Introduction 1 Part 1: Getting to Know Medical Billing and Coding 5 Chapter 1: Dipping Your Toes into Medical Billing and Coding 7 Chapter 2: Exploring the Billing and Coding Professions 17 Chapter 3: Weighing Your Employment Options 31 Part 2: Boning Up on the Need-to-Knows of Your Profession 43 Chapter 4: Compliance: Understanding the Rules 45 Chapter 5: Not-So-Strange Bedfellows: Medical Terminology and Medical Necessity 61 Chapter 6: Getting to Know the Payers 85 Part 3: Becoming a Professional: Getting Certified 103 Chapter 7: Your Basic Certification Options, Courtesy of the AAPC and AHIMA 105 Chapter 8: The Path to Certification: Finding a Study Program 119 Chapter 9: Signing Up and Preparing for the Certification Exam 139 Chapter 10: Adding Street Cred: Specialty Certifications and Continuing Ed 159 Part 4: Dealing and Succeeding with Nitty-Gritty On-the-Job Details 171 Chapter 11: Processing a Run-of-the-Mill Claim: An Overview 173 Chapter 12: Homing In on How to Prepare an Error-Free Claim 191 Chapter 13: From Clearinghouse to Accounts Receivable to Money in the Pocket 209 Chapter 14: Handling Disputes and Appeals 221 Chapter 15: Keeping Up with the Rest of the World 241 Part 5: Working with Stakeholders 249 Chapter 16: Dealing with Commercial Insurance Claims 251 Chapter 17: Caring about Medicare and Medicaid 263 Chapter 18: Coding Ethics: Being an Advocate for Your Employer 275 Part 6: The Part of Tens 291 Chapter 19: Ten Common Billing and Coding Mistakes and How to Avoid Them 293 Chapter 20: Ten Acronyms to Burn into Your Brain 299 Chapter 21: Ten (Plus One) Tips from Billing and Coding Pros 305 Glossary 311 Index 319

Discover certification requirementsEnsure patient billing is accurate and efficientUnderstand the latest updates to the ICD-10 Prepare for an exciting new career! Healthcare is currently the largest employment sector in the United States and growing fast! Medical billing and coding specialists are in high demand, and this updated guide gives you all the information you need to get started in this productive field. It explains what the job entails, the rules you'll deal with, employment opportunities, and how to acquire your certification. Then it takes you through the actual on-the-job process and shows you how to work with the various stakeholders involved. For a healthy professional future, read on! Inside... How billing and coding differThe compliance rulesUnderstanding medical termsWhich certification suits you?Finding a study programSteps to processing a claimHandling appeals and disputesEthical considerations