Medical Office Specialist: Billing and Coding - Degree

Associate of Applied Science Degree Programmhcc.edu/MedicalOffice

billing and coding

Faculty Adviser

Kaisa Larson: 503-491-7195 | Room AC2789 | Kaisa.Larson@mhcc.edu

This program provides students the training they need to work in billing and coding fields in health care settings. Students who complete this degree will be prepared to work in medical offices, hospitals, clinics, insurance firms, government facilities, and nursing homes.

Billing requires a worker to:

  • Manage health care billing processes.
  • Adjust and resubmit claims.
  • Adhere to current health care industry regulations and policies.
  • Comply with insurance procedures and plan coverage.

Coding requires a worker to:

  • Ensure medical charts are correct and complete.
  • Check signatures.
  • Confirm medical data in computers.
  • Connect with providers to ensure correct information or diagnosis.
  • Assign the proper diagnosis and procedural codes.

Students without computer experience or who want to brush up on computer skills before beginning this program are encouraged to enroll in BCS090 Computer Basics for College Success, a free course offered through the Learning Success Center.

Program Outcomes

At the completion of this program, students should be able to:

  • Differentiate the roles of the health care team, elements of successful leadership and problem-solving strategies
  • Discuss verbal and nonverbal communication, including gender differences, cultural awareness and sensitivity and the elements of speaking and listening
  • Discuss the knowledge and skills required of a medical coder
  • Discuss the knowledge and skills required of a medical biller
  • Discuss the elements of billing and coding
  • Complete a professional résumé
  • Explain job searches and correct interview techniques
  • Use specialized computer programs (EMR) and the Microsoft Office suite

Medical Office students are required to complete a criminal background check and may be required to provide documentation of immunizations prior to beginning an internship. Please speak to your adviser with immunization-specific questions. Do not complete a background check without first consulting with your program adviser. Drug and alcohol screening may be required. 

Note: A minimum grade of “C” is required in all courses.

For the most part, courses that fulfill general education requirements can be taken in any term. Students should work with the faculty adviser(s) to create a custom academic plan based on course placement levels, career goals, and full time/part time status.

Admitted students may also log on to Navigate to start the process of building an academic plan based on this major and can notify an adviser for review.

Plan of Study Grid
First Quarter
FallCredits
BI121
Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology I (Course offered online) 1
or Survey of Body Systems (Course offered online)
4
CIS120L Computer Concepts Lab I (Course offered online) 1
MO110 Foundational Principles for the Medical Office Team (Course offered online) (must be completed before starting third term courses) 3
MO111 Medical Terminology (Course offered online) 4
MTH065
Beginning Algebra II (Course offered online) (or higher)
or Quantitative Reasoning I
4-6
 Credits16-18
Second Quarter
Winter
CIS125WP Word Processing (Course offered online) 3
COMM115
Introduction to Intercultural Communication (Course offered online) (Cultural Literacy course)
or Interpersonal Communication (Course offered online)
4
MO140 Understanding Medical Insurance (Course offered online) 3
Select one: 3-4
Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology II (Course offered online) (if BI121 was taken) 1
Elective, if needed to reach 90 credits
 Credits13-14
Third Quarter
Spring
MO117 Hospital Administrative Procedures (Course offered online) 3
MO136 Healthcare Documentation (Course offered online) 3
MO141 Patient Advocate for Medical Insurance (Course offered online) 3
WR121Z Composition I (Course offered online) 4
 Credits13
Fourth Quarter
Fall
HE252
First Aid: Responding to Emergencies
or Health and Fitness for Life (Course offered online)
3
MO116 Medical Office Procedures (Course offered online) 4
MO226 Pharmacology and Disease Processes for Medical Office Occupations (Course offered online) 4
MO230 Medical Coding I: ICD-10-CM (Course offered online) 3
 Credits14
Fifth Quarter
Winter
MO231 Medical Coding II: Procedural Coding (Course offered online) 4
MO240 Medical Office Billing I (Course offered online) 3
MO250 Medical Law and Ethics 3
PSY201 General Psychology (Course offered online) 4
 Credits14
Sixth Quarter
Spring
AC110 General Accounting I 4
MO214 Building a Professional Portfolio (Course offered online) 1
MO232 Medical Coding III: Evaluation and Management (Course offered online) 3
MO234 CPC Review 2
MO241 Medical Office Billing II (Course offered online) 3
 Credits13
Seventh Quarter
Summer
WE280MOBH Coop Ed - Medical Office Billing 8
 Credits8
 Total Credits91-94
1

Students may fulfill the Anatomy & Physiology requirement with any of these 3 options:

  1. BI100 Survey of Body Systems (Course offered online), or
  2. BI121 Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology I (Course offered online) and BI122 Essentials of Human Anatomy and Physiology II (Course offered online), or 
  3. BI231 Human Anatomy and Physiology I (Course offered online), BI232 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (Course offered online), and BI232 Human Anatomy and Physiology II (Course offered online)

Please note: Students who choose option 1 may need to take an elective course in order to reach 90 credits.

billing and coding

Exploring Medical Office Specialist as your major? Learn more with MHCC's Career Coach, which covers: skills needed for each career, wages, employment rates, and live job postings in the Greater Multnomah County Area.

Careers related to medical office specialists:

MO110 Foundational Principles for the Medical Office Team (Course offered online)

Credits 3Fall/Winter

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

This course is designed to develop work behaviors specific to office teams in the delivery of quality contributions to the workforce. Skills receiving particular emphasis will be cultural awareness, diversity, self-management, leadership, interpersonal dynamics, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking. These skills will continue to be presented, practiced and tested throughout each medical office program. Students will also gain information about office systems from employers, experienced staff members.

Additional Course Fee: $15.00

MO111 Medical Terminology (Course offered online)

Credits 4Summer/Fall/Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

A study of medical terminology by body systems with related word elements, disease processes, diagnostic tests and abbreviations. This course covers basic word structures, terms pertaining to the body as a whole, suffixes, and prefixes of the human body systems.

MO116 Medical Office Procedures (Course offered online)

Credits 4Fall/Winter

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

This course is designed to cover the basic procedures in a medical office. Topics include how medical office teams operate within various medical office settings; how rules of etiquette, standards from the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and ethics are applied to office and telephone interaction; how computers and electronic medical records impact the medical office; how to use multiple telephone lines and how to communicate appropriately and effectively in writing as well as on the telephone. Students are instructed in how to manage a medical office, organize and file a patient's medical record and perform bookkeeping procedures and clerical functions.

MO117 Hospital Administrative Procedures (Course offered online)

Credits 3Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

Students gain information on how acute care departments function independently and together in a hospital, the responsibility of each team member within a department as well as how teams work together. Students learn how orders are processed, who to go to for answers, how to manage complicated situations, admission/discharge procedures, and how to manage/track multiple tasks. Acute care etiquette, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), ethics & effective communication are covered. Students learn to recognize and act on reports such as lab reports, x-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs), computed tomography (CTs), & telemetry data. The use of EHR (Electronic Health Record) is introduced.

MO136 Healthcare Documentation (Course offered online)

Credits 3Fall/Spring

This course covers the fundamentals of healthcare documentation. The course introduces students to the electronic health record (EHR) as a technology-based representation of healthcare data. This course provides examples of various types of charting and highlights scenarios of correct and incorrect documentation practices. The class covers the health record format, its use, and required information. Students examine the basics of healthcare information technology as required under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH), with emphasis on data security, privacy in health records, and the flow of healthcare documentation. Students navigate the EHR in a simulated lab.

MO140 Understanding Medical Insurance (Course offered online)

Credits 3Fall/Winter

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better, or placement above stated course levels.

Students are given an introduction to the dynamics of commercial, state and federal health plans. Special emphasis is given to terminology, health plan components and how these components impact the patient regarding medical services. Students investigate the components of medical insurance contracts used in a medical provider's office and how these details impact a patient's ability to receive care.

MO141 Patient Advocate for Medical Insurance (Course offered online)

Credits 3Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: MO140 each with a grade of "C" or better.

In this class, students practice the communication skills necessary to explain to patients the parts of their healthcare coverage contract. Students explain what the patients' financial obligations are and help them to identify services allowed by their contract so they can make informed decisions. Students describe and explain the Explanation of Benefits (EOB).

MO214 Building a Professional Portfolio (Course offered online)

Credit 1Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

This course is designed to provide professional development skills in the office setting: resume formats (written and electronic), portfolio possibilities, cover letters, interviewing skills, networking, job applications and follow-up procedures.

MO226 Pharmacology and Disease Processes for Medical Office Occupations (Course offered online)

Credits 4Fall/Spring

Registration Requirement: MO114 and MO115 or MO111.

This course is an introduction to the principles of pharmacology and the pharmacologic action of common drugs administered in disease processes affecting the individual body organs and systems. Drugs are studied from a body systems and disease process approach. Students learn within each system, which categories of drugs are used in the treatment of disease. Principal disease processes are studied in relation to their etiology, pertinent diagnostic procedures, signs and symptoms, pathological changes, prognosis and preferred treatment modalities.

MO230 Medical Coding I: ICD-10-CM (Course offered online)

Credits 3Fall/Winter

Registration Requirement: Co-requisite: MO111.

Students are instructed on the use of ICD-10-CM (International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification), Volumes I and II. Students will understand the importance of proper ICD-10-CM coding and its effect upon the medical office, particularly in regard to reimbursement and regulation. ICD-10-CM is one of the coding systems recognized by the insurance industry, the physician and the medical office as the standard for billing and reimbursement.

Additional Course Fee: $35.00

MO231 Medical Coding II: Procedural Coding (Course offered online)

Credits 4Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: MO230; or instructor consent.

This course is designed to provide instruction and training with the use of HCPCS codes. This class will give the student skills and knowledge necessary to assign HCPCS codes for surgery and ancillary services. Advanced techniques for efficient reimbursement strategies and compliance will be taught. HCPCS as well as ICD-10-CM are the two coding systems recognized by the insurance industry, physician and medical offices as the standard for billing and reimbursement.

Additional Course Fee: $35.00

MO232 Medical Coding III: Evaluation and Management (Course offered online)

Credits 3Summer/Spring

Registration Requirement: MO230 and MO231.

This course covers the evaluation and management, medicine, radiology and lab sections of CPT. Students continue to expand their knowledge of ICD-10-CM. This course is for students who want advanced knowledge and training in accurate and up-to-date reimbursement and coding for healthcare facilities.

Additional Course Fee: $35.00

MO234 CPC Review

Credits 2Summer/Spring

Registration Requirement: Must have completed MO230, MO231 and enrolled in or completed MO232.

This course is to help prepare the students to take the National Certified Professional Coding exam. This examination is required to find a position working as a coder with any facility.

MO240 Medical Office Billing I (Course offered online)

Credits 3Winter/Spring

Registration Requirement: MO114 and MO230.

This course covers the basics in physician medical office billing procedures. This class primarily addresses the issues that influence payments. The topics covered include documentation, information flow, insurance forms and the CMS-1500 form. Special emphasis is given to understanding the various types of health insurance and comparing the billing requirements and benefits of each.

Additional Course Fee: $35.00

MO241 Medical Office Billing II (Course offered online)

Credits 3Spring

Registration Requirement: MO230 and MO240.

This course covers more advanced billing procedures, including using a computerized billing program. Emphasis is on common errors that delay claims processing, office fee schedules, compliance with laws and guidelines, applying charges and payments (understanding Explanation of Benefits), insurance and collection follow-up (denials and appeals). Other areas covered are military plans, Workers Comp and Disability.

Additional Course Fee: $35.00

MO242 Applied Billing and Coding

Credits 3Summer

Registration Requirement: MO230, MO231, MO240 and MO241.

Students participate in a simulated office setting, where they complete Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) forms, match International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes to Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes for mock reimbursement and bill mock insurance carriers. They also analyze and identify problems from Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) from insurance companies.

Additional Course Fee: $25.00

MO250 Medical Law and Ethics

Credits 3Winter

Registration Requirement: RD090 and WR090, or IECC201R and IECC201W, each with a grade of "C" or better; or placement above stated course levels.

This course presents the medical/legal concepts and issues pertinent to medical offices and hospitals for the medical office worker. The student is provided with a basic knowledge of law, ethics and bioethics applicable to the medical office settings. The implications for delivery of healthcare by medical office workers are discussed.

Course offered online

Cultural Literacy course