Medical Coding
Medical Coding
The Associate in Applied Science – Medical Coding degree is designed to prepare students to work in the medical field as coders in a variety of healthcare settings. Recipients of this degree will have the skills and knowledge necessary to use, analyze, and assign the proper codes to medical procedures and diagnoses for the purposes of billing and insurance. Medical coders are essential members of the healthcare field who monitor costs and ensure patient care satisfaction.
This AAS degree requires 65 semester credit hours and is designed to prepare students to take the national Certified Coding Associate (CCA) or Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) exam administered by the America Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Take a look at AHIMA's Medical Coding Hub for more information about the Medical Coding profession.
Medical Coding can be completed almost entirely online, with the exception of HS 225. HCC requires that computer literacy and technical program degree requirement courses can be no more than 5 years old to count toward this AAS degree.
The Medical Coding program aligns with the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES). CIP Code 51.0713: Medical Insurance Coding Specialist/Coder. A program that prepares individuals to perform specialized data entry, classification, and record-keeping procedures related to medical diagnostic, treatment, billing, and insurance documentation. Includes instruction in medical records and insurance software applications, basic anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, fundamentals of medical science and treatment procedures, data classification and coding, data entry skills, and regulations relating to Medicare and insurance documentation.
Certifications: Students who successfully complete the Medical Coding program are eligible to register for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) or Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) exams, administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
Additional Resources
- Associate in Applied Science (AAS) | Degree Map; Degree Worksheet
- Certificate B | Degree Map
- 2022 Wage Survey
- Approved for the Kansas Promise Scholarship
Available in These Locations
Medical Coding Courses (65 Credits Total):
*This course is recognized by the Kansas Board of Regents as Common or Support within the program.
3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: Assessment
This course provides instruction and practice in the principles of written composition. The major emphasis is on improving the ability to organize and express thoughts clearly and effectively. Students will be expected to write coherent essays that declare and support a thesis, as well as use and document research material. A reading text is used for criticism and discussion. This course is required for all degree programs.
1 Credit Hour
This course is an introduction to the world of college. The course will include preparation of an academic plan to obtain an associate degree in a selected major. The course will also cover curriculum structure, college success skills, transferring to a four-year institution, decision- making, and career planning.
3 Credit Hours
This course is designed to teach basic competency in the vocabulary and comprehension of medical terms. The course can serve as preparation for academic success in Human Anatomy. Students will be instructed in and will practice word attack skills for medical terms.
4 Credit Hours
This course is an anatomical study of the systems forming the human body. Emphasis is placed on the organs forming each system, the embryonic development of the system, and the functions of the tissues and organs of each system. The course includes a brief physiological review with each system and will consist of three hours lecture and one and one half hours of laboratory work per week.
4 Credit Hours
This course provides a physio-chemical study of the systems forming the human body. The course will focus on the relationships between the systems and the maintenance of a homeostatic condition within the body. Diseases, defects, and abnormalities are covered with each system. The course will consist of three hours of lecture and one and one-half hours of laboratory per week.
4 Credit Hours
This course provides an introduction to health information management and healthcare delivery systems in the United States. The course will focus on the roles of health professionals, types of healthcare organizations, types and levels of healthcare delivery systems, and healthcare governing bodies and content and structure of the health record, and documentation requirements for health records in various healthcare settings. To ensure clinical coders are familiar with basic health data structure, content and standards; healthcare delivery systems; and information technology and systems.
3 Credit Hours
ENG 102: Composition II This is the second of a two-course sequence in college English composition. The course will continue to emphasize improving the ability to organize and express thoughts in clear, effective writing. The course will use literature study as a basis for improving and extending research, critical analysis, and writing skills. The forms, elements, and techniques of literature will be examined in terms of how literature affects readers.
SP 106: Public Speaking The purpose of this course is to increase student understanding of the principles and applications of public speaking through analysis and practice in communication theory, topic selection, audience analysis, research, use of support materials, content organization, presentation, and evaluation.
SP 101: Oral Communications The purpose of this course is to develop the knowledge and skills necessary for meaning-oriented oral communications. The course also covers becoming a more effective critical listener. Emphasis will be placed on interpersonal and public communication.
3 Credit Hours
This course is designed to give students knowledge and practice which will enable them to feel comfortable with the computer. Emphasis will be placed on problem solving with the use of word processing, spreadsheet, database management and presentation software.
3 Credit Hours
This course introduces the U.S. legal system, laws and ethical issues and how they relate to health care. Emphasis is placed on legal and compliance issues faced by clinical coders in the workplace setting.
4 Credit Hours
This course is designed for the Health Science student to study diseases and disorders that affect the various body systems and the principles of pharmacology, drug classifications, and the effects of selected medication on the human body. This course will focus on diseases of each body system including cause, diagnosis, and treatment. Emphasis is also placed on understanding the actions of the drugs, such as absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs by the body, and matching drugs to common conditions and laboratory findings. This course does not meet the current requirements for nursing.
3 Credit Hours
Prerequisites: BS 104, BS 105, and BS 109 with a grade of C or higher
This course helps the student develop an understanding of coding and classification systems in order to assign valid diagnostic and/or procedure codes. It will include the validation of coded clinical information and case mix/severity of illness data. The course will focus on basic diagnosis coding skill and guidelines associated with Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS).
3 Credit Hours
This course introduces the study of the uses of coded data and health information in reimbursement and payment systems appropriate to all healthcare settings and managed care. Topics will include contemporary prospective payment systems and key health plans, charge master maintenance, and evaluation of fraudulent billing practices.
3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: BS 104, BS 105, and BS 109 with a grade of C or higher
This course helps the student develop an understanding of coding and classification systems in order to assign valid diagnostic and/or procedure codes. It will include the validation of coded clinical information, and case mix/severity of illness data. The course will focus on basic diagnosis coding skill and guidelines associated with International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-CM).
3 Credit Hours
This course provides an introduction to software applications in healthcare.
3 Credit Hours
This course studies the uses of coded data and health information in reimbursement and payment systems appropriate to all healthcare settings and managed care. Systems include contemporary prospective payment systems and key health plans, charge master maintenance, and evaluation of fraudulent billing practices.
3 Credit Hours
Prereq: HS 118 with a “C” or higher
This course helps the student develop an understanding of coding and classification systems in order to assign valid diagnostic and/or procedure codes. It will include the validation of coded clinical information, and case mix/severity of illness data. The course will focus on more advanced diagnosis coding skill and guidelines associated with Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS).
3 Credit Hours
Contact your advisor for a list of Humanities Courses available.
3 Credit Hours
Contact your advisor for a list of Humanities Courses available.
3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: HS 115 with a grade of C or higher or Program Director Permission
This course helps the student develop an understanding of coding and classification systems in order to assign valid diagnostic and/or procedure codes. It will include the validation of coded clinical information, and case mix/severity of illness data. The course will focus on diagnosis coding skill and guidelines associated with International Classification of Diseases Procedural Coding System (ICD/PCS).
3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: HS 115 with a grade of “C” or higher
This course helps the student develop an understanding of coding and classification systems in order to assign valid diagnostic and/or procedure codes. It will include the validation of coded clinical information, and case mix/severity of illness data. The course will focus on more advanced diagnosis coding skill and guidelines associated with International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification (ICD-CM).
3 Credit Hours
Prerequisite: Program Director Permission
To provide the student with coding practices in a hospital, physician’s office, clinical or other healthcare setting, with directed projects common to a clinical coding specialist on the job. This course will reinforce skills developed in the medical coding program and provide an opportunity to perform these skills in the workplace.