Program Description
Due to the need for accurate patient and insurance payments, there is a growing demand for organized individuals with an eye for detail to ensure the accuracy, completeness, and security of confidential medical information. The backgrounds of medical coding & billing professionals are varied – Maybe you want to work in health care, but are not interested in direct patient care, or, perhaps you have worked within the clinical field as a nurse or medical assistant and want to transition into a different role. Many students are going through a life or career change – bringing their experience, attention to detail, customer service, and diligence to a fast-paced administrative career.
After completing the Medical Coding and Billing Program, you will be eligible to sit for the American Academy of Professional Coders' national exam to earn your Certified Professional Coder or Certificate Medical Billing credential. While many coders work in clinic or hospital settings, others work from home as remote coders and independent auditors.
The Medical Coding and Billing Program is designed for persons interested in becoming medical coders and billers. Medical coders check medical records and notes to assign codes for illnesses, injuries, procedures, and diagnoses. Medical billers know insurance plans, regulations, and guidelines to bill insurance companies accurately and efficiently. Billers and coders use this knowledge to assign codes, audit patient records, and prepare insurance claims. They maintain records in a manner consistent with medical, administrative, ethical, legal, and regulatory requirements of the health care system.
Career Opportunities
Medical coders and billers work in inpatient facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) and outpatient facilities (clinics, physician offices, ambulatory clinics, etc.). Graduates may also be employed by state or federal health agencies, insurance firms, or pharmaceutical companies.
South Puget Sound Community College believes that all students need to develop a broad range of abilities that will not only make them more effective in their professional pursuits but will enhance their capacity to relate well to others in their daily lives. At the end of this program students will:
Graduates of SPSCC’s Coding and Billing One Year Certificate Program are prepared to use their skills in critical thinking and data analysis as well as their understanding of relationships and responsibilities to:
- Demonstrate competencies as a valuable member of the administrative medical office team by accurately performing coding and billing procedures to effectively and efficiently process medical claims
- Demonstrate professional and ethical behaviors within the medical coding and billing work environment
- Communicate effectively and professionally electronically, orally, and in writing with peers, clients, and other health care professionals in a diverse interdisciplinary environment
The SPSCC college-wide abilities are embedded into each program:
- Analytical Reasoning
- Effective Communication
- Information Literacy
- Multicultural Awareness
- Social Responsibility
Courses by Quarter (Pathway Map)
Check with your advisor to determine where you will start. Advisors must approve changes to academic plan.
Pre-College Level
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| 1 - 7.5 |
| Applied Math I | |
| Applied Math II | |
| Contextualized Math I | |
| 1 -10 |
| ESOL Level I (Beginning Literacy) | |
| ESOL Level II (Low Beginning) | |
| ESOL Level III (High Beginning) | |
| ESOL Level IV (Low Intermediate) | |
| ESOL Level V (High Intermediate) | |
| ESOL Level VI (Advanced) | |
| ABE Language Arts III (Low Intermediate Language Arts) | |
| ABE Language Arts IV (High Intermediate Language Arts) | |
| ABE Language Arts V (Adult Secondary Level Language Arts) | |
College Level
This certification is a total of 44 credits.
Advising Notes
***Required indicates that students must take one of the specific courses listed. Any substitution would require Advisor and Department approval.
***Recommended indicates that Pathway faculty recommend the courses listed, but other courses may fulfill the degree requirement. Students should consult with Advisor about additional course options.
- Students can join the MEDC classes in either fall or winter but will need to have completed the MEDC 115 and MEDC 120 courses in winter or spring to continue into the MEDC 211 class for spring or summer.
Pathway Notes
Course List | Code | Title | Credits |
| |
| OFTEC 111 | Keyboarding (Typing) I | 2 |
| CCS 107 | Healthcare Professions Exploration | 5 |
| OFTEC 108 | Introduction to Microsoft Office | 3 |
| |
| MEDC 110 | Medical Insurance Billing for the Medical Office F/W | 5 |
| MEDC 130 | Electronic Health Records and Data Entry F/W | 6 |
| MED 107 | Integrated Medical Terminology | 5 |
| |
| MEDC 115 | Diagnostic Coding for the Outpatient Coder W/Sp | 5 |
| MEDC 120 | CPT Coding for the Outpatient Coder W/Sp | 5 |
| |
| MEDC 211 | Advanced Diagnostic & CPT Coding Sp/Su | 5 |