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Medical Coding Specialist
Recent Graduates
There are 23 recent graduates of this Madison College program.
Student Satisfaction
94% of our recent graduates report they are satisfied with their Madison College education.
Annual Salary
Our recent graduates of this program reported an average starting salary of $37,032.
Technical Diploma
Program Number: 315302
Credits: 35
Area of Study: Health Sciences
Delivery Method: Online
Financial Aid Available
Estimated Program Cost:
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Overview
Admission
Overview
Medical Coding Specialists translate written medical documentation, provided by physicians and other health care providers, into a numeric form. The Medical Coding Specialist assigns and sequences diagnostic and procedural codes using universally recognized coding systems, e.g., an anterolateral myocardial infarction (heart attack) is translated to I21.09.
Coded information serves many purposes:
- Reimbursement - codes are printed on the claims submitted to insurance companies, Medicare and Medicaid.
- Research - physicians can access medical records for research purposes based on coded information. For example, a physician may request to see the medical records for all patients who were treated for gastric (stomach) ulcers in the past two years. These records would be identified in a computer list of patients with diagnosis codes of K25.0-K25.9.
- Public health - a government or public health agency may use coded diagnostic information to track the occurrence of certain diseases. For example, they may find an increased incidence of a certain type of cancer in a certain region of the country.
- Patient care - a medical device manufacturer may issue a recall on a specific device, such as a pacemaker, and the records of such patients could be identified and retrieved based on the procedure code for pacemaker insertion.
The one-year Medical Coding Specialist technical diploma at Madison College will prepare you for a career in this high-demand field.
Aptitudes and interests that may help you succeed in the Medical Coding Specialist program include:
- Ability to be precise and detail-oriented
- Ability to adhere to standards and guidelines
- Passion for medical information
- Ability to communicate well with others
- Ability to accept challenges and problem-solve
- Respect for confidential information
Program Details
Wisconsin law requires background checks for persons who provide care for others or have access to people who receive care. This law applies to students in many School of Health Education programs. Please review the Caregiver Background Check information on the School of Health Education Forms and Policies.
The Medical Coding Specialist Program is offered on a part-time basis only. Classes are offered in the online format, including online-live discussions in some classes. On-campus proctored exams may be required in some classes.
Medical Coding Specialist program classes may be offered at these Madison College campuses:
- Madison - Truax
Explore financial aid eligibility for this program.
Medical Coding Specialisthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2U3JBJ9dfnQ
CurriculumAdmission
To Apply
Students need to complete the petition process to get into core-program classes for this program. Before submitting an application, it’s important to review the Petition Process webpage which also includes estimated wait times for each program.
- View the admission requirements for application deadlines, materials, and requirements.
- Attend an Advising, Application, Information & More (AAIM) Session to get started in the admission process.
- Visit MATC to learn more about the Madison College experience including campus tours and program open houses.
After Acceptance
Once you have been accepted into a pre-program status, your next step is to complete the Medical Coding Specialist Petition Requirements.
Fall 2019 and Spring 2020 Fall 2020 and Spring 2021
Questions?
Contact Enrollment Services at EnrollmentServices@madisoncollege.edu or (608) 246-6210.
TransferCurriculum
Prospective program students, the information below reflects the basic requirements for students admitted for the 2020-2021 academic year. To learn more about Madison College, visit us.
Current program students (including newly admitted), go directly to your Degree Progress Report (also referred to as an Advising Report or Academic Requirements) to view:
- Progress toward your specific requirements
- Alternative (in lieu of) courses to meet specific requirements
If you have questions after reviewing your report, please see Advising Services.
Pre-Program CoursesCore Program CoursesCluster 1Cluster 2Cluster 3OutcomesTransfer Partnerships
There are currently no Transfer Partnerships for this program. Review our Transfer Opportunities page for information on all Madison College transfer options.
CareersOutcomes
After completing the Medical Coding Specialist program at Madison Area Technical College, you will be prepared to:
- Collect health data
- Apply coding and reimbursement systems
- Model professional behaviors and ethics
- Use electronic applications to support coding and data collection
Careers
The Medical Coding Specialist program will prepare you for entry-level coding specialist positions in health care facilities such as hospitals, managed care organizations, skilled nursing facilities, coding and billing services, physician practice groups, governmental agencies, home health agencies, computer software companies, clinics, consulting firms, insurance companies and veterinary hospitals.
Career Outlook and Salary
The US Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment in the health information management field will grow faster than average (11% or more) through 2028.
The 2018 Madison College Graduate Employment Report (six months after graduation) indicates an average annual salary of $47,715 ($22.94/hour) for new graduates of this program.
A 2019 national survey done by the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) indicates the average annual wage for certified professional coders (CPC) is $57,201 ($27.50/hour) and for certified outpatient coders (COC) is $65,028 ($31.26/hour). Survey results for Wisconsin show the average annual wage for coding and billing professionals to be $55,979 ($26.91/hours).
A 2019 national survey done by the American Health Information Management Association indicates the average annual salary for a coding professional is $66,370 ($31.90/hour). It also showed those with mastery-level coding credentials (CCS and CCS-P) garnered higher average salaries than those with entry-level coding credential (CCA): CCS $79,060; CCS-P $77,790: CCA $53,790.
As of April 2020, the website salary.com indicates the annual salary range for medical coding specialists in the Madison area is $39,468 - $70,302 ($18.98 - $33.80/hour) with the median salary at $52,860 ($25.41/hour).
Certification Opportunities
There are several certification exams that can be taken to earn national coding credentials. The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam demonstrates entry-level skills. The other certification exams demonstrate mastery level (experienced) skills. Many employers require certification. Certification may result in a salary increase and/or promotion.
American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), ahima.org:
- Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
- Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
- Certified Coding Specialist - Physician-Based (CCS-P)
American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), aapc.com:
- Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
- Certified Outpatient Coder (COC)
- Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC)
- Certified Professional Coder - Payer (CPC-P)
- Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (CRC)
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Graduate Summary
Graduate Report Summary Overview
2017 2018 2019 Number of Program Graduates 29 23 23 Number of Surveys Sent 29 23 23 Number of Surveys Returned 27 14 19 Percent of Surveys Returned 93.10% 60.90% 82.60% Available for Employment 26 13 19 Percent Available for Employment 96.30% 92.90% 100.00% Not in Labor Market 0 1 0 Percent Not in Labor Market 0.00% 7.10% 0.00% Available for Employment
2017 2018 2019 Graduates Employed 21 12 15 Percent of Graduates Employed 80.80% 92.30% 78.90% Employed in Related Occupation 15 6 11 Percent Employed in Related Occupation 71.40% 50.00% 73.30% Employed in Unrelated Occupation 6 6 4 Percent Employed in Unrelated Occupation 28.60% 50.00% 26.70% Employed - No Response 0 0 0 Percent Employed - No Response 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% Seeking Employment 5 1 4 Percent Seeking Employment 19.20% 7.70% 21.10% Reaction To Training at Madison College
2017 2018 2019 Student satisfaction Mean (Out of 4) 3.5 3.7 3.4 Number of Satisfaction Responses 27 14 19 Very Satisfied (4) 16 10 8 Percent Very Satisfied 59.30% 71.40% 42.10% Satisfied (3) 10 4 10 Percent Satisfied 37.00% 28.60% 52.60% Unsatisfied (2) 0 0 1 Percent Unsatisfied 0.00% 0.00% 5.30% Very Unsatisfed (1) 1 0 0 Percent Very Unsatisfied 3.70% 0.00% 0.00% Primary Reason for Attending Madison College
2017 2018 2019 Number of Primary Reason Responses 27 14 19 Preparation for Getting a Job 8 3 6 Percent Preparation for Getting a Job 29.60% 21.40% 31.60% Career Change 17 7 11 Percent Career Change 63.00% 50.00% 57.90% Improvement of Existing Skills 1 3 1 Percent Improvement of Existing Skills 3.70% 21.40% 5.30% Preparation for Further Education 0 1 0 Percent Preparation for Further Education 0.00% 7.10% 0.00% Personal Interest 1 0 1 Percent Personal Interest 3.70% 0.00% 5.30% Other 0 0 0 Percent Other 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% When Employment was Obtained
2017 2018 2019 Number of When Employment Obtained Responses 21 12 15 Before Enrollment 6 6 2 Percent Before Enrollment 28.60% 50.00% 13.30% While Attending the College 7 2 2 Percent While Attending the College 33.30% 16.70% 13.30% After Training at the College 8 4 11 Percent After Training at the College 38.10% 33.30% 73.30% Location of Employment (related and unrelated)
2017 2018 2019 Number of Employment Location Responses 22 12 15 In College District 15 10 13 Percent In College District 68.20% 83.30% 86.70% In Wisconsin, Not in District 6 2 1 Percent of In Wisconsin 27.30% 16.70% 6.70% Outside of Wisconsin 0 0 1 Percent Outside Wisconsin 0.00% 0.00% 6.70% Employer Location Unknown 1 0 0 Percent Location Unknown 4.50% 0.00% 0.00% Salary Trend Salary Trend 2017 2018 2019 Full Time Employment (Related Job) Full Time Salary Count 10 5 9 Average Monthly Wage $3,440 $3,946 $3,086 Average Hourly Wage $20.00 $22.94 $17.94 Average Work Hours per Week 39.8 41 40.5 Part Time Employment (Related Job) Part Time Salary Count 4 1 1 Average Hourly Wage $21.13 $12.50 $22.00 Average Work Hours per Week 25.3 30 32
- Graduate Employers
Graduate Employers for academic year: 2019 Employer(s) Job Title City* State** Positions Dept of Veterans Affairs Medical Records Technician/Inpatient Coder Epic Systems Corp Medical Biller Verona NeuGen, LLC Provider Experience Representative St Clare Hospital & Health Services Coder 1 Baraboo Upland Hills Health Center Health Information Management Coder Dodgeville UW Medical Foundation Medical Coding Specialist 2 Watertown Memorial Hospital Coder/Abstractor Watertown Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) PE Analyst Monona Wisconsin Physicians Service (WPS) Veterans Affairs Military Health Claims Processor Monona * - Only cities outside of Madison will display.
** - Only states outside of Wisconsin will display.
*** - If you have a position to post, please contact Career and Employment Services at techconnect@madisoncollege.edu