Our medical billing and coding program curriculum teaches you how to apply the correct coding to medical diagnoses and treatments for billing purposes. This is a specialized and practical skill needed by medical facilities everywhere in the U.S. Upon graduation, you’ll be prepped for the certification exam.
Orientation: Learning at Ashworth
Orientation: Learning at Ashworth
In this course, you’ll examine the goals and values of Ashworth College, time management, creating a realistic weekly and monthly study schedule, the nature and purpose of assessments, how to study effectively to prepare for and take an online examination, and developing the skill sets necessary for success in the twenty-first century.
By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:
Lesson Group 1: Introduction to Allied Health
In this course, you’ll learn about healthcare, the healthcare industry in the United States, and the roles that healthcare workers play in that industry.
By the end of this course, you'll be able to do the following:
Lesson Group 2: Law, Ethics, and Confidentiality in Allied Health
In this course, you’ll learn how law affects healthcare practitioners, the origin of law that affects medical professionals, the basics of the process of litigation and its alternatives, the common-law basis for the confidentiality of healthcare information, and the laws regulating healthcare information collected and maintained by government agencies.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Interpret civil and criminal laws related to healthcare
- Assess ethical issues healthcare professionals face today
- Analyze confidentiality laws and regulations
Lesson Group 3: Medical Billing and Health Insurance
This course introduces the reimbursement process and the various methodologies involved, such as fee-for-service and episode-of-care methodologies. The course also covers important information regarding payment systems, fee schedules, chargemasters, coding, and the internal audit process. The course also explains the fundamentals of health insurance and types of health insurance.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Discuss various reimbursement methodologies and payment systems
- Define health insurance
Lesson Group 4: Medical Office Procedures
This course is designed to help you develop professional relationships in the workplace and professionally administer and manage office communications and procedures. It also provides a review of basic math operations, along with a basic introduction to working with Word and Excel.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Solve calculations involving whole numbers, fractions, decimals, percentages, deductions, interest, and measurement conversions.
- Recognize the parts of speech and basic grammar use.
- Explain how to communicate in person and via telephone, email, and domestic and international mail in an office setting.
- Describe how to perform basic functions in Microsoft Word and Excel.
Lesson Group 5: Body Systems and Terminology 1
This course will familiarize you with various body systems including medical terms, structure, function, diseases, disorders, and treatments. You’ll also explore drug delivery systems, drug administration routes, drug classifications, and commonly used medications for various organ system disorders.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Explain how to build, define, and analyze medical terms.
- Define terms and abbreviations associated with the cardiovascular, hematologic, respiratory, endocrine, gastrointestinal, urinary, and reproductive systems.
Lesson Group 6: Body Systems and Terminology 2
In this course, you’ll continue to learn about various body systems, drug delivery systems, drug administration routes, drug classifications, and commonly used medications for various organ system disorders. You’ll also learn basic medication calculations, storage, how to assist patients with administration, and proper documentation.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Recognize the terminology that’s associated with the integumentary, musculoskeletal, and nervous system and sensory organs.
- Identify the characteristics of immune system diseases and treatments.
Lesson Group 7: Pathology and Pharmacology
This course describes healthcare professionals who can identify the four subdivisions of pharmacology and different drug classifications, including vitamins and minerals. You’ll also learn to explain the causes of infectious disease and techniques used to stop its spread. Finally, you’ll review the basic etiology of common diseases and conditions.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Describe how to interpret, document, and administer medication orders.
- Differentiate between types of drugs and their purposes, interactions, and reactions.
- Describe how pathogens cause infections, can spread, and can be stopped.
- Identify the common diseases and conditions that affect different body systems.
Lesson Group 8: Electronic Medical Records
This course is designed to help you understand the reimbursement process and the various methodologies involved. You’ll be introduced to billing cycles and how health information technology is used in medical offices, and learn about basic accounting transaction terminology and apply this information to enter patient charges and payments.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Describe the contents of the Electronic Health Record and security, privacy, and confidentiality practices associated with medical records.
- Explain the administrative and clinical roles in the medical office and functions within the EHR that are utilized routinely in these roles.
- Describe the billing and reimbursement process.
- Complete simulated health records in practice electronic health record software.
Lesson Group 9: Basic Medical Coding
Your first coding course begins with an overview of coding concepts, terms, and procedures. You’ll start by exploring the history of the ICD-10 coding system. You’ll code diagnoses in the ICD-10-CM and use the chapter-specific coding guidelines to code diseases and conditions with specific and unique rules. You’ll finish your course with coding procedures in the ICD-10-PCS, and in the basics of coding with ICD-10.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Describe the layout and purpose of the ICD-10-CM coding manual
- Explain how to use the ICD-10-CM to assign codes for medical diagnoses
- Summarize the guidelines for coding physiologic conditions involving different organ systems
- Identify the purpose of the ICD-10-PCS and how it's used
- Assign diagnosis and procedure codes using the ICD-10 coding manuals
Lesson Group 10: Intermediate Medical Coding
In this course, you’ll concentrate on procedures and their associated systems. You’ll also learn about general coding guidelines for outpatient procedures and physician office coding using CPT, HCPCS Level I, and HCPCS Level II procedure coding.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Assign codes for services and procedures using CPT and HCPCS Level II
- Outline the procedure for assigning codes from the E/M and Anesthesia sections of CPT
- Outline the types of services and procedures described in the CPT
- Explain the types of procedures coded in the hemic, lymphatic, digestive, reproductive, and urogenital systems
- Describe the procedures coded in the endocrine, nervous, ocular, auditory, radiology, pathology, and medicine sections of the CPT
- Assign CPT and HCPCS codes for physician procedures and services
Lesson Group 11: Billing and Coding Professional Certification Exam Review
This course will prepare you to sit for a certification exam to become a professional coder. You’ll review all of the domains that will be covered on the exam, and you’ll take practice coding exams to simulate the exam-taking experience.
By the end of this course, you’ll be able to do the following:
- Describe the anatomy, terminology, and pathophysiology of various body systems
- Summarize the challenges associated with medical billing and reimbursement
- Explain how to prevent billing and reimbursement issues
- Code rendered services using the CPT manual
- Explain the use of HCPCS codes
- Code diagnoses using the ICD-10-CM manual
- Complete practice certification exams
The Medical Billing and Coding certificate program is designed to provide you with knowledge of the skills required for careers in medical billing and coding. You’ll familiarize yourself with reimbursement methodologies and best practices concerning the law, ethics, confidentiality, communication, electronic medical records, and medical coding. You’ll review medical terminology relating to the body systems, pharmacology, and pathology before preparing for the Billing and Coding Professional Certification Exam.
After completing the Medical Billing and Coding program, students will be able to:
