Degree and Certificate Programs

Health Care

Medical Coder/Biller (MCB) (B398)

Associate in Science or Associate in Applied Science

Mission Statement: Creating competent, ethical, confident entry-level healthcare practitioners committed to professional development through life-long learning in a positive, non-discriminatory and supportive learning environment.

The Career: Health information coding is the transformation of verbal descriptions of diseases, injuries and procedures into alphanumeric designations. Responsibilities include coding of diagnoses and procedures; preparation and processing of insurance claims. Medicare and other third party payors use coded data for claims processing. Coded information is used in the assessment of clinical care, to support research activity, and the identification of health care concerns critical to the public at large.

The Program: This limited access program prepares graduates for employment as a health care/medical coder or biller in a variety of settings. The program is a combination of professional courses including lecture, laboratory and clinical education components. Confidentiality and legal concerns are also covered. Professional practice experiences are provided in local health care facilities under the supervision of qualified professional personnel. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are awarded on Applied Technology Diploma.

Prerequisites: Prior to being admitted to the program, an applicant must complete:

BSC 2085C Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4
HSC 1531 Medical Terminology 3
CGS 1570 Microcomputer Applications 3

Application Procedure:

1. Applicant must have earned a high school diploma or equivalency degree.
2. Applicant must complete Medical Coder/Biller program application. (Contact the HIM office for application deadline).
3. Applicant must be currently enrolled or a former FCCJ student.
4. Applicant has completed a minimum of 10 credit hours of prerequisites prior to enrollment in first class. The specific prerequisites for admission are Human Anatomy and Physiology I (BSC 2085C) Medical Terminology (HSC 1531) and Microcomputer Applications (CGS 1570). A grade of "C" or better must be achieved in all prerequisite courses. A GPA of 2.0 must be maintained.
5. Applicant must have CPTS (College Placement Test Scores) by the Medical Coder/Biller program application deadline.

Applicants will be ranked on the quality points earned in the three courses listed in number four above. Students who verify work experience in health information management will earn two points per year, up to a maximum of six points. In the event of a tie, the College Placement Test scores (English, reading and elementary algebra) will be used as a tie-breaker.

Note: A physical examination will be required upon acceptance to the program.

Required Courses:

The following is a list of courses required for this program presented in a recommended sequence of completion. The sequence is only a suggested guide, and there is no requirement to follow the sequence precisely. Students in this program may register for any course as long as the student has met any prerequisites for that course.

Course Number and Title	Credits
BSC 2085C Human Anatomy and Physiology I	4
HSC 1531 Medical Terminology	3
CGS 1570 Microcomputer Applications	3
HIM 1451 Pathophysiology I	2
BSC 2086C Human Anatomy and Physiology II	4
HIM 1300 Healthcare Delivery Systems	2
HIM 1110 Health Data Concepts	2
HIM1260 Health Insurance Billing	2
HIM1452 Pathophysiology II	2
HIM1202 ICD 9-CM Coding Principles	3
HIM2012 Health Law	3
HIM1203 CPT Coding	3
HIM 1800 Professional Practice Experience I	2
Total Credit Hours	35