Medical Coding Certificate

School: Health Careers, Technology and Applied Learning
Academic Dept: Allied Health Careers
HEGIS: 5213.00

Important Note about Program Requirements

The requirements listed below are for students entering into this program from Fall 2021 to Summer 2022. Students who entered the program during a prior semester will find their specific requirements listed in the Catalog under which they entered. Archived Catalogs are accessible through the dropdown menu above.

Program Description

This certificate program is intended for those who wish to gain employment in medical coding and health information management. Students will develop a thorough knowledge of medical terminology, health records management, insurance procedures, billing software and medical coding. In addition, students develop skills in business communications and office administration that are vital for success in this growing field. Graduates are eligible to take national certification examinations offered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) – including the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam and the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam. It is strongly recommended students work for a minimum of one year, full-time, in a coding position before taking the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) exam. Once certified, graduates can pursue occupational opportunities in either the public or private sector including positions in hospitals, other healthcare facilities, medical billing companies, health insurance companies, clinics and physicians’ offices, state and federal agencies, legal firms, software companies, and consulting firms.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, a student will demonstrate an understanding of:

Coding and coding classification systems
Secondary data sources
The health law and legal policies
Health record content and documentation
Revenue cycle, reimbursement and management
Compliance, regulatory bodies and fraud surveillance
Clinical documentation improvement process

Program Map

The academic map below presents the recommended plan of study and will guide you through your program in a timely manner. Click the course abbreviations for full course descriptions. A course may be critical because it is a pre-requisite, requires a minimum grade, or because it is only offered once a year. Missing a critical course may push back your graduation date. Meet with an Academic Counselor or Faculty Advisor to ensure you are on track to complete your program.

Critical Courses should be taken in the order shown to stay on track and graduate on time.

Semester 1 (Summer 1)

Course (click for more information)	Critical Course	Pre-reqs or Co-reqs	Credits	Notes
ENG 101	✔		3
HCTAL 101	✔		3
HIT 110	✔		3
Semester Total Credits			9

Semester 2 (Fall)

Course (click for more information)	Critical Course	Pre-reqs or Co-reqs	Credits	Notes
BTECH 230	✔		3
HIT 130	✔	✔	3
HIT 120	✔	✔	3
HIT 210	✔	✔	3
Semester Total Credits			12

Semester 3 (Spring)

Course (click for more information)	Critical Course	Pre-reqs or Co-reqs	Credits	Notes
HIT 230	✔	✔	3
HIT 140	✔	✔	3
HIT 150	✔	✔	3
HIT 220	✔	✔	3
Semester Total Credits			12

Semester 4 (Summer 2)

Course (click for more information)	Critical Course	Pre-reqs or Co-reqs	Credits	Notes
HIT 250	✔	✔	2
Semester Total Credits			2

Minimum Total Credits: 35

Gainful Employment Disclosure

For information about graduation rates, the median debt of students who have completed this program, and other important information please visit Medical Coding Certificate - GE Disclosure. For an overview of all gainful employment disclosures at Westchester Community College, visit www.sunywcc.edu/gainfulemployment.

Career Opportunities

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