Ashworth College Launches Certified Medical Billing and Claims Career Training Program

July 31, 2012 - PRLog -- PEACHTREE CORNERS, Georgia – Ashworth College announced the addition of its certified medical billing and claims program (http://www.ashworthcollege.edu/) to its roster of online career training programs. The program has been designed to provide students with in-depth instruction on how to succeed as an important part of the health delivery team and working with medical professionals in office, clinic, hospital or insurance firm settings.

Committed to the success of its graduates, Ashworth has developed a program that meets ICD-10-CM standards, offers a nationally accredited Medical Billing and Claims Diploma, and provides a clear path to becoming a Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS).

“According to the Department of Labor Statistics, the number of medical billing careers is expected to grow as much as 21% within the next decade,” said Dr. Leslie Gargiulo, Ashworth College’s Chief Academic Officer.  “Mounting legal considerations and insurance requirements makes it’s imperative that we give our graduates every opportunity to succeed -- which includes providing the most up-to-date course content and a path to certification.”

Published by the United States for the purpose of classifying diagnoses and reason for visits in all health care settings, ICD-10-CM is based on the ICD-10, the statistical classification of disease published by the World Health Organization (WHO). Guidelines have been approved by the American Hospital Association (AHA), the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS).

Once completing the base Medical Billing and Claims online training program, Ashworth allows each graduate to sit for the CBCS exam which is administered by a partnership with the National Healthcareer Association.

Ashworth College’s Medical Billing and Claims Program

Ashworth’s nationally accredited medical billing and claims program is comprised of 21comprehensive lessons which include learning objectives, lecture notes, review questions, multiple-choice exams and written assignments. Lessons include:

•   Medical Terminology And The Human Body
•   Integumentary, Skeletal And Muscular Systems, the Digestive System, Cardiovascular, Blood And Lymphatic Systems, Respiratory And Nervous Systems, Urinary And Endocrine Systems, Ears And Eyes, and Reproductive Systems
•   Onicology, Radiology And Nuclear Medicine
•   Health Insurance And Managed Care
•   The Insurance Claim And Regulatory Considerations
•   Completing The CMS-1500 And Commercial Claims
•   Blue Cross And Blue Shield Plans
•   Medicare and Medicaid
•   LeTRICARE And Workers' Compensation
•   ICD-10-CM and CPT Coding
•   HCPCS Coding And CMS Reimbursement
•   Coding For Medical Necessity

As a leading online school, Ashworth builds its programs to fit a student’s budget and personal and career goals. Conducive to the working professional’s schedule, students are able to start their program at any time and study at their own pace.

“We want to do everything we can to help students reach their goals by minimizing obstacles that might stand in their way,” added Dr. Gargiulo. “Becoming certified can be a major asset to one’s career and when seeking a career in the medical and healthcare fields a candidate’s certification becomes a mark of excellence and demonstrates a level of knowledge and skills that others don't have.”

About Ashworth College

Celebrating 25 years of Educating Minds and Changing Lives, leading online school Ashworth College has built a tradition of excellence by offering students worldwide an extensive range of online college degrees, online certificate programs, career training and online high school diploma options that are affordable and fit the busy schedules of working adults. Ashworth offers military education as well as specialized programs for corporate partners and homeschoolers.

Headquartered in Peachtree Corners, GA, Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The Accrediting Commission of the DETC is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. Ashworth is parent to James Madison High School which is accredited regionally by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI), an accreditation division of AdvancED and further provides career training and vocational programs in the fields of health, business, technology, education, and skilled trades through sister schools PCDI Canada, New York Institute of Photography and Sheffield School.