Health Information Technology Certificate, Coding and Reimbursement Specialist

Program Description

Coding and reimbursement specialist are extremely important to healthcare organizations, as their mastery of coding proficiency and accuracy has an impact on revenue (facility or practitioner income) and informatics related to health outcomes. These professionals have a versatile but focused skill set incorporating clinical knowledge, information technology, leadership and management, compliance and legal regulations and coding and reimbursement issues.  Graduates from the program can choose from a variety of work settings across an array of healthcare environments, as well as other settings, such as insurance companies, healthcare software companies, pharmaceutical companies, government agencies and academic institutions.  This program will focus on ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT/HCPCS coding guidelines, reimbursement systems, and revenue cycle management.

Students successfully completing the certificate may apply to sit for a national examination to become a Certified Coding Associate (CCA). After 2-3 years of recommended coding experience, the graduate may sit for the national Certified Coding Specialist (hospital based, CCS, physician based, CCS-P) examination. The Coding and Reimbursement Specialist Certificate program has been approved by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), Professional Certificate Approval Program (PCAP). 

Important information about the educational debt, earnings, and completion rates of students who attended this program.

Admission to the Program

The Health Information Technology Coding & Reimbursement Specialist Certificate program has an annual entry and courses begin in the fall semester.

Program Application Instructions

1. All prospective Health Information Technology (HIT) students who have not been enrolled at TCC within the past year must complete an application for admission to the College, submit their high school transcripts or GED scores, ACT or SAT scores (if exams were taken), and previous college transcripts to the Metro Campus Student Completion Services office at 909 South Boston, Tulsa, OK 74119.  Admission to Tulsa Community College does not guarantee admission to the Health Information Technology Coding and Reimbursement Specialist Certificate program.
2. Students should complete placement testing to establish proficiency levels in reading comprehension, sentence skills and mathematics.  Meet with an Academic Advisor to begin this process.
3. Applications to the HIT program must be completed online at tulsacc.edu/healthscienceapply by May 1.  For more information, contact the Allied Health department office at (918) 595-7002.
4. Following the May 1st deadline, students will receive additional information regarding the interview and selection process.

Program Admission Requirements

• Successful applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.0.
• An extensive criminal background check, including but not limited to a seven-year county of residence nationwide criminal history check, national sexual predator screening, Social Security check, and Medicare/Medicaid fraud screening is required by all clinical affiliates.  All Allied Health students participating in clinicals are required to complete these background checks, immunizations and a drug screening test by the Department of Allied Health office deadline prior to the first clinical rotation.

English Language Proficiency

An official iBT® TOEFL (internet-based Test of English as a Foreign Language) test score or an IELTS (International English Language Testing System) Band score is required as proof of English proficiency for any International student for whom English is a second language who is applying to any Tulsa Community College health sciences program. Students who have graduated from a U.S. high school will not be required to take the iBT Toefl or IELTS tests.  Your scores must be current within 2 years of the semester for which you are applying.

For health sciences students, the minimum sub-scores on the internet based TOEFL (iBT®) are 21 for Writing; 24 for Speaking; 20 for Reading; and 20 for Listening, with a total minimum score of 85.

For students choosing the IELTS test, acceptable scores include: 6.5 for Reading; 6.5 for listening; 7.5 for Speaking; and 6 for Writing, for a total IELTS Bans score of 6.5.  These required minimum scores must be met for each of the four sub-tests on a single exam. A total score that does not meet the sub-score minimums does not meet the requirement. Exceptions to this policy may be considered on an individual basis.

Students must go to www.ets.org/toefl to find a TOEFL iBT testing site, register and pay for the test. Students may go to www.ielts.org/us to find an IELTS testing center and register and pay for the test. Both tests cost approximately $190. Students are highly encouraged to take practice tests to prepare for these important tests. Your official scores, including ALL Sub-scores, must be sent directly to the TCC Registrar’s Office.

Contact Information
Program Director
Sandra Smith, M.Ed., RHIA, CCS
sandra.smith@tulsacc.edu
(918) 595-7201
Additional Information Available

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Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program you will be able to:

• Use data management skills to verify health records are accurate, reliable, comprehensive and compliant.
• Apply legal regulations for the management, control, and disclosure of protected health information.
• Evaluate, select, serve as a resource for implementation, and utilize applicable information systems.
• Identify reimbursement systems by health care setting, describing their structural design and evaluate revenue cycle management processes.
• Analyze policies and procedures related to health information management to ensure medical, legal and ethical compliance.
• Provide leadership and management skills to the organization when working with human, financial and physical resources.

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Careers

Search careers related to Coding & Reimbursement Specialists at TCC Career Explorer and visit TCC Career Services to learn more about our free career planning and job preparation services.

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Certificate Requirements

View a semester-by-semester course plan of study on the Coding and Reimbursement Specialist Certificate Program Map .