
Online Medical Billing and Coding Training
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Prepare for a Successful and Rewarding Healthcare Career

Prepare to enter the administrative side of healthcare with 100% online medical billing and coding certification training through the University of Houston. Learn how medical terminology, insurance and reimbursement, healthcare regulations, and standardized coding support accurate patient records and claims.
In this medical billing and coding course, you will develop skills using ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS Level II coding while gaining hands-on exposure to Codify, an encoder application from AAPC. Upon successful course completion, you can select a voucher for the Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Coding Associate (CCA), or Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) certification exam.
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Career Outlook for Medical Billing and Coding Professionals
As healthcare organizations manage growing amounts of patient, insurance, and reimbursement information, professionals with medical records and coding expertise play an important role in keeping that information accurate and organized.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of medical records specialists to grow 8% nationally from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. Approximately 14,000 openings are projected each year, on average, over the decade. The median annual wage for medical records specialists was $51,140 in May 2025. In Texas, the average annual salary of a medical biller is $52,440 according to Indeed.
Certification, experience, and specialization can influence earning potential. According to AAPC's 2025 Salary Survey, noncertified respondents reported average annual earnings of $61,022, while certified respondents averaged $66,186—an 8.5% difference.
Houston is also home to a substantial healthcare workforce. According to May 2025 BLS data, healthcare practitioners and technical occupations accounted for 5.7% of employment in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands metropolitan area, while healthcare support occupations represented another 3.9% of regional employment. Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations earned a mean hourly wage of $50.30 in the region.
Medical Billing and Coding FAQs
Medical billers and coders work in a range of healthcare and healthcare-related settings.
Opportunities may be available with hospitals, physicians' offices, insurance organizations,
medical suppliers, specialty pharmacies, consulting firms, and companies specializing
in medical billing and coding.
Some professionals may also work for healthcare software companies or organizations
that provide billing and coding education and training.
After successfully passing the final exam, you will receive a Certificate of Completion through the University of Houston.
You will also receive applicable study materials and a voucher for your choice of the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam from AAPC, Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam from AHIMA, or Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam from NHA.
Course Objectives
- Understand medical coding terminology, including the structures and functions of the human body
- Identify disorders and medical procedures common to each body system
- Understand legal, ethical, and regulatory concepts, including HIPAA compliance and third-party guidelines for filing insurance claims
- Learn the main coding systems, including ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS Level II
- Learn how to code diagnoses, services, and procedures for all systems of the body
- Develop foundational knowledge of medical billing, coding, and medical terminology
- Understand word parts and the structures and functions of the human body
- Gain hands-on exposure to Codify, an encoder application from AAPC
- Prepare for the CPC, CCA, or CBCS certification exam
Prerequisites and Certification Requirements
There are no prerequisites to take this course. To sit for national certification exams, candidates must have a high school diploma or equivalent. For this reason, it is recommended that you meet this requirement before enrolling.
Upon successful course completion, you can select a voucher for the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam offered by AAPC, the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam offered by AHIMA, or the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam offered by NHA.
Online certification exams offered by AAPC and NHA are available only to candidates located in the U.S. AHIMA offers its certification exam in person in the U.S. and internationally.
Curriculum
I. Medical Terminology
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- Introduction to Medical Terminology
- The Musculoskeletal System
- The Cardiovascular System
- The Lymphatic and Immune Systems
- The Respiratory System
- The Digestive System
- The Urinary System
- The Nervous System
- The Special Senses the Eyes and Ears
- The Integumentary System
- The Endocrine System
- The Reproductive System
- Diagnostic Procedures, Nuclear Medicine, Pharmacology
II. Medical Billing and Coding
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- Introduction to Medical Billing and Coding
- Introduction to Health Insurance
- Managed Healthcare
- Revenue Cycle Management
- Legal Aspects of Health Insurance and Reimbursement
- ICD-10-CM Coding
- CPT Coding
- HCPCS Level II Coding
- ICD-10-PCS Coding
- Pharmacology for Coders
- Midterm
- Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI)
- Insurance Claims
- Commercial Insurance
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Medicare
- Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, Workers’ Compensation
- Certification
- How to Find a Job in Medical Billing and Coding
- Final
Recognized by Certifying Bodies
This course prepares you to pursue one of three professional credentials: the CPC certification offered by AAPC, the CCA certification offered by AHIMA, or the CBCS certification offered by NHA.
The CPC focuses on professional medical coding, the CCA demonstrates foundational coding competency across healthcare settings, and the CBCS validates knowledge related to medical billing and coding. These options allow you to select a certification pathway based on your professional interests and goals.
After successfully completing the course, you will receive applicable study materials and a voucher for your selected certification exam.
Instructors and Support
Nancy Smith
Nancy Smith has over 30 years of experience in the healthcare industry. Her clinical experience includes working as a medical assistant for a network of rural health clinics, and as a medical coder, insurance claims specialist, and medical records auditor. She worked as a medical office manager for ten years, where she recruited and trained all medical assistants. Nancy holds a bachelor's degree in vocational education and has developed and taught medical assistant programs.
LaTisha Cottingham
LaTisha Cottingham has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry. She has six years of teaching experience in the field of medical billing and coding and Medical Assisting. Currently, she is employed as an HIM Analyst for a Long-Term Care establishment that is based out of Alabama. Previously she was employed as the lead instructor for the Allied Health Department for a local career institute. LaTisha's field of expertise is in the area of physician-based inpatient coding and Emergency Department coding. The certifications that she holds are as follows: a Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT), a Certified Professional Coder (CPC), and a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA). In preparation for ICD-10-CM, LaTisha received her ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Certification from American Health Information Association (AHIMA), where she is currently a member. LaTisha is also a member of the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and the National Healthcare Association (NHA) where she is a test proctor.
Carline Dalgleish
Carline Dalgleish has worked in medical office administration for over 30 years. She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Information Systems, a master's degree in Leadership, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Health Information Management. She is a Registered Health Information Administrator and an AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer. Dalgleish is the author of an ICD-10 coding system and owns her own consulting firm.
Lydia S. Stewart
Lydia S. Stewart, RN, BSN, currently serves as the Revenue Cycle Manager at a large regional medical center. Lydia has been a Registered Nurse for 23 years, 15 of those years specializing in Critical Care Nursing and supervision. She is responsible for Medical Audits, Charge Capture, and governmental compliance audits and reviews. Lydia is a member of the Louisiana Medical Auditor Association and Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA).
Bunny Reeves
Bunny Reeves is the senior ambulatory surgery coder at the Maimonides Medical Center
in Brooklyn, New York. She trains student coders at Maimonides Medical Center and
previously trained and supervised entry-level coders at Staten Island's St. Vincent
Medical Center. Reeves is a Certified Coding Specialist, accredited by the American
Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
Sharon L. Blackford
Sharon L. Blackford, MA, BA, RMA, has over 30 years of experience in the medical field.
She has a Master's degree in Organizational Management, a Bachelor's degree in Business
Management, and has served as a Registered Medical Assistant since 1994. Sharon was
an active duty Clinical Specialist in the U.S. Army for 10 years. Sharon later moved
to the Gulf Coast to accept a position as the Director of Education of Blue Cliff
College and was promoted to Campus Director.
Stacey O'Brien
Stacey O'Brien has more than 10 years of experience in medical coding and reimbursement.
Ms. O'Brien has been a risk adjustment coder for a Medicare advantage plan, audited
medical records for a consulting firm, and currently supervises the coding and electronic
claims submission process for a group medical practice. She has a bachelor's degree
from the University of Pittsburgh and a CPC coding certification from the AAPC.
April Adams
April Adams, M.S., RHIA, CDIP, CPC-I, CPB, CPMA, has worked in the healthcare field since 2011, transitioning from a high school biology and chemistry teacher to a specialist in medical coding and auditing. She focuses on HCC, clinical documentation improvement (CDI), and DRGs and has taught health information management (HIM) courses, including medical terminology, law and ethics, coding, and revenue cycle management since 2018.
April possesses a master's in health information management with a specialization in data analytics. She also serves on the board of the Dallas-Fort Worth Health Information Management Association and holds multiple industry certifications.
Medical Terminology Instructors
Our medical terminology course section is taught by multiple experienced instructors. See the master course page for a full list of these instructors.
Instructor Interaction: The instructor looks forward to interacting with learners in the online moderated discussion area to share their expertise and answer any questions you may have on the course content.
Registration and Enrollment
This course is 100% online and self-paced. You can begin at any time and will have 12 months to complete the 370 course hours.
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