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About the Program听| Before You Start听| Taking Classes听

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About the Program...

What's the difference between medical billing and medical coding?

Medical coding is the process of gathering information on each treatment, diagnosis, or service a patient receives and assigning an alphanumeric code to each item.

Medical billing is the process of generating claims and preparing bills for health care resource utilization. Based on the medical coder's specifications, medical billers request payment from health insurance companies for the medical services that health care providers and institutions offer to patients.听Medical billing is the next step after coding.

What is the experience level of the program?

This entry-level program is designed for students with no prior medical experience.

What kind of experience do I need before I can begin medical insurance billing training?

While no prior medical training is required, we recommend that students have basic office computing and data entry fundamentals; experience with Excel or other spreadsheet software is helpful.

Does this program prepare me for a certified coding exam?

Our program focuses on the business operations of medical insurance billing and includes introductory courses in coding. While coding is covered, the main emphasis is on medical billing.

Is there a required certification that I must complete after doing this program?

The State of California does not require any type of billing certification in order to be hired as a medical biller.

If you are interested in Medical Coding classes, please visit:


Cal State LA Coding Certification Program - this Coding program is offered by our sister campus:

How long does it take to complete the certificate program?

The program is offered once a year on a cycle from September through May. The program takes an average of 9鈥�18 months for most working adult students.

Is this a Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Cert Prep Course?

Though our Medical Insurance Billing Certificate program is not a sanctioned CPC Certification Exam Preparation course, it will provide students with the knowledge needed to pass the exam(s). Many of our students report that they passed the exam on their first try.鈥�

Is the Medical Insurance Billing Certificate (MIB) program equivalent to obtaining a CPC certification?

No, our MIB Certificate program is not equivalent to obtaining a CPC Certification. Our program provides students with the knowledge needed to pass the exam.

I am already certified as a CPC. Can this program help me maintain my certification by earning Professional Development Units (PDUs)?听

Yes, MIB courses completed at CSUDH can be used to earn PDUs. Contact Extension Programs for talent triangle alignment; extassist@csudh.edu.

Do people take the CSUDH Certificate program who are not planning to take the CPC Exam?

Absolutely. The majority of our students find the CSUDH Medical Insurance Billing Certificate program a great tool for entering (or enhancing) a very fast-growing profession. Some take it to help prepare for the CPC exam, but this is not the primary purpose of the certificate program.

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Before You Start...

Are there any prerequisites to registration?

There is no prerequisite coursework needed to get started!

What are the estimated costs for the entire certificate?

Although the costs of books can fluctuate depending on the retailer and the cost of tuition can go up without notice (usually once annually), the cost of the entire certificate is around $1,400.

Can I pay for the courses individually, or do I have to pay for the program all at once?

Classes will need to be paid for at the time of registration; however, you can pay for each class as you go.

Is there financial aid or loan information available for this program?

Unfortunately, career development courses do not qualify for federal student financial aid; however, unemployed and underemployed individuals may be able to receive funding through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

For more information about WIOA, visit /ccpe/wioa or email wioa@csudh.edu.

What textbooks do I need for the courses, and where do I obtain them?

Required textbooks are listed on the Courses page. Books for the program (these books may be referenced in class) can be obtained from online (Amazon, eBay, etc.) or traditional book retailers prior to entering the program.

I see that Medical Terminology is a course within the program and a prerequisite for other classes. Why is this important?

The Medical Terminology course provides the essential foundation for success in the program. It helps you develop a strong understanding of medical language before progressing to the more advanced billing and coding courses, where that terminology is applied to real-world healthcare documentation and insurance processes.

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Taking Classes...

Are these classes online or in person?

CSUDH's instructor-led Medical Insurance Billing program is conducted live online, using Zoom and the Canvas Learning Management System. Live virtual class sessions will be conducted at the day/time indicated in the program schedule. Attendance and participation via Zoom at all class sessions is required.

What is the typical schedule for a course in this program?

Most classes are held on Saturdays from 8:00 AM鈥�1:30 PM PT online. (Please be aware that schedules are subject to change at any time.)

How often are the courses offered?

The program is offered once a year on a cycle from September鈥擬ay.

Do I have to take the other courses in order?

Although NBMB 111鈥�115 and 118 can be taken in any order; the 116 and 117 courses must be taken in order, with NBMB 115 being a prerequisite for NBMB 116.

Do I have to take each course separately?

The courses are scheduled so that there is no overlap, so yes, each one is separately scheduled; if you're referring to the ability to take individual courses without going for the whole certificate, you certainly can.

Do I need to take all 8 courses to earn the certificate?

Yes. All eight courses are required to earn the Medical Insurance Billing Certificate. 好色先生, these courses provide the foundation necessary to understand the complete medical billing process. You鈥檒l learn what information must appear on a medical claim form, how to properly prepare and submit the form, and what steps are needed to ensure payment for services provided by a clinician.

I'm having an issue trying to add a course to my shopping cart; it says I need to complete a prerequisite, but I've already taken that course. What do I do?

If the course you want to register for has a prerequisite, at the point of checkout, you must "Log In" using your CSUDH campus credentials so that the system can verify that you have successfully completed the required prerequisite course.

I recently received my grades... what do "PR" and "NP" mean?

"PR" means present; "NP" means not present.

When do I get the program certificate?

When a student completes successfully all eight classes with an attendance record of at least 90% for each class, a Certificate Application (available during and after the last class) is filled out by the student and submitted online. It takes ~4-6 weeks to receive the certificate and shareable digital badges.

Certificate Application 鈻�

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