Medical billing and coding positions are available nationwide at doctor’s offices, clinics, hospitals, insurance companies, and other healthcare organizations. Medical billing and coding occupations are popular among job seekers and career changers due to their minimal entrance requirements and above-average compensation potential.
While you can find free medical billing and coding training online, these possibilities are limited, and industry experts will tell you that you won’t be able to get a job in the sector if you solely take free courses.
So, what are your options if you want to learn medical billing and coding but have a limited budget? Fortunately, we are here to help you keep your expenses as low as possible. Continue reading to learn about free online medical billing and coding certification programs.
Best Free Online Medical Billing and Coding Certification Programs
Let’s look at some of the top free online medical billing and coding certification programs available:
1. American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)
- Certification Offered: Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
- Program Overview: AAPC provides a free CPC practice exam to assist you in preparing for the certification exam. The practice exam is free, but the actual certification exam costs money.
- Benefits: Access to a complete practice exam that closely resembles the real certification test.
2. American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
- Certification Offered: Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
- Program Overview: AHIMA offers free online courses to prepare for the CCA certification. These courses teach the principles of medical coding.
- Benefits: Access to free educational resources and courses to help you prepare for the CCA exam.
3. Medical Billing and Coding Certification (sponsored by the U.S. Career Institute)
- Certification Offered: Medical Billing and Coding Certification
- Program Overview: This free program provides an overview of medical billing and coding and includes a certification exam. While the course is free, the certification exam may have associated fees.
- Benefits: A structured program that covers essential topics in medical billing and coding.
4. CPC Exam Practice (sponsored by CodeConquest)
- Certification Offered: Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
- Program Overview: CodeConquest offers a free CPC exam practice course that helps you prepare for the AAPC’s CPC certification.
- Benefits: Access to free practice exams and study materials for CPC certification.
5. Coursera
- Certification Offered: Various courses in healthcare, including medical coding.
- Program Overview: Coursera offers free courses with the option to audit. While not specific to certification, these courses provide valuable knowledge in medical coding and billing.
- Benefits: Access to high-quality courses from reputable institutions.
6. edX
- Certification Offered: Various courses in healthcare, including medical coding.
- Program Overview: edX offers free courses with the option to audit. These courses cover various aspects of healthcare, including medical coding.
- Benefits: Access to courses from top universities and institutions.
It is crucial to remember that, while some programs provide valuable tools and study materials for free, certification exams may incur expenses. Furthermore, the availability and content of these programs may change over time, so it’s best to check their websites for the most up-to-date information.
Accredited Medical Billing and Coding Schools Online
1. Santa Barbara City College
Santa Barbara City College is a two-year community college in California. It is one of the state’s oldest community schools and the most cost-effective medical billing and coding institution on our list. SBCC provides a fully remote Medical Coding Specialist Certificate. This curriculum prepares students for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam. It is intended to prepare them for entry-level careers in a range of healthcare settings. It may also assist students to prepare for other tests, such as the:
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Exam
- Certified Coding Specialist – Physician-Based (CCS-P) Exam
- Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) Exam
The program has received national recognition in a number of crucial areas. It has a solid reputation for helping minority students succeed. This makes it one of the top online colleges for medical billing and coding. Coursework is totally asynchronous, allowing students to complete their studies at their own speed.
The certification program includes 13 courses for a total of 38 credits. Depending on their family and job demands, students can enroll in one, two, or three courses per semester. The medical billing and coding program offers the following courses:
- Introduction to Health Information Management
- Human Form and Function
- Basic Pathophysiology
- Legal Aspects of Health Care
- International Classification of Diseases, Diagnostic Coding
- International Classification of Diseases, Procedural Coding
- Pharmacology For Allied Health
- Medical Insurance and Reimbursement Methodologies
- Advanced Coding Applications
- Tuition: $1,234
- Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges
2. Cosumnes River College
Cosumnes River College is a two-year community college in Sacramento. It has been open since 1970 and is one of the most affordable online medical coding and billing colleges. CRS provides two unique online programs. Both are accredited and delivered asynchronously, allowing you to fit your studies around your hectic schedule.
The medical insurance billing certificate program takes 16.5 credits. It trains students for entry-level insurance billing careers in healthcare offices. This online medical billing and coding training program offers the following courses:
- Medical Language for Healthcare Providers
- Human Disease
- Introduction to Concepts of Human Anatomy and Physiology
- Basic ICD-CM Coding
- Medical Insurance Procedures
- Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Coding
The Health Information Coding Specialist Certificate program is a medical billing and coding training course worth 35 to 36 credits. This certificate can open up more advanced options in the healthcare industry.
It prepares students for a variety of certification tests, including the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam. It covers the majority of the same topics as the Billing Certificate, with some additional coursework including:
- Introduction to Computer Information Science
- Introduction to Probability and Statistics
- Introduction to Health Information Technology
- Continuous Quality Improvement
- Legal Aspects of Patient Medical Records
- Tuition: $1,288
- Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges
3. Central Georgia Technical College
Central Georgia Technical College ranks next on our ranking of the finest medical coding and billing colleges. Central Georgia Technical College is a two-year public college that belongs to Georgia’s Technical College System. It serves a diverse student body of almost 10,000 students and provides programs in a variety of subjects.
CGTC provides a fully online Medical Coding Technical Certificate program. This innovative 24-credit medical billing and coding curriculum teaches advanced coding abilities. It is perfect for those seeking a job or advancement in a healthcare context.
It can also help students prepare for certified professional coding tests. This online medical billing and coding training program covers several topics, including:
- Structure and Function of the Human Body
- Medical Terminology for Allied Health Sciences
- Medical Documentation
- Human Diseases
- Medical Billing and Coding
- Medical Procedural Coding Skills
- Physician’s Procedural Coding Skills
- Medical Records
CGTC also provides a comparable certificate program for current high school students. It provides an overview of the medical coding field and leads to the Medical Coding Essentials Certificate. This 10-hour online medical billing and coding training curriculum contains four classes, including:
- Medical Terminology for Allied Health Sciences
- Introduction to Keyboarding
- Medical Insurance Management
- Human Diseases
- Tuition: $3,042
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
4. Georgia Piedmont Technical College
Georgia Piedmont Technical Institution is a two-year public institution located in Clarkston. The school serves approximately 2,500 students every year. It offers over 180 majors and boasts a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio. This means that each student receives personalized attention from their professors.
GPTC provides a 22-credit-hour Medical Billing Clerk Technical Certificate. It teaches students about medical billing and insurance reimbursement procedures. The curriculum requires a mix of occupational and business classes. This online medical billing and coding training program requires several courses, including:
- Introduction to Computer Literacy
- Medical Terminology
- Medical Documentation Production
- Healthcare Coding
- Anatomy and Physiology
- Structure and Function of the Human Body
In addition, students will select from a variety of business optional courses. These will be chosen according to their professional interests and aspirations. Some choices are:
- Computer Graphics and Design
- Legal Terminology
- Medical Records Management
- Introduction to Business Culture
- Personal Effectiveness
- Web Page Design
- Legal Administrative Procedures
- Office Management
- Tuition: $3,158
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges
5. Central Maine Community College
Central Maine Community College is a two-year public institution in Auburn, Maine. It is one of seven colleges in Maine’s Community College System. The school has little over 3,000 students and a student-faculty ratio of 15:1.
This enables smaller class sizes and more personalized education. The online curriculum at CMMC is an Associate in Applied Science degree program. The Medical Coding and Electronic Health Records A.A.S. initiative was created to:
- Train students for entry-level careers in the field.
- Prepare students to earn a bachelor’s degree in medical billing and coding.
- Respond to the growing need for skilled medical billing and coding specialists.
This two-year program requires 28-30 credits to complete and is delivered in a 100% online manner. This well-designed online medical billing and coding training program offers courses such as:
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Medical Terminology
- Health Information Management
- ICD CM Coding
- CPT & HCPCS Coding
- Medical Specialties & Pathophysiology
- Reimbursement Methodology
- Introduction to Psychology
- Medical Ethics & Law
- Business Communication
- Health Care Statistics
- Tuition: $3,760
- Accreditation: New England Commission of Higher Education
Conclusion
To conclude, the availability of free online medical billing and coding certification programs has made it easier than ever to seek a career in this high-demand industry.
Whether you choose practice examinations, organized programs, or broader healthcare courses, these free online resources will help you start a successful career in medical billing and coding. Don’t pass up the opportunity to start your healthcare career today.
