Associate in Applied Science, Medical Coding and Billing
Philadelphia, USA
DURATION
5 Semesters
LANGUAGES
English
PACE
Full time
APPLICATION DEADLINE
01 Jul 2025
EARLIEST START DATE
Aug 2025
TUITION FEES
USD 25,083 / per year
STUDY FORMAT
Blended
Introduction
The Medical Coding and Billing A.A.S. Degree provides students with the skills necessary to function as Physician-Based Coders, Hospital Coders, or Medical Claims Reviewers. Today, there are many demands for coding specialists and accurately coded data from the medical record in all types of health care institutions. Coded data is used on claims for reimbursement, patient care management and healthcare evaluation and research. The curriculum includes medical terminology, human anatomy, pathophysiology, pharmacology, administrative medical office management, electronic health records and CPT and ICD coding. An Associate in Applied Science will be awarded upon completion of the program with a 2.0 GPA and a “C” or better in all Allied Health and Nursing (AHN) courses.
Certified Coding Associate(CCA) Certification Exam
The graduate of this degree may take the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Certification Exam offered by AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association). After completing CCA exam and/or working in the field, students qualify to take the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) or Certified Coding Specialist - Physician Based (CCS-P) exam offered by AHIMA.
Start Date
Every semester.
- Fall Semester: Late August
- Spring Semester: Early January
- Summer Semester: Late May
Program Outcome
- Demonstrate an understanding of the anatomical structure and physiological functioning of the human body and of medical terms descriptive of body systems.
- Describe the ethical and legal concepts of concern as they apply to reimbursement in health care and health information management.
- Apply and identify appropriate coding systems as they pertain to the identification of diseases and procedures in medical practices and hospital settings.
- Evaluate the revenue cycle management process.
- Demonstrate ability to successfully complete the necessary health record documentation approved by private and government medical reimbursement systems.
- Identify the routes of administration, indications, adverse effects and related laboratory studies for commonly used medications.
- Explain the disease process and concepts of pain assessment and management.
- Compare and contrast coding specialties to determine similarities and differences of the different body systems.
- Create a portfolio to demonstrate professional skills to enhance marketability for employment.
- Verify documentation in the health record is timely, complete and accurate.
- Define the roles and responsibilities of various providers and disciplines throughout the continuum of healthcare.
- Identify and use secondary data sources.
Admissions
Scholarships and Funding
Delaware County Community College's Educational Foundation awards approximately $300,000 in scholarships annually. Each scholarship has its own criteria for eligibility established by the donor. The application period for scholarships each year runs from mid-February to mid-April.
Curriculum
First Semester
- Medical Terminology
- Body Structure and Function I
- Applied Microbiology
- Introduction to Health Care
- English Composition I
Second Semester
- Introduction to Information Technology
- Introduction to CPT Coding
- Pathophysiology and Pharmacology
- Ethical/Legal Aspects of Health Care Management
- Modern College Mathematics or Introduction to Probability and Statistics
Third Semester
- Fundamentals of Health Information Technology Science
- Professional and Communication Issues in Health Care
- Advanced CPT Coding
- Introduction to ICD-10-CM Coding
- Any Oral Communication designated course
Fourth Semester
- Hospital Coding and Case Studies
- Revenue Cycle Management and Reimbursement Methodologies
- Introduction to Sociology
- Any Global Understanding designated Humanities course
Fifth Semester
- Virtual Professional Practice Experience Capstone Course
Hybrid Degree (online and classroom)
66% online
The following courses may not be available online:
Classroom Only
- Applied Microbiology
- Introduction to CPT Coding
- Fundamentals of Health Information Technology Science
- Advanced CPT Coding
- Introduction to ICD-10-CM Coding
- Hospital Coding and Case Studies
- Virtual Professional Practice Experience Capstone Course
English Language Requirements
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