7 Best Free Medical Billing and Coding Courses (2024)

7 Best Free Medical Billing and Coding Courses

This article will provide useful information about free online medical coding and billing courses, who is a medical biller and coder, and how to choose a free online course. It is an excellent way for beginners to learn about medical billing and coding for free.

Why Go For Free Medical Billing and Coding Courses Online?

Nowadays, online education is becoming increasingly popular. Taking on-campus courses is not always necessary to earn a degree.

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Hence, online education is a convenient way to achieve educational goals in some areas.

Some of the courses also provide certificates without additional costs. Online courses offer the flexibility of timing to learn at one’s convenience.

Who is a Medical Biller and Coder?

A Medical Coder and Biller are medical professionals who manage patient data, healthcare facilities, payment processing, invoices, and related insurance information.

Their work is usually in the hospital, physician’s office, nursing home, or rehab center office. Their functions differ from office to office, although their primary function or role remains the same.

As a medical coder, one may have to work on billing insurance and claims, understanding and maintaining patients’ privacy during billing, and ensuring data accuracy, among other things.

Choosing The Best Free Medical Billing and Coding Courses Online

Choosing the best course can be the most confusing part of such courses. That’s why we are helping you with the factors enabling you to choose the best course.

Focusing on the degree you want to earn is the most important part of selecting a medical billing and coding education course.

4 Things to Consider Before Choosing a Medical Billing and Coding Course

1. Previous Education

One can transfer some of the previous credits to their current course if they already have a college degree with additional courses.

Hence, they should look for a course that allows them to do it.

2. Medical Program Accreditation

Most employers look for a reputable educational experience in a candidate’s resume. Hence, training from an accredited medical billing and coding course helps get a reputable background. It can be accredited by a university, college, or even an accredited institution.

3. Providing Certificates

To get better job opportunities, joining a course that offers free certification would be great.

Looking for courses for paid certification is also a good option if one can afford it.

4. Completion Time

Course duration is also crucial when deciding which one to choose. More prolonged courses may drag down that time even more if one wants to kickstart the career soon. Online courses are often self-paced and can be completed quickly.

What is the job prospect for a Medical Billing and Coding Online Certification?

As per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the projected job outlook for online medical billing and coding certification is 8%, considered faster than average.

AI and Big Data in Global Health Improvement:

The AI and Big Data in Global Health Improvement course may offer valuable insights into the use of technology in healthcare. Still, it does not specifically cover the fundamentals of medical billing and coding. Instead, it focuses on how artificial intelligence (AI) and big data can be utilized to improve global health outcomes. Individuals interested in medical billing and coding should seek courses tailored to these topics to gain the necessary skills and knowledge.

This course contains all the basic knowledge of data sharing in the healthcare sector.

It’s not specifically made for medical billing and coding. However, people pursuing a career as a medical biller and coder can take this course.

It allows one to understand all about AI and big data within the medical field. Background knowledge is crucial to becoming a full-fledged medical biller and coder.

Class Central, an online course aggregator, even ranked this course as one of the best online courses of all time.

This course focuses on future global healthcare development subjects with complete data sharing and improvement information.

It is a self-paced course completed in approximately four weeks. The curriculum is designed for beginners. One has to pay to get a certification.

Best Free Online Medical Billing and Coding Courses:

Medical billing and coding are important processes that ensure healthcare providers are paid for their services. Medical billing and coding professionals analyze medical records, assign codes, and submit insurance plans.

It is a highly specialized and demanding job that requires proper training and certification. Fortunately, there are many free medical billing and coding courses available online. Below are some of the best free online medical and billing coding courses.

1. Alison:

Medical coding:

Alison is one of the best online platforms offering free courses in various fields, including medical coding. The medical coding course introduces you to medical coding and billing. This course covers basic medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, ICD-10-CM, and the CPT coding system. The course is self-study and takes approximately 2-3 hours. It consists of three modules:

Module 1:

The first module covers the basics of medical coding and its importance in medicine. It covers topics such as the types of medical codes, their uses, and the implications for healthcare investments.

Module 2:

The second module will focus on the ICD-10-CM coding system, which is used to classify diseases and conditions in coded form. It describes the structure of the ICD-10-CM coding system, its use in assigning codes to diseases, and the importance of accurate coding in healthcare systems.

Module 3:

The third module describes the CPT coding system. The CPT coding system describes medical procedures and services. In this module, you will learn about the structure of the CPT coding system, the assignment of codes to medical procedures and services, and the importance of CPT coding in the healthcare system.

Courses also include tests and assessments to help learners test their knowledge and understanding of the course.

2. AAPC American Association of Professional Coders

AAPC is one of the biggest medical billing and coding websites that provide paid and non-paid courses, study materials, Guidelines, webinars, and Email-based short useful topics related to medical terminologies, CPT codes, ICD codes, and HCPCS level II codes.

Most of the courses and certifications are paid, but once you have completed just one or two certificates, you can work in the US healthcare medical coding and billing system and earn an average of $4,000 monthly.

Paid:

• CPC (Certified professional coder)
• CRC (Certified Risk Adjustment coder)
• CIC (Certified Inpatient coder)
• COC (Certified outpatient coder)
• CPMA (Certified professional medical auditor)
• CPB (Certified professional biller)
• CPCO (Certified professional compliance officer)

AAPC provides books and online training portals for all the above certifications for beginners’ preparation.

Unpaid (free):

• Free webinars (comprehensive training and certification exams typically require payment)
• Short article-based courses
• Email-based Daily information

3. Medical Billing and Coding Certification (MB&CC):

The site offers free resources and courses related to medical billing and coding. However, the free courses offered by MB&CC are comprehensive. They help individuals learn medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, medical reimbursem*nt, and medical coding systems to prepare for certification exams or entry-level positions in the medical industry.

Free online courses offered by MB&CC include:

1. Medical terms:

This program focuses on basic medical language concepts such as roots, prefixes, and suffixes. A good understanding of medical terminology is very important for individuals involved in medical billing and coding.

2. Human body system course:

This course comprehensively overviews the human body and its various systems. Learners will understand the basic anatomy and physiology concepts essential to medical billing and coding.

3. Medical reimbursem*nt training:

This course teaches individuals the basics of medical reimbursem*nt, including the different types of insurance plans, the coding systems used for claims, and the claim process. This training helps individuals navigate the medical reimbursem*nt process effectively.

4. Medical coding training:

This training program provides in-depth knowledge of the various coding systems used in medical billing, including ICD-10-CM, CPT, and HCPCS Level II, and their precise application in healthcare coding and billing.

4. edX Healthcare Payment Systems Course:

edX is a digital learning platform that offers free courses on various topics. One of the courses available on edX is Healthcare Payment Systems, which covers topics related to medical billing and coding.

The University of Houston offers the Medical Payment Systems Course, a comprehensive program that provides knowledge about various medical payment systems, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance.

The course is divided into six modules, each covering a different aspect of medical payment systems. The modules are:

Module 1:

Medical payment system introduction:

This module provides an overview of healthcare payment systems and the various factors that affect healthcare costs.

Module 2:

Private insurance:

This module will guide you through reporting different types of individual insurance plans and claims.

Module 3:

Medicare:

This module focuses on the Medicare program only and the various reimbursem*nt methods Medicare uses.

Module 4:

Medicaid:

This module contains information about the Medicaid program and the various reimbursem*nt methods used by Medicaid.

Module 5:

Healthcare reform:

This module explores the impact of healthcare reform on healthcare payment systems and the future of healthcare financing.

Module 6:

Summary:

This module summarizes the course and reviews key concepts related to healthcare payment systems.

5. CCO.US:

CCO.US is a well-known organization specializing in medical coding and billing. They offer a variety of online courses, webinars, and resources. Some courses are paid but offer free online medical billing and coding courses.

Here are some of the free courses offered by CCO.US.

Mini-course number 1:

Basics of medical coding:

This course covers the basics of medical coding, including the various code sets used in medical billing, such as CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS.

Mini-course number 2:

Medical billing basics:

This course provides an overview of medical claims, including different types of insurance plans, claim codes, and claims.

Mini-course number 3:

Anatomy and medical terms:

In this course, you will learn basic anatomy and medical terminology used in medical practice.

Mini-course number 4:

Evaluation and management (E/M) coding:

This course will focus on her E/M coding system for claiming doctor visits.

Mini-course number 5:

ICD-10-CM guidelines:

This course provides guidelines for using the ICD-10-CM code set.

Mini-course number 6:

Coding System for Common Medical Procedures (HCPCS) Encoding:

This course provides an overview of HCPCS and its use in medical coding.

These courses consist of video lectures, quizzes, and downloadable resources. It gives students a basic understanding of medical coding and billing and can be completed in a few hours.

6. Introduction to Medical Coding (I2MC):

Introduction to Medical Coding (I2MC) is a partially free online course offered by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), one of the most prestigious medical coding certification and educational institutions.

This course is aimed at beginners and covers the basics of medical coding. It consists of 10 modules, each focusing on different aspects of medical coding, including:

• Introduction to medical coding
• Medical terminology
• Anatomy and Physiology
• ICD-10-CM
• CPT system
• HCPCS
• E/M encoding
• Compliance and regulatory issues
• Reimbursem*nts
• Career development

These Courses are self-paced, and each module includes videos, interactive tests, and other learning resources. Each course also includes access to a community of learners and AAPC experts who can answer questions and provide additional support. To access courses, you must create an AAPC account and register on the AAPC website. After registering, you can access course materials and start learning right away.

7. What is Medical Billing and Coding? Courses on Udemy:

What is Medical Billing and Coding? is an online course offered by Udemy that provides an overview of the medical billing and coding industry. This course is ideal for individuals interested in healthcare administration or billing and coding careers and healthcare professionals who want a better understanding of the billing and coding process.

Courses cover a variety of topics, such as:

1. Fundamentals of medical billing and coding

2. Importance of medical billing and coding in healthcare

3. Medical Terminology and Physiology

4. Processing Health Claims

5. Healthcare revenue cycle

6. Insurance coverage and vendors

7. HIPAA Compliance and Ethical Considerations

This course includes video lectures, quizzes, and other learning resources to provide an interactive and immersive learning experience. Self-paced learning means you can complete the course at your own pace and on a schedule that suits you.

The instructor is A.M. Clarke, a Certified Medical Coder and Billing Specialist with over 15 years of healthcare experience. Clarke provides practical insights and real-world examples to help students understand the intricacies of medical billing and coding.

This course is an excellent resource for those new to the medical billing and coding industry as it provides a solid foundation of key concepts and skills necessary to succeed in this field. It is also a valuable refresher course for those already in the industry who want to update their knowledge.

Enrolling gives you access to course materials and lets you start learning immediately. The course is available for a one-time fee, but Udemy frequently offers discounts and promotions, making it a cost-effective option for those on a tight budget.

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