Medical Coding & Billing Certificate (MCC)

The Medical Coding and Billing Certificate program provides students with an understanding of the principles and methodology of ICD-9/10 and CPT-4 coding to access gainful employment in the healthcare industry. Medical coders assign codes to medical diagnoses, procedures, and services for which the healthcare providers will be reimbursed. Medical billers facilitate the claims paying process from the time a service is rendered by a healthcare provider until the balance is paid. If you are detail-oriented, have strong computer skills, and are seeking a career in healthcare, the Certificate in Medical Coding & Billing may be for you. For more information, please call 978-630-9357.

Campus/format: A majority of this program can be completed during the day or evening at the Devens or Gardner Campuses.

Helpful hints: Some courses are offered only in the semester they are shown in the guide; students must register for these courses when they are offered. It is suggested that students meet with the director for class selection.

Transfer options: This program prepares students for immediate career entry. Some courses may be applied to MWCC’s Medical Assisting Degree.

Special requirements: Technical standards must be met with or without accommodations.

Career options: Graduates will have the ability to do coding and billing in the following areas: physician practices (large and small), hospital health information management and patient financial services departments, medical billing companies, technology companies that service the healthcare industry (e.g. Meditech, 3M, Genzyme, eClinical), insurance companies, and government (Medicare auditing), etc.

Earning potential: $30,266 to $36,698 per year according to www.salary.com.

*These coding courses may be modified per industry needs. Any updates will be posted on the MWCC website.

Technical Standards* for MAS, MOC and MCC

*general information about technical standards and accommodation.

All technical standards listed apply to MAS. Technical standards that apply to MOC& MCC are indicated by **

Students entering this program must be able to demonstrate the ability to:

• Comprehend textbook material at the 11th grade level. **
• Communicate and assimilate information either in spoken, printed, signed, or computer voice format. **
• Gather, analyze, and draw conclusions from data. **
• Be able to type 30 words per minute for three minutes with three or fewer errors using the “touch” method of typing. **
• Write at a college level as evidenced by completion of ENG098 or placement into ENG101. **
• Distinguish shapes and colors under a microscope.
• Read typewritten text and patient data from a computer screen with or without corrective devices. **
• Discriminate color in order to identify reagents and other materials such as laboratory media, stained preparations, and the physical properties of various body fluids.
• Possess the manual dexterity required in such tasks as performing phlebotomy; operating blood analyzers and laboratory information systems; handling small containers of potentially biohazardous specimens (one inch by one inch); using sample measuring devices such as pipettes; giving injections and being able to adequately focus and manipulate a microscope and, using the small muscle dexterity necessary to do such tasks as gloving, gowning, and operating controls on machinery.
• Traverse the hospital and laboratory corridors, passageways, and doorways (minimum width, three feet).
• Communicate with patients and staff in the English language.**
• Maintain cleanliness and personal grooming consistent with close personal contact. **
• Possess hearing with or without corrective devices to be able to transcribe medical dictation from recorded media. **
• Comprehend and respond to the spoken word of all age-specific groups.**
• Function without causing harm to self or others if under the influence of prescription or over-the-counter medications. **
• Function without causing harm to others. This would include situations that may result from chronic mental or physical conditions. **
• React quickly, both mentally and physically. **
• Work as a member of a team. **
• Remain calm, rational, decisive, and in control at all times, especially during emergency situations.
• Identify behaviors that would endanger a person’s safety and intervene quickly, with an appropriate solution, in a crisis situation.
• Exhibit social skills appropriate to professional interactions. **
• Respond to distress sounds, visual distress cues, emergency alarms, and vital sign assessment equipment.

ED Gainful Employment Program Disclosure Information for Medical Coding & Billing Certificate (MCC)

This page is designed to provide students with information about the Medical Coding & Billing Certificate (MCC) program offered at Mount Wachusett Community College (OPEID number 002172).

This program is a certificate program with a normal time to completion of 12 months for full-time students who are prepared for college level courses.

This program has been assigned a Course Instructional Program code (or CIP code) of 510713 – Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder.

This program prepares students for the following occupations:

• 29-2071.00, Medical Records and Health Information Technicians – http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2071.00
• 31-9092.00, Medical Assistants – http://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/31-9092.00

The total tuition and required fees for the entire program completed in normal time is $5,700. This is based on the in-state tuition and fee rates as of July 1, 2012 with normal time completion.

The total estimated cost of books and supplies for the entire program is $1,120.
Mount Wachusett Community College does not currently offer on-campus housing.
Cost information for Mount Wachusett Community College is available here.

Debt at Program Completion

The number of students completing Medical Coding & Billing Certificate (MCC) between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 is 17.  Based on the 17 students, the number who graduated with any student loan debt is 8.

The median cumulative debt for:

Federal student loans is 0.
Private loan debt is 0.
Institutional financing plan debt is 0.

Program Completion in Normal Time

Based on the 17 students completing the program between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012, the number who completed the program within 12 months is 47%.

Placement Rates

Graduates are surveyed 9 months after graduation and asked if employed. 33% of 2011 graduates in this major who responded to this survey reported being employed.