Q. What is a Medical Coder-Biller?
A. Medical Coder/Billers review and analyze medical records and assign the appropriate diagnostic and/or procedure codes to medical conditions specific to the patient.  These codes can then be used for many purposes including health insurance claims processing and medical research.

Q. When does the program start and what is the application deadline for the program?
A. The program begins every August and January.  Applications are taken all year round. 

Q. What are the application requirements?
A.  There are two forms that must be completed for admission to the Medical Coder/Biller program: 
     The MDC Application and the Application for Program Admission.  

Q. What are the admissions/selection criteria?
A.  Enrollment in the program is limited. Meeting the admissions requirements does not guarantee program acceptance. For this reason, following criteria are used to determine which applicants will be admitted: 
Overall GPA and T.A.B.E Scores

For the Medical Coder/Biller Specialist Program the T.A.B.E. scores that are required are:
READING - 11.0
MATH - 9.0
LANGUAGE - 11.0

Students who have earned an A.A., A.S., A.A.S., or higher degree or have passed the C.P.T. on their first attempt are exempt from the T.A.B.E. Test.

Q. Can I apply if I have not completed all of the general education and science courses?
A. Applicants must have a high school diploma or G.E.D.  There are no required general education or science courses.

Q. How much does the program cost?
A. As of June 2008, the cost of tuition is $64.13 per vocational credit for in-state students and $256.48. per vocational credit for out-of-state students. Here are estimates for total tuition, based on 33 vocational credits at these per-credit rates.  In-state students: $2,117.00. Out-of-state students: $8,464.00. Tuition is due at the beginning of each term and can be determined by multiplying the number of credits by the cost per credit hour.

Q. What kind of degree will I be awarded when I graduate?
A. Upon completion of the program you will receive a Career Technical Certificate.

Q. What are the hours of the program?
A. This is an evening program with some courses offered through Virtual College or as Hybrid courses.  Classes begin at 5:30 PM. 

Q. Can I work while I am a student in the program?
A. This program is highly demanding, and students are therefore more successful if they do not work while in the program. If students must work for financial support, the program strongly recommends a limit of 20 hours of employment per week. Students should also consider family responsibilities before committing to a full-time accelerated program.

Q. Do you assist with job placement after graduation?
A. The Medical Center Campus does not provide job placement.  Through the Career Center located in the New Student Center on the Medical Center Campus, graduates may review employment opportunities that have been forwarded to the Career Center.

Q. Do I need to take a test to work in this profession after graduation?
A.  A state exam or license is not required to work in the profession.  However, since certification increases employment opportunities, we encourage students to sit for certification as soon as possible.  Graduates from this program can sit for coding credentialing exams offered by both the American Health Information Management Association and the American Academy of Professional Coders.