Medical Coding Associate (MCOD)

Delivering quality healthcare depends on capturing accurate and timely medical data; medical coding professionals fulfill this need as key players in the healthcare workplace. The OCC Medical Coding Associate certificate program will prepare students for the Certificate Coding Associate exam/certification (http://www.ahima.org/certification/cca.aspx).

Health information coding is the transformation of verbal descriptions of diseases, injuries, and procedures into numeric or alphanumeric designations. The coding of health-related data permits access to medical records by diagnoses and procedures for use in clinical care, research, and education. Medical coders assign a code to each diagnosis and procedure by using classification systems software.

The classification system determines the amount for which healthcare providers will be reimbursed if the patient is covered by Medicare, Medicaid, or other insurance programs using the system. Coders may use several coding systems, such as those required for ambulatory settings, physician offices, or long-term care. Medical Coding Associate students must pass all courses in the program with at least a C and maintain a minimum term GPA of 2.0 to proceed through the program.