Skip to Content
Certificate

Medical Coding

About the Medical Coding Program

This intensive, fully online program will expose participants to seasoned experts in the field, new requirements and emerging tools and technologies for capturing patient information, and prospective careers in the field.

Coders are the critical link between clinicians (physicians and other clinical professionals) and the billers, capturing/coding each procedure and aspect of treatment to enable billing staff to bill completely and accurately for services provided. Appropriate reimbursement for services helps ensure the solvency of the medical enterprise. Coders review patients’ records and assign numeric codes for each diagnosis and procedure. To perform this task, they must possess expertise in the ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS coding system and the surgery section within the CPT coding system. The Medical Coding certificate program provides comprehensive education to prepare qualified individuals to become an outpatient and/or an inpatient coding professional. It will also enhance the skills of individuals who are currently coding in a healthcare setting. Upon completion of the 27-credit hour program, students earn a professional certificate from UC San Diego Extended Studies.

 

Online
12 Months
Does not include prerequisites
$6915
Cost may vary by curriculum updates and prerequisites taken

Certificate Benefits

At the conclusion of the program students will be able to:

  • Relate the applicable clinical descriptions (Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Physiology, Pathophysiology and Pharmacology) found in the clinical review material to the proper coding categories in CPT, ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS and HCPCS Level II
  • Accurately construct and assign diagnosis codes and procedure codes in both the Outpatient (CM) and Inpatient (PCS) setting
  • Associate procedure and diagnosis codes to the nature of the presenting problem(s) or chief complaint of the patient
  • Understand the relationship between the Procedural Service and the Diagnostic Description (the procedure outlines what the Physician did, and the Diagnosis explains why he/she did it) and additionally proves the medical necessity for the encounter
  • Explain and identify various compliance strategies and the payment methodology systems and be able to describe the billing process and reporting
  • Accurately translate the Physician Narrative(s) into the coding nomenclatures that accurately reflect the services rendered by the physician in a billable format for reimbursement
  • Abstract all of the billable services from a medical record to assure reimbursement is commensurate with the work performed
  • Perform self or internal audits to assure all coding and compliance theories and rules are being followed and appropriately applied in the workplace
  • Understand the Legal & Ethical issues in coding and how they are applied in the Health Information environment.

Medical Coding

Classroom type:
Live Online
In-Person
Online
Hybrid
Download Course List

Required Prerequisites

Required Courses

Example Trajectory Below

Conditions for Admission

The certificate is intended for individuals who have met the following requirements:

  • High-School graduation/GED
  • Introduction to Medical Coding (MEDC-40024)
  • Medical Terminology: An Anatomy and Physiology Approach (FPM-40632)
  • Anatomy & Physiology for Allied Health (MEDC-40008)

Certificate Guidelines

This Certificate (prerequisites not included) is intended to be completed within a 12-month time frame. However, you are permitted to take up to 5 years to complete the certificate. Starting points are offered every quarter. 

Visit The Virtual Career Hub Today To Unlock Your Benefits!

It's your one-stop shop for professional development and completely free.
Explore Careers

FAQs

Advisory Board

Emmy Clancy, MHA, CMPE, CCS, CPC, CDEO, CPMA

Consultant/Owner
Emmy Award Healthcare Consulting

Brian Clay, MD

Chief Medical Information Officer
UC San Diego Health System

Laura Dineen, MHA, CRCR

Former Executive Director
System Revenue Cycle, UC San Diego Health

Linda Flink

Former Vice President, Revenue Cycle
Phoenix Children's Hospital

Freddie Guzman, MBA, CHC, RHIA, CCS, CDIP, CPC, CRCR

System Director, HIM Coding
Sharp HealthCare

Basak Kaya

Vice President, Revenue Cycle Management
Vituity

Terri Meier, CHFP, CSMC, CSBI, CRCR

Assistant Vice Chancellor Revenue Cycle
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences

Related Programs

Healthcare Revenue Cycle

Prepares students for CRCR or CRCS exams with instructor-led training in claims, coding, billing, and patient service skills.