player, Camtasia, or Vidster (all of which can be downloaded for free at the respective websites). Pop-up blocker must be disabled **For optimal results the following is recommended: Internet connection: Cable modem, DSL or better (required for high-quality video) Screen resolution: 1024 x 768

State requirements

A career in this field may require you to meet certain licensing, training, and other requirements that can vary by vocation and state. You should check with your state, local government, and/or licensing board to find out which requirements may be applicable in your state. Click here for contact information on state licensing/regulatory boards and certain professional licensing information.

What You Receive

Lakewood University provides everything you need for the Medical Billing & Coding Program. You will receive:

Comprehensive Medical Billing & Coding textbooks & study guides
Career search & time management guides
Open-book, online exams
Instructor guidance and unlimited tutoring
Your own Student Success Coach!
Access to our online library!
Networking with Lakewood’s active student and alumni social community

Career Outlook

Across American Academy of Professional Coders™ (AAPC) membership, medical coders (certified and non-certified) earn an average salary of $54,890, up 5.8% from last year’s average salary of $51,889. Medical coders without certification earn approximately $42,015 per year while certified professional coders on average earn $55,923 annually—33% more than their non-certified colleagues. This calculation includes all certifications attained through AAPC, AHIMA, and other organizations. The average salary solely for AAPC-certified professionals is 8.7% higher.

Pay continues to climb for medical coding certification. The salary for health information technicians with two credentials rises to an average of $64,890. Billing and coding specialists with three or more credentials earn approximately $70,608 per year.

Click Here for Source Information

Due to the increase in the medical field (tests, treatments, and procedures included) employment as a medical biller is expected to grow by 11 percent to 2028, much faster than the average for all occupations.

The demand for health services is expected to increase as the population ages.

Further, since the addition of electronic health records (EHR), the need for technicians is increased yet again to keep up with the many new opportunities in EHR data management.

The median annual wage for medical records and health information technicians was $45,240 in February 2022.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Medical Records and Health Information Technicians, on the Internet at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/medical-records-and-health-information-technicians.htm (visited February 18, 2022).

Program Cost

Payment Plan	Total Tuition	Enroll
Pay in full Payment in full: $14,400.00	Tuition: $14,400.00

Lakewood University provides all textbooks, study guides, supplemental materials, achievement exams, and instructional support at no cost to the student.

This is a 1200 clock hour program with a tuition cost of $12 per clock hour (1200 clock hours X $12 per clock hour = $14,400.00 in tuition).

Administrative Fees (in addition to the tuition above)

Application Fee- $75 for degree programs; $0 for vocational programs

Registration Fee – $200 for degree programs; $125 for vocational programs

Library Fee – $100 per degree semester; $250 per vocational program term

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