The Top Online Medical Coding and Billing Courses

Enhance your skill set by enrolling in one of these courses

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Medical billing and coding courses provide several advantages for those seeking a well-paying career with an accessible educational component. Courses in medical billing and invoicing teach you how to “identify the diagnoses, medical tests, treatments, and procedures recorded in clinical paperwork” and “translate that information into code to charge the government and commercial payers for physician payments.”

The highlight? The incomes are above average, and you don’t have to go to college, which is expensive and takes a lot of time. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that employment will rise by 8% between 2019 and 2029, which is double the national average of 4%. In 2020, the median yearly income for this job will be $44,080. 2

Medical coding ranks #24 on the list of the finest careers that do not need a college degree in the United States. News & World Report 2021, yet, this does not imply that education is unnecessary. The more your skill set, the greater your compensation. 3
Numerous state universities offer online medical billing and coding courses, and there are advantages to enrolling in college. Depending on the institution and other factors, grants, scholarships, and federal loans are available as financial help. If you enroll in classes at a recognized institution, the credits you acquire will count toward your degree. Here, we summarize the top plans.

BEST OVERALLAmerican Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)

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Key Specs

• Cost: $299 for exam application
• Offers self-paced path: Yes

Why We Chose It: The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) offers eight certification programs in health information that are well-known and respected in the field.

Pros

• Credentials are highly esteemed in the market.
• Provides academic environment via a recognized school
• Option for self-paced, at-home study

Cons

• Exam is an extra cost

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), which has been around since 1928, is a group that sets standards for medical records and is an accreditation body. The organization has around 103,000 members and 52 national organizations.

In the areas of medical records administration, professional and facility encryption, document improvement, privacy, and security, AHIMA provides eight certificates. Certification programs emphasize inpatient and outpatient coding, which is more suitable for hospitals and other inpatient institutions.

AHIMA Advanced Certified Health Professionals—those who have passed the Registered Health Information Administrator Exam (RHIA) and the Registered Health Information Technician Exam (RHIT)—earn much more than those with lesser qualifications. Prior to enrolling in the around $299-per-course prerequisites for certificates of a higher level, candidates must possess a wealth of expertise.

BEST BUDGETHutchinson Community College

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Key Specs

• Cost: $6,615 for the certification
• Offers self-paced path: No

Why We Chose It: The Healthcare Coding Specialist Certificate may be earned at Hutchinson Community College for a reasonable price.

Pros

• Affordable
• Courses available both on-campus and online

Cons

• Not offering a self-paced option

Hutchinson Community College was founded in 1928 and is based in Hutchinson, Kansas. Students who want to work in medical coding and billing can get a Medical Coding Specialist Certificate from the school. The 45-hour-per-week online curriculum may be completed in three semesters.
The majority of the credits gained in this program may be used toward the Associate of Applied Science in Health Information Management for individuals seeking to further their education.

The sole criteria for admission to the program is past school performance after high school with an overall average of at least 2.0 on a scale of 4.0 in the final six semesters of high school, or a GED Standard GPA of at least 58.

Even for out-of-state students, Hutchinson Community College has inexpensive tuition rates. In-state students pay about $116 per credit hour, while out-of-state students pay about $147 per credit hour. This means that the total tuition for a certificate is about $5,220 for in-state students and $6,615 for out-of-state students.

BEST VARIETYAmerican Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)

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Key Specs

• Cost: Certified Professional Coder (CPC) course starts at about $2,295
• Offers self-paced path: Yes

Why We Chose It: The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) offers a wide range of certification programs, extra courses, and practice exams.

Pros

• Eighty percent greater pass rates than third-party medical coding systems.
• Includes both online and in-person instruction.
• Employment support

Cons

• Courses and credentials might be expensive, but financial help is available.

The American Academy of Professional Programmers (AAPC) was created in 1990 and its recent alumni have established a good internet reputation. It offers a wide range of courses at very low prices, and its website has a huge amount of information and many tools to help students succeed. AAPC is the biggest healthcare education and certification organization in the world, with 200,000 members.

The AAPC provides a range of certification courses at varying costs. Students are able to pursue any degree of education, from passing a certification test to enrolling in a complete course in a number of disciplines.

A word of caution: job seekers who choose the lowest level of certification say that it is difficult to get employment without experience. On the job market, inexpensive certifications are desirable but have little value.

Other advantages of AAPC education include networking, coaching, and online training to get practical experience. Because they emphasize physician and ambulatory coding, the certification programs of the AAPC are better suitable for physician offices, clinics, and other ambulatory settings.

BEST SELF-PACEDFlorida A&M University

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Key Specs

• Cost: Registration fee starts at about $2,000
• Offers self-paced path: Yes

Why We Chose It: The self-paced medical coding curriculum at Florida A&M allows busy students to study at their own speed.

Pros

• Provides programming at the user’s own speed
• Renowned school

Cons

• Not all courses are offered every semester.
• Required to finish prerequisites

Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, also called Florida A&M or FAMU, is a public college in Tallahassee, the capital of the state. The Office of Continuing Education at the University of Tallahassee is the only place where you can get online certification for the medical coding curriculum. The Office of Continuing Education at the university only offers online certification for the medical coding program. The asynchronous style enables students to finish the course at their own pace.

The institution suggests a three-module pace, with each module including three courses. Each lasts no longer than 15 total weeks. Students who successfully complete the program obtain a Medical Coding Completion Certificate.

They may opt to take national certification tests administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the Certified Programmer Association (CCA), the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), or the Certified Professional Programmer Certificate (CPC).
The total cost to register for all three courses is around $2,000. Individual modules may also be registered, however this raises the total cost.

BEST FOR STRUCTUREUniversity of Cincinnati

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Key Specs

• Cost: Tuition start at about $3,189 per semester
• Offers self-paced path: No

Why We Chose It: The curriculum at UC Online prepares students for the Certified Programmer Credential (CPC) and Certified Programming Associate (CCA) exams, and students can get an associate’s degree in less than a year.

Pros

• 100% online
• Full-time and part-time options available
• Students who successfully finish the program may transfer to an Associate’s degree program.

Cons

• No self-paced path

UC, usually known as the University of Cincinnati, is a member of the Ohio University System. This is a completely remote, asynchronous program, just like FAMU. However, the UC program does not keep its own time.

Full-time students may get a credential in as short as twelve months. When the program is over, students can go for the national CCA or CPC certifications or switch to an associate degree program in health information systems.

The only requirement for UC’s medical billing and coding program, unlike many other undergraduate programs, is a high school diploma or the equivalent. Graduates of UC courses have a 29% greater chance than average of passing the RHIA test. If they attend full-time, four Ohio residents may expect to spend a total of around $3,189 each semester. Full-time non-resident students pay around $3,369. Part-time boarding students pay around $266 per credit hour, while non-resident students pay approximately $281 per credit hour.

BEST FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENTIndiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

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Key Specs

• Cost: Tuition starts at about $295 per credit hour 
• Offers self-paced path: No

Why We Chose It: The medical coding certification program at Indiana University’s School of Information and Computing combines learning in the classroom with getting hands-on technical experience in a hospital.

Pros

• Access to individual coaching
• Access to employment services
• Essential requirements for the certificate program

Cons

• No self-paced path
• Pricey

The school is affiliated with both Purdue University and Indiana University. It provides a certification program for telemedical coding via the Indiana University School of Computing and Information. This is a completely online, asynchronous curriculum that provides 28 credit hours and is delivered entirely online. Students who have completed the certificate program are entitled to take the CCA test.

There are numerous requirements for the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Undergraduate Certificate Program in Medical Coding (IUPUI). Before enrolling, you must complete Physiology for Healthcare Administration, Anatomy for Healthcare Management, Computer Concepts for Health Information, and Medical Terminology.

This program’s credits may be credited toward the bachelor’s degree in health information management that IUPUI also offers.
Depending on your location and other variables, expect to spend roughly $295 per credit hour. Out-of-state tuition is much more expensive.

Final Verdict

It may be tough to get a credential via classroom instruction if you have a full schedule. Numerous universities and educational institutions provide online courses that enable you to acquire a diploma while studying from the convenience of your own home. Others, such as the University of Cincinnati, let graduates to effortlessly transfer into an associate degree program. The program you pick will depend on your specific requirements.

FAQs

What Is a Medical Billing and Coding Class?

Medical billing and coding is a data entry specialization. After a patient sees a doctor or hospital, it is the responsibility of the medical coder to extract written or typed information from the patient’s record and convert it into numerical codes. These very specific numbers are put into the facility’s billing software to make patient bills and billing records for insurance companies.

Students who take courses in medical billing and coding learn the process, terminology, rules of medical procedure, HIPAA compliance, and other skills they need to keep accurate records.

Who Should Take a Medical Billing and Coding Class?

Anyone with a keen eye for detail, the capacity to focus, and a decent keyboard can do the task well. It’s a terrific chance for parents and individuals with health concerns who cannot travel or work remotely, as well as those living in rural areas.

Education and experience requirements differ for medical billing and coding positions. Others need training and/or certification in addition to one or two years of appropriate work experience.

How Much Do Medical Billing and Coding Classes Cost?

Costs for medical billing and programming courses vary greatly based on the sort of education chosen. With the aid of a technical school, you may acquire your certificate in less than a year and for less money.

A two-year online associate’s degree in medical billing and coding from a recognized institution costs around $15,000. The least priced alternatives cost just $5,000, while advanced programs cost over $25,000. 5

Some institutions charge per credit hour, but others charge a fixed rate for the full course. In addition, education costs may vary based on where you reside.

Which Professions Can Medical Billing and Coding Classes Be Useful For?

Every kind of healthcare institution, including doctor’s offices, hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, need medical coding and billing professionals.

Methodology

To select the finest medical billing and coding courses, we analyzed student evaluations to see whether the majority of alumni were pleased with their education and experience, the courses they took, or both. Accreditation and in-state and out-of-state tuition costs were also considered. In addition, it is essential to assess if a program provides possibilities for networking and mentorship.