This course will cover the basic principles and concepts of medical billing and coding:
A Medical Billing and Coding Specialist is a valued professional who plays a crucial role in healthcare settings. This professional applies knowledge of medical record information and transforms data into the universal language reimbursed by health insurance carriers. This career path highly supports remote work flexibility, allowing individuals to earn a good salary, make a difference in patients’ lives and become specialized within one year of certification completion.
The medical records and/or health information specialist typically perform the following duties:
UTSA Professional and Continuing Education offers the Medical Billing and Coding Specialist Certification for all individuals interested in entering the healthcare medical reimbursement industry at an entry level with a high desire to learn and advance within healthcare settings.
MBC is offered as post-secondary training and requires passing the certification process through the National Healthcareer Association® (NHA).
The demand and high projection growth rates for the Medical Billing and Coding program aim to provide favorable job opportunities for future students. The certification of this technical role is a valuable asset to the healthcare profession. The job responsibilities require a significant commitment to practice, retention, and performance as the certification goes beyond the ability to code medical health records.
Medical Billing and Coding Specialist has been a target occupation in the geographical areas serviced by UTSA and is in high demand in the Workforce Solutions Alamo strategic plan for Economic and Workforce Analysis, 2021-2024.
According to the Texas Workforce Commission, Medical Billing and Coding, a part of the Health Information Technician field, is projected to grow 18.5% from 2020 to 2030 in Texas, which includes an increase for healthcare services with the increase of the state's aging population.
Online Certified Medical Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) Training is delivered virtually over twenty-three consecutive weeks for a total of 138 hours. The cohort meets with the online instructor two days a week for three hours.
Medical Terminology and Anatomy & Physiology are foundational learning courses essential to student success in all allied health programs.
This course introduces health insurance and reimbursement and familiarizes students with the health insurance industry, legal and regulatory issues, and differences in reimbursement methodologies.
The Coding Certification Review course provides the learning outcomes for the student to master the certification, understand and re-examine areas of improvement, and demonstrate mastery of the course content.
The Career Development course provides the learning objectives and outcomes for the student to demonstrate mastery in career management strategies.
Yolanda G. Villanueva is an instructor of the Medical Billing and Coding Certification program at UTSA. Her teaching experience began at the Alamo Colleges District Northwest Vista campus in 2017. It continued with the Integrated Basic Education Skills Training (IBEST) program, where she successfully maintained an above-average student pass rate for the certification program and assisted in the student’s advancement in the healthcare industry.
With over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry in the greater San Antonio area, her current position includes working as a Medical Coding Compliance Specialist for the Department of Defense, applying medical coding, healthcare compliance, risk analysis, health systems implementation advisor, clinical documentation auditor, and revenue cycle performance analyst. She previously held key positions in Medical Business Management for sixteen years, where she recruited and trained all medical insurance reimbursement staff.
Steven Carpenter is an instructor of the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist Course at UTSA. He began his teaching career at the University of the Incarnate Word in partnership with Career Education Services and the Alamo Colleges District, San Antonio, in 2018, instructing over 200 students to achieve their certifications to work in healthcare clinics and hospitals.
His healthcare experience includes 24 years of military service with the United States Army as an enlisted Medical Specialist and a Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Medical Service Corps. He graduated from the United States Army – Baylor University Master’s Program in Healthcare Administration and has a master’s degree from the United States Army War College in Strategic Studies. He also holds a master’s degree in Computer Resources Management from Webster University.
You do not need a college degree to obtain employment as a Medical Billing and Coding Specialist. However, employers seek individuals who have training from a reputable Medical Billing and Coding Specialist program like that offered by UTSA.
A Certificate of Training from UTSA and NHA Certification make you a more desirable job candidate. Employers prefer or even require applicants to have completed a reputable training program and certification before consideration for a job position. Our course outline will ensure our students are competitive for the 34,288 jobs that exist within the 28 employment regions within the state of Texas.
The Certified Professional Coder provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) ascertains that you have the fundamental knowledge needed to excel in this healthcare industry. Students can attain a certificate of completion from UTSA and sit for the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) certification from the NHA upon program completion.
Certification exam administered at UTSA Downtown Campus
MBC training offers financial assistance in payment plans, SA: Ready to Work grants, and continuing education loans..
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