Certified Outpatient Coder (Voucher Included)

Medical coding for outpatient facilities is an important skillset to help outpatient hospitals/facilities receive appropriate reimbursement and maintain compliance with coding guidelines and government/payer regulations. The material is presented in a step-by-step manner, and you will learn by completing readings and completing interactive lectures. The course also includes quizzes and exams, so you can test your skills at regular intervals throughout the material. Through these methods, you...

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6 Months / 200 Course Hrs
Open Enrollment
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Western Colorado University Center for Learning & Innovation

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Certified Outpatient Coder (Voucher Included)

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Course code: GES153

What you will learn

  • Learn fundamental medical coding skills
  • Acquire skills needed to review medical records and determine the appropriate CPT, HCPCS Level II, and ICD-10-CM code sets
  • Understand government/payer regulations
  • Master coding for various conditions, including chronic and acute varieties

How you will benefit

  • Be prepared for the AAPC Certified Outpatient Coder (COC) exam
  • Gain AAPC membership, COC practice exams and access to the Practicode Tool
  • Help outpatient hospitals and facilities receive appropriate reimbursement
  • Evaluate your skills throughout the course by completing quizzes and exams

How the course is taught

  • Self-paced, online course
  • 6 Months to complete
  • Open enrollment, begin anytime
  • 200 course hours
  1. Outpatient Hospital Facilities and Departments
    1. Outpatient Facilities
    2. Outpatient Hospital Departments
  2. Business in the Facility
    1. Typical Outpatient Hospital Flow
    2. Typical ASC Flow
  3. CMS Payment Systems (OPPS, DRG, IPPS, Revenue Codes) Overview
    1. Medicare Resources
    2. CMS Payment Systems
  4. Facility Billing
    1. Types of Payers
    2. Outpatient Code Editor (OCE)
    3. Medicare Appeals
  5. Compliance in the Outpatient Facility
    1. Compliance in the Facility
    2. OIG Work Plan
    3. Teaching Facilities
  6. Documentation and Coding Standards
  7. Anatomy and Medical Terminology
  8. Introduction to ICD-10-CM Coding
  9. ICD-10-CM Coding Guidelines with ICD-9-CM Application
  10. Introduction to CPT®, HCPCS Level II, Surgery Guidelines, and Modifiers for Facilities
    1. Introduction to CPT
    2. Introduction to HCPCS Level II
    3. Introduction to the Global Surgical Package and Modifiers
  11. Evaluation and Management Services for Facilities
  12. Integumentary System
  13. Musculoskeletal System
  14. Respiratory, Hemic, and Lymphatic Systems
  15. Cardiovascular System
  16. Digestive System
  17. Urinary System and Male Genital System
  18. Female Reproductive System
  19. Endocrine and Nervous Systems
  20. Eye, Ocular Adnexa, and Auditory Systems
  21. Radiology
  22. Pathology and Laboratory
  23. Medicine
  24. CMS and Outpatient Prospective Payment System
  25. CMS and Inpatient Prospective Payment System
  26. Inpatient Coding Overview with an introduction to ICD-10-PCS
    1. Introduction to ICD-10-PCS Guidelines – Parts 1 & 2
  27. Midterm and Final Exam

Lindsay-Anne McDonald Jenkins

Lindsay-Anne McDonald Jenkins, CPC, COC, CPC-I, CMPA, CANPC, CIRCC, RN, CRNA (retired), has more than 30 years of experience in health care working as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA). Her CRNA work involved open heart, neurological, and thoracic anesthesia. After retirement from anesthesia, Ms. Jenkins worked as a coder and consultant for a physician billing company. While developing a passion for coding, she became a coding instructor and has taught many classes for CPC® certification. Ms. Jenkins has reviewed coding and text for AAPC, edited numerous books on physician coding, and has spoken to coding groups and physicians.

Krishna Kant

Krishna Kant, COC, is a Coding Coach in the Education Department at AAPC. He joined AAPC in 2014 and has been coaching students enrolled in AAPC's online Distance Learning classes including Medical Terminology, COC & CPC certification courses. He is a proud military veteran having served for 15 years in the Navy. He has worked for 14 years in the US Healthcare Industry and spent 10 years of his healthcare career in medical transcription.

Nitesh Kareer

Nitesh Kareer, COC, has more than 12 years of experience in Medical Transcription Industry working as a Medical Transcriptionist, Trainer, Quality Analyst, and Quality Manager. He was also involved in Vendor Management and Training for assurance of quality services to the client. He started working as a medical coder in 2012. Nitesh joined AAPC in 2014 and since been working as a coding coach involved in answering student's queries and grading their course assignments.

Prerequisites:

Strong knowledge of anatomy and medical terminology. Certification exams offered by AAPC are only available online to candidates located in the US.

Requirements:

Hardware Requirements:

  • This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac. Chromebooks are not compatible.

Software Requirements:

  • PC: Windows 8 or later.
  • Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
  • Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
  • Microsoft Word (not included in enrollment).
  • Adobe Acrobat Reader.
  • Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.

Other:

  • Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.

Instructional Material Requirements:

The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment. The following textbooks will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:

  • AMA's CPT® Professional
  • HCPCS Level II Professional
  • ICD-10-CM Expert for Physicians with Guidelines

The recommended reference material is optional, but it is recommended that you purchase the latest version should you choose to pursue for additional certifications:

  • Medical dictionary, any publisher

About Certification: American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)

The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) is one of the world's most recognized institutions for professional medical coders, with more than 175,000 members. The AAPC offers more than 30 certifications that include medical billing and coding, compliance, and management, among other topics. These certifications are an excellent way to prove you have a working knowledge of specific aspects of healthcare, and the skills you need to practice in the field. All AAPC certifications share a common goal: help everyone from beginners to experienced professionals advance their careers and contribute positively to the industry.

Yes, you will be prepared to sit for the Certified Outpatient Coder (COC) offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC). If you enrolled in the "voucher included" option, you will also receive a prepaid voucher for the exam and AAPC membership after successful completion of the course and financial obligation.

This course is open enrollment, so you can register and start the course as soon as you are ready. Access to your course can take 24-48 business hours.

This course is self-paced and open enrollment, so you can start when you want and finish at your own pace. When you register, you'll receive six (6) months to complete the course.

The time allotted for course completion has been calculated based on the number of course hours. However, if you are unable to complete the course, contact the student advising team to see what options you may have available to work out a suitable completion date. Please note that an extension fee may be charged.

Our courses are designed to accommodate various learning preferences. Depending on the course structure, you may get different forms of support. Self-paced courses are designed to be user-friendly and independent, minimizing the need for external support. In courses with instructors, our direct platform support feature includes opportunities for questions, discussions, and remediation, with email and phone support available for select courses. Our student advising team is available to guide you on program requirements and administrative requests, but they do not provide assistance with course content. Our goal is to provide you with the necessary support for success, whether it's through self-paced exploration, direct communication, or guidance from our advising team.

Upon successful completion of the course, you will be awarded a certificate of completion.

This course will provide you with the skills you need to obtain an entry-level position in most cases. Potential students should always do research on the job market in their area before registering.

This course is non-credit, so it does not qualify for federal aid, FAFSA and Pell Grant. In some states, vocational rehab or workforce development boards will pay for qualified students to take our courses. Additionally, some students may qualify for financial assistance when they enroll, if they meet certain requirements. Financing is available from select schools. Learn more about financial assistance.

If you have questions that are not answered on our website, representatives are available via LIVE chat. You can also call us at 1-877-221-5151 during regular business hours to have your questions promptly answered. If you are visiting us during non-business hours, please send us a question using the "Contact Us" form.

After successfully completing this online course, if you selected the voucher included version, you will receive a prepaid voucher to register for the Certified Outpatient Coder (COC) Exam and schedule your test date. Registration should be done three weeks prior to the exam date. After passing the COC exam, you will have your COC-A designation without 2 years of prior experience. Completion of the COC Practicode (included with the voucher version) will qualify as 1 year of experience towards the full CPC designation. Completing this program also qualifies for 1 year of experience, thus completing both steps and passing the COC exam will provide you with the full Certified Outpatient Coder (COC) designation and remove the Apprenticeship status.