Medical Billing and Coding Programs
Admissions and Course Prerequisites:
All students entering AHDPG must submit or achieve the following:
- High School Diploma or the Equivalent, or Academic, Employer or Family Sponsorship.
- Complete the assessment associated with their respective program, as necessary.
- Maintain up-to-date information on the AHDPG Student Profile.
Program Overviews:
Medical Billing and Coding (CBCS)
The Medical Billing and Coding course are geared toward enrolling students who already have a strong understanding of medical terminology and anatomy and physiology and can begin immediately in the Billing and Coding curriculum. This course is designed to be completed in 6 months. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam through the National Healthcareers Association (NHA).
Medical Billing and Coding with Medical Terminology and Anatomy & Physiology (CBCS)
The Medical Billing and Coding with Medical Terminology & Anatomy and Physiology Program is the ideal comprehensive course for learners who have limited or no recent experience in the healthcare industry. Students will begin with a Medical Terminology course as an introduction to medical language, building a vocabulary of the most commonly encountered suffixes, prefixes, and word roots. The next module of this program is the Anatomy and Physiology course, which promotes an understanding of human anatomy, physiology, and disease processes as well as the workings and interrelatedness of all the body systems and functions. Upon completion of these short courses, students are enrolled in the Medical Billing and Coding curriculum. The full course is designed to be completed in 8-10 months. Upon completion of the program, students are eligible to sit for the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam through the National Healthcareers Association (NHA).
These courses require a commitment of 10-15 hours per week; however, to ensure our students get the most out of the program and are able to make a smooth transition into the workforce, a student must follow the time requirements to complete this course within the maximum timeframe. If you cannot commit 10-15 hours per week to this program, please speak with the Admissions Coordinator to determine the best course of action. A student enrolled in the program is expected to communicate with their instructor immediately should any difficulties arise that keep a student from adhering to the course schedule.
In addition to the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) certification through the National Healthcareers Association (NHA), other national certification exams are available for students who complete this course, including the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), the American Health Information Association (AHIMA), and others.
Certain national certification organizations suggest 6 months to 2 years of practical work experience prior to pursuing certain national certification exams.
Grading Scale:
Medical Billing and Coding Programs Grading Scale:
| Percentage Range | Letter Grade | Point Value |
|---|---|---|
| 90 – 100 | A | 4.0 |
| 80 – 89 | B | 3.0 |
| 70 – 79 | C | 2.0 |
| 0 – 69 | Failing | 0.0 |
A minimum grade average of 70% is required to proceed from one course/subject module within the Coding and Billing program to the next course/subject module.
The composition of grades, including applicable categories of assignments and associated weights varies by subject module and can be found in the individual course syllabuses.
Tuition and Fees:
Medical Billing and Coding (CBCS) Program:
- Tuition fee: $2,750.00
- Books and Materials Fee: $795.00 (nonrefundable)
- Administrative Fee: $50.00 (nonrefundable)
Medical Billing and Coding with Medical Terminology and Anatomy & Physiology (CBCS) Program
- Tuition fee: $3,300.00
- Books and Materials Fee: $795.00 (nonrefundable)
- Administrative Fee: $50.00 (nonrefundable)
Other Fees:
- 3% Convenience Fee (nonrefundable). Waived for direct bank draft payments.
- Extension Fee: Students requiring more time in the program than originally allocated will incur an Extension Fee. The Extension Fee will be assessed at $195 per month for students who pay up front for their program or the monthly payment for students on the monthly payment plan.
- Missed Payment/Return Payment Fee: A $40 fee will be charged for each missed or returned payment.
- Readmission Fee: A student who leaves a program and consequently requests readmission will incur a Readmission Fee of $200.00.
- Transcript Fee: A fee of $15 will be charged for each transcript requested.
Completion Requirements
Academics – A minimum score of 70% is required for graduation.
Remediation – The facilitator will work with any student who seems to be struggling to achieve and maintain a minimum course average of 70%. Any student who is in danger of not achieving the 70% required to pass the to the next semester will be counseled by the instructor and a plan for Student Improvement will be written. This plan will be placed in the student’s official file.
Career Pathways:
This course of study prepares students to enter the workforce trained to act as medical billing and coding specialists within the in-house or at-home setting. The Medical Billing and Coding curriculum offers medical terminology and anatomy and physiology training prior to learning the topics related to medical billing, insurance, diagnosis and procedure coding, and reimbursement concepts. This knowledge is also highly desirable in other healthcare-related occupations including but not limited to medical office staff, medical transcription and speech recognition editing, and medical scribing, leading to many opportunities upon completion of the program.
Certifications: This course prepares the student to sit for the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam with the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). In addition, students may wish to pursue other industry credentials, such as the CPC, COC, CIC certifications with The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC); or the CCA, CCS, CCS-P certifications with The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).