Category: Can I Learn Medical Billing and Coding from Home?

Why Become a Medical Coder?

Are you interested in joining the healthcare sector? Want to land a job that is lucrative, independent and challenging at the same time? If yes, then consider becoming a medical coder. Enroll in a medical coding certification online program and get certified to tap a world of opportunities.

Unlike doctors and clinicians, medical coders work behind the scenes helping maintain the integrity and accuracy of the billing functions. However, their job is equally challenging and important because without medical coders, healthcare professionals would find it extremely difficult to manage their revenue cycle.

Let’s take a closer look at why you should enroll in a medical coding certification online program and become a certified medical coder:

Coders Play a Pivotal Role in the Healthcare Sector

We couldn’t emphasize on it more. Coding specialists play a pivotal role in the success of a healthcare facility like a hospital or clinic. Though their role is not obvious in the front office where doctors deal with patients but these physicians are pretty much dependent on medical coders for making sure that health claims are accurately coded and processed so that the correct amount is reimbursed by the insurance company.

Besides this, healthcare professionals rely on medical coders because they know that certified coders are well-trained and skilled. Certified coders can submit claims with accuracy and ensure that their patients are not over charged and revenues are generated in a timely manner without any delays. Additionally, coding requires time, training and a specific skill-set.

If doctors treat patients while performing coding duties, they’d be unable to provide quality care to patients with undivided focus; and may also end up making mistakes when coding. So, needless to say to deliver excellent care to patients and complete coding tasks with accuracy healthcare professionals truly need medical coders by their side. And more importantly, they are also willing to pay medical coding specialists good money.

Independence

Another reason to enroll in a medical coding certification online program and become a certified medical coder is that it requires minimum supervision. It’s just perfect for those who love working independently. Medical coders simply work throughout the day on their computers managing electronic databases—coding and processing insurance claims and entering them into the database.

There is minimal face to face interaction. So, you are on your own. However, you can consult a senior or your supervisor if you have a query or a problem; and get it resolved.

Great Career Outlook

Medical coding in New Orleans has a great career outlook. According to the BLS (Bureau of Labor & Statistics), a medical coding specialist has a median pay of nearly $38,040. Whilst the employment rate for medical coding profession is likely to increase by 13% until 2020. And that is much faster than other professions.

It is believed that the demand for medical coders is likely to skyrocket in the coming years predominantly because the baby boomer population will need more healthcare services by then as they age. And with age you become more susceptible to illnesses that increase the likelihood of more hospital visits and treatments. Therefore, healthcare professionals across the US will be looking for well-trained and certified medical coders to join them, and assist them with coding. So, it makes sense to enroll in a medical coding certification online course now and get certified to land a well-paid job.

A medical coding certification online course offers you the flexibility and convenience to study at your own pace and time, and complete the coursework within six months and get certified. So, if you enroll now, you’ll become certified in the next six months. Imagine the plethora of lucrative job opportunities that you’ll be able to tap? However, when enrolling, make sure that you select an accredited and a reputed medical technical institute. Employers prefer to recruit students who have acquired their medical coding education and certification from a reputable medical technical institute. It is because accredited institutes follow and have a high standard of education.

Also, when enrolling in a medical coding certification online program make sure that the coding program is designed by certified individuals, and not just focused on completing the coursework. If a program is devised by certified staff, you can be confident that it will provide you with the knowledge, skill-set and information that you need to pass the CPC examination successfully. This is because the certified staff has a good know-how of the technicality of the exam and the format. They know what types of questions students are likely to be tested on. Therefore, keeping all this in consideration, the certified staff designs the curriculum making sure that it is inclusive of everything important so that nothing is missed out.

Another thing that plays a vital role in medical technical institute selection for potential medical coders is that the institute should provide you access to practice exams and tools to sharpen your skills. Make sure that the institute you choose to complete your medical coding certification online course from is focused to helping students clear the CPC examination in first go. This is only possible if the institute provides you tools and practice tests so that can develop the skill-set you need to successfully pass the examination, which often is challenging for first timers.

For all this you may need a couple of months to do the leg-work or you could enroll in a medical coding certification online course offered by Allied Prep. Dedicated to providing quality coding education to students for over 20 years, we are an accredited; and recognized medical technical institute in the US. We have a team of certified instructors who create our curriculums and also lead the programs offered at Allied Prep. We strive to provide students with the skill-set and knowledge that they need to clear the CPC exam successfully and rise as competent and competitive professional medical coders.

3 Tips to Stay Focused as a Medical Billing and Coding Student

Medical Billing and Coding School



Staying focused on your studies is never easy. The struggle only gets harder if you have a day job, have a family to look after, or have other demands on your time. Whether you’re learning medical coding or medical billing in a classroom or online, here are three simple tips that can help you stay focused on your studies.
1. Eliminate distractions
If you are attending medical billing school online, the hardest part may be finding a time that you can focus on lectures. When you sit down to your coursework, help yourself focus by going into a room where you can be by yourself. If you have kids, arrange for someone else to watch them, or try to do your work while they are at school, if you can. Once by yourself, silence your phone and put it away. The last thing you need is text messages and Facebook notifications distracting you from your work.
If you’re doing your coursework in a class setting, it’s still important to minimize distractions when you study at home, and when you’re listening to lectures in class. You should put that phone away, too, and block distracting websites while you’re in class so you’re not tempted to let your attention wander.
2. Take notes
One simple way to stay focused while studying is to take notes. If you’re listening to a lecture, write down key points. If you’re reading a text book, make notes in the margins or highlight key passages. This simple task will help you retain the information much better than simply listening or reading.
3. Schedule time for studying
If you’re attending medical coding school in person, it’s easy to let yourself believe that you will study when you have a free moment. But free moments don’t just magically appear. You need to set aside time for yourself to study, the same way you set aside time for class.
If you’re taking the course online, setting aside time is even more important. Plan a schedule for when you will listen to lectures and do coursework. Try to stick to the schedule as best you can. Treat your schedule like a solid commitment, not something you can move around whenever you feel like it. This attitude will help you stay on track.

5 Things You Will Learn in Our Medical Billing and Coding School

Medical Billing and Coding School



Hospitals, doctor’s offices, and other medical companies are having trouble finding enough medical coding and billing professionals to fill their job vacancies. Medical billers and coders are in high demand, but you need to be certified to qualify for these jobs. That’s where Allied Prep comes in.
Our 16-week courses can give you all the skills you need to obtain your certification and step into an entry level medical billing or coding job. Here are five things you’ll learn about in our in-class and online programs:
1. Basic anatomy and types of medical procedures
To be successful as a medical biller or coder, you need to understand what doctors and nurses are referring to when they talk about specific medical procedures. The first step to being a great coder is understanding what the most common medical procedures and terms mean.
2. Medical codes
The most important job of a medical coder is translating the procedures written down by doctors and nurses into the appropriate medical codes. This helps keep records straight, keeps patients safe, and simplifies the billing process. Whether you’re interested in medical billing school or medical coding school, you will learn the basic codes.
3. How to find information you need
No one can memorize every single medical code. Therefore, it’s important for medical coders to be able to look up the correct codes for more obscure procedures quickly and correctly. This research skill will make your job as a medical biller or coder much easier.
4. How medical offices run
You’ve probably been to the doctor many times in your life, but you may have never been in a medical billing office. Beyond coding, our program will help you understand how medical insurance works, the claims process, and how to communicate with doctors and insurance providers. In other words, we’ll set you up with the skills you need to do the full job, not just the coding part.
5. How to pass your AAPC exam
You can’t become a medical biller or a medical coder if you don’t pass your certification exam. That’s why we make the exam a big part of the course. You’ll have multiple opportunities to take practice exams, learn the question format, and get your questions answered by experienced instructors. With so much practice, you should be fully prepared to pass your exam the first time around.
Learn more about our medical billing and medical coding programs by contacting our helpful staff today!

Medical Billing & Coding: Career Facts You May Not Know

Medical Billing and Coding Jobs New Orleans

Medical Billing & Coding: Career Facts You May Not Know


Medical billing and coding jobs are expanding around the country. As the population of the United States ages and medicine gets better, more people need medical care on a regular basis, which means that professions within the health care field are growing and will continue to grow for at least the next ten years.

If you’re thinking about getting certified as a medical biller or a medical coder, here are a few things about medical coding and billing careers that you may not know:

Medical Billers and Medical Coders Do Different Jobs

The terms “medical billing” and “medical coding” often get used interchangeably, but medical billers and medical coders actually do different (though related) jobs. Medical coders are the people who look at personal medical records and figure out how to properly code medical procedures, prescriptions, and diagnoses so that the person’s insurance company can be billed.

Medical billers are the people in charge of making sure that people are billed correctly. They work with insurance companies, patients, and medical coders to ensure that things don’t get overlooked and the right party pays for the right service. Both jobs require strong attention to detail and are usually done out of offices.

Medical Coding and Billing are Evolving

The latest coding system that medical billers and coders have to know is ICD-10. That stands for the tenth version of the International Classification of Diseases. This coding system gets updated every few years to reflect new technology, better classifications, and medical advances. It’s important for people who learn medical billing and coding to stay on top of their training over the course of their careers.

Medical Billers and Coders Don’t Need Advanced Degrees

You don’t have to go to a two- or four-year school to be successful as a medical biller or coder. As long as you have your high school diploma or GED, you can learn everything you need to know in order to pass your medical coding certification exam in just 18 weeks.

Allied Prep offers both online and in-class courses and financial aid opportunities to make it as easy as possible to earn your certificate. Learn more about our programs and about the career opportunities for medical billers and coders contacting us today!

Can I Learn Medical Billing and Coding from Home?

Learn Medical Billing and Coding from Home


Perhaps you’ve heard that you can make great money and work better hours as a medical biller or a medical coder. Medical billing and coding careers are hot right now, because more of these positions are appearing all of the time. In fact, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that these careers will grow at a much faster rate than average over the next ten years.

But you already work a full time job, and you can’t take time off to go to school. Or maybe you have a young family that needs you at home. Who would watch your kids while you were in class? Or maybe you don’t live anywhere near a school where you can learn medical billing and coding.

Fortunately, you can learn medical billing and coding from home in just eighteen weeks. At Allied Prep, we offer online courses in both medical billing and medical coding. The course work allows you to access practice problem sets, lectures, help from the instructor, and practice certification exams, all from the comfort of your own home.

All you need is an internet connection, and you can start down the path to a more rewarding career. Online coursework gives you the flexibility to learn and study according to your own schedule. It cuts out the need for finding babysitters and sitting in traffic to get to class. Online classes are also more affordable than their in-class alternatives.

Medical billers and coders enjoy great career paths. Either job can lead to higher level positions in hospital or medical office administration. In these jobs, you can expect to work regular hours, have opportunities to work overtime at a great rate, and be in-demand around the country. The main obstacle to getting started is that you need to be certified to qualify for these positions.

But that doesn’t have to be an obstacle with online courses from Allied Prep. In as little as eighteen weeks, you can learn all the skills and knowledge that you need to pass the certification exam.

Learn more about our online courses by contacting Allied Prep today!