Free online courses for medical billing teach students the tasks they have to perform. Many of the coding programs on the web teach you how to code as well. There are different topics to be studied, but the core subjects center on health-related information.
Coursework Overview
Medical billing colleges divide their contents in the same way as those in many free websites. A typical course includes topics about an overview of healthcare system and job opportunities in the billing industry.
Other subjects are about provider and patient information, billing the visit, hospital billing, different types of health insurance and Medicare. Legal issues are also taught in these programs.
Subjects in Detail
Universities with medical billing programs cover different topics; each chapter / module explores numeric subjects. A basic chapter on healthcare includes a biller’s job description, distinction between billers and coders, healthcare employment outlook, environment and education & training.
You will find topics on healthcare industry employment statistics too. In a module on patient information, the main subjects are about third party payers (insurance companies), the AMA’s current procedural terminology (CPT) and medical terminology.
Course Subjects on Billing
The topics here cover the basics of hospital billing, settings, the Healthcare Price Transparency Act and HIPAA. Students will learn about post-payment audits, compliance/billing submissions, billing discrepancies and how to set up rates.
Courses on Health Insurance
This course will teach students about the four basic types of plan, international student insurance, travel medical, comprehensive plan and short-term health insurance plans. You will also learn about health management organizations, point-of-service plans, preferred provider organization and managed care. Traditional indemnity/fee-for-service plan is also covered in these programs.
Medicare and Legal Issues
Even in free sites, this is almost always studied. Topics center on the appeals process, billing, plan types, enrollment, how the system works and its history. A course on legal issues includes topics on insurance company & reimbursements, oversights versus outright fraud, compliance with HIPAA and consumer protection.
Other Information
Some of these free programs explain how to use the software needed for professional quality billing. Other topics are about carrier receipt of claim, the intermediary clearinghouse, paper trail and the billing process and how it relates to medical treatments.
Free online courses for medical billing can be as comprehensive as those in formal education classes. However, these courses are usually not “official”. There are no degrees or certificates given in these sites.
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