Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

The job

As a medical coding professional, you will:

• Play an essential role in the medical billing process
• Check patient files to verify procedures performed on a patient
• Assign codes to the medical services provided, for insurance claims
• Have a certification widely recognized by employers and government agencies, including the Department of Labor

Employment in medical records jobs is booming, with the Bureau of Labor and Statistics anticipating a 22% increase from 2012 to 2022. Additionally, the Oregon State Labor Market reports that in 2014, coding jobs paid between $13 – $27 per hour, with an average salary of $20 an hour.

Become a Certified Professional Coder through the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) national exam, and earn competitive wages.

The program

The Institute for Health Professionals’ AAPC Medical Coding program can be completed in 2–3 terms, with 4 real-time online courses that maximize your interaction with the instructor and minimize time spent on a commute.

You will gain practical experience by using case studies for medical coding assignments. Course assignment work will also be geared towards preparing you for national certification, with mock exams based on the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam.

Prerequisites:

• 2 courses that can be completed online during Spring and Fall terms.
  • Medical Terminology: A self-study model, with instructor feedback and coaching during office hours.
  • Anatomy and Physiology for Coders
• Students must complete the prerequisite courses in order to take Medical Coding A and B.

After successful completion of this training, you will be prepared to sit for the American Academy of Professionals Coders (AAPC) national exam.

You will learn to:

• Understand medical terminology and analyze medical reports for coding and billing
• Identify body systems, including the nervous, musculoskeletal, circulatory, lymphatic, and gastrointestinal systems
• Employ the latest guidelines, procedures, and information for work in an office medical coding environment
• Apply current guidelines for E&M, surgical, diagnostic, and Level II Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS)
• Provide accurate coding for anesthesia, surgery, radiology, and pathology
• Code for diagnoses, procedures, and services performed by physicians and non-physician providers
• Utilize ICD-9 and ICD-10 codes for practitioner patient notes and healthcare

Who should enroll?

The AAPC Medical Coding program is for individuals who wish to become a Certified Professional Coder through the American Academy of Professional Coders and work in a medical office or hospital environment.

Individuals with medical coding experience who want to sit for the national AAPC certification exam are encouraged to take Medical Coding B.

Required books

The instructor will contact students via their PCC email account to provide the required book information and instructions to purchase the required books. For questions concerning required books, please contact janice.gollihurdavidson@pcc.edu.

The investment

• Time:
  • Training can be completed in 2–3 terms and consists of 4 online, instructor-facilitated courses.
  • The following online courses prepare students for the AAPC National Coding Certification:
• Course order:
  1. Medical Terminology, CEU 39G
     • Cost: $249 excluding book
  2. Advanced Anatomy & Physiology for Coders, CEU 3073
     • Cost: $249 excluding book
     • *Both Medical Terminology and Advanced Anatomy & Physiology for Coders courses must be taken prior to beginning Medical Coding A.
  3. AAPC Medical Coding Cohort consists of Medical Coding A and Medical Coding B. The AAPC Medical Coding cohort must be completed in two consecutive terms. Successful completion of AAPC Medical Coding A leads to AAAPC Medical Coding B in the following term.
     • Cost: $3,190 excluding books

Students may set up a 6-month payment plan with the PCC Student Account Servies office once registered for the AAPC Medical Coding cohort. The business office can be reached at 971-722-8888 option #3. Learn more about payment plans.

The instructor

Jan Gollihur-Davidson has 27 years of healthcare experience, 12 of which have been in medical coding. For the last 8 years, Jan has held the position of Education and Coding Auditor at a large hospital in Portland. She has written and taught courses for both continuing education (CEU) and health information management (HIM) programs, and also wrote this course.

FAQs

Can I use federal financial aid?

No, federal financial aid does not apply to non-credit courses. Students are required to pay in full once they are notified of acceptance into the program.

Is there a clinical or internship available?

No. Unfortunately, we do not offer clinicals or internships at this time.

How long does the AAPC Medical Coding course take?

This course can be completed in two terms. Students must complete Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) for Coders and a Medical Terminology class before moving on to Medical Coding A and B. Courses are delivered in an online, real-time lecture model for instructor-student interaction, along with office hours for additional support.

Will this prepare me for a national certification exam?

Yes. This course will give you the skills and knowledge you need to gain national certification as a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) through the American Association of Professional Coders (AAPC).