Noncredit Certificate Program - Harrisburg/Lancaster/Lebanon (some classes availableat Gettysburg, On-line and York)

About the Program - curriculum and Costs (includes Admission Criteria and Essential Qualifications,  (pdf) rev 5/2/11
Program brochure (pdf) (slick)

Noncredit Healthcare Certificate Program Offerings SPRING 2012 (pdf) 11/11/11

Description of Occupation - Medical Insurance Billing Technicians provide coding support, post charges and payments, and follow up on third-party reimbursements by initiating appeals and/or collections of unpaid balances. Billing Technicians obtain patient information necessary for successful claims management; have an understanding of medical terminology, anatomy & physiology, ICD-9 and CPT coding; and perform billing calculations and procedures. Many medical billing professionals also act as collectors, schedulers, and verifiers of insurance.   

Medical Insurance Billing Technicians should have good (and accurate) math, reading and writing skills. Technicians must have good near vision with the ability to see details at close range and have keyboarding skills. Medical billing professionals should be detail-oriented and analytical.  For more information regarding physical abilities and behavioral characteristics required for a career as a Medical Insurance Billing Technician, please refer to the Essential Abilities. 

Program Admission Criteria - This is a noncredit course.  A college application, school transcripts and placement testing are not required.  High school diploma or GED is required.  State Police Criminal Record Check and drug screening may be required for employment in the healthcare field. Typing or keyboarding skills are helpful but not required. 

Places of Employment and Outlook - Outlook is excellent for entry-level positions. Positions involving coding require some experience. Medical Insurance Billing Technicians can work in a multitude of settings and practices ranging from hospitals, physician offices, nursing facilities, rehab facilities, medical billing firms to insurance companies. HACC does not offer assistance in job placement for this program at this time.

Salary Ranges for Geographical Area- $31,137 median salary for Medical Billing Clerk in Harrisburg (zip 17110) May 2011 from www.salary.com

Educational Advancement - Medical billing is a field that requires ongoing education in order to remain competent. Students who complete this program may work toward coding certification.

Related Websites
Career InfoNet www.careerinfonet.org
American Medical Billing Association www.ambanet.net/cmrs.htm
American College of Medical Coding Specialists www.acmcs.org
American Academy of Professional Coders www.aapc.com
American Health Information Management Association www.ahima.org

If you have specific questions about the Medical Insurance Billing Technician program, contact Noncredit Healthcare Education:

Medical Insurance Billing Program Office
HACC Harrisburg Campus
Blocker Hall 221
One HACC Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17110
(717) 221-1351 or (800) 222-4222 ext 1351

To register for classes, call (717) 780-2414.