What is a good book for medical billing & coding?

Medical Billing and Coding?

• It is so complex, so why do they have a 1 semester ( basically a peek at it) in MA courses?. To me, that's no different than if were getting a degree in Billing/Coding and had to take 1 semester of Phlebotomy. One degree is for one thing and the other is for something totally different. ALSO, if a person is self taught, can they take the state certification for billing/coding without formal education? (legally)?

• Answer:

  I think the MA courses have billing classes for the same reasons physicians are now taught billing and coding, it is such an important part of a clinic- the revenue, that everyone should have some idea of the basics. One of the clinics I used to code for would have their MA's write up lab orders, they needed to have an idea of the CPT's for the labs and also the ICD 9 for the diagnosis. Since they took a basic class, they knew some of the codes, they would often call me to get the ones they didn't know, but they knew quite a few. But yes, I agree, coding is immensely complex and a quick semester doesn't really make a lot of sense. and I don't know if the above answer is a true answer, it is just from experience that MA's do have some interaction with billing forms and lab orders, etc. And as to your second question, yes, you can sit for a national certification (there aren't state boards for coding) without having a formal education. Many do it all the time. Some buy the appropriate books and are self taught, others were trained on the job and then after awhile decide to become certified. There is nothing illegal with doing it that way. The only 2 exceptions that I am aware of are the RHIT and the RHIA from AHIMA. those you have to have gone to an accredited school to sit for those certifications.