Online Medical Billing and Coding Certification Training

Healthcare providers depend on accurate records and reimbursement processes to maintain daily operations. Medical records specialists help connect patient care with the administrative systems used to document services, assign codes and process insurance claims.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of medical records specialists is projected 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 South Carolina, the average salary of a medical biller is $50,124, according to Indeed.

Certification, experience, and specialization can also affect compensation. According to AAPC's 2025 Salary Survey, noncertified respondents reported average annual earnings of $61,022, compared with $66,186 for certified respondents, an 8.5% difference.

In the Greenville area, healthcare is an established part of the regional workforce. According to May 2025 BLS data, healthcare practitioners and technical occupations accounted for 6.4% of employment in the Greenville-Anderson-Greer metropolitan area, compared with 6.3% nationally. Professionals in this broader occupational group earned a mean hourly wage of $47.93 locally.

What is medical billing and coding? What does a medical biller and coder do?

Medical billing and coding professionals help ensure that healthcare services are accurately documented and processed for reimbursement. Medical coders review patient records and assign standardized codes to diagnoses, procedures and treatments. These codes provide a consistent way to communicate healthcare information.

Medical billers use coded documentation to prepare insurance claims, monitor reimbursement, and help resolve payment issues. Depending on the organization, professionals may specialize in one function or perform both billing and coding responsibilities.

Where do you work as a medical biller and coder?

Medical billing and coding professionals can pursue opportunities across the healthcare industry, including hospitals, physicians' offices, insurance companies, specialty pharmacies, medical supply businesses and organizations that provide billing and coding services.

Other potential employers include healthcare technology companies, consulting firms, and government agencies. Some positions may also offer remote or hybrid work arrangements, depending on employer requirements and professional experience.

What happens when I complete the course?

After successfully passing the final exam, you will receive a certificate of completion.

You will also receive applicable study materials and a voucher for your choice of the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam from AAPC, the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam from AHIMA, or the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) exam from NHA.

• 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.

You must have a high school diploma or equivalent to sit for national certification exams. For this reason, it is recommended that you meet this requirement before enrolling.

Upon successful course completion, you can select a voucher for one of the following certification exams:

• Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam offered by AAPC
• Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam offered by AHIMA
• 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.

This course prepares you to pursue one of three nationally recognized medical billing and coding credentials, allowing you to choose a certification pathway that aligns with your professional goals.

The CPC certification from AAPC focuses on professional medical coding, the CCA credential from AHIMA demonstrates foundational coding competency across healthcare settings, and the CBCS certification from NHA validates knowledge of medical billing and coding procedures.

Students who select the CPC pathway also receive access to AAPC's Practicode Practicum, which provides hands-on coding practice and can help fulfill experience requirements associated with the CPC-A apprentice designation.

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. Smith 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. She is currently employed as an HIM Analyst at a Long-Term Care establishment based in Alabama. Previously, she was employed as the lead instructor for the Allied Health Department at a local career institute. Cottingham'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, Cottingham received her ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer Certification from the American Health Information Association (AHIMA), where she is currently a member. Cottingham 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, serves as revenue cycle manager at a large regional medical center. She has 23 years of experience as a registered nurse, including 15 years specializing in critical care nursing and supervision. Her responsibilities include medical audits, charge capture and government compliance audits and reviews. Stewart is a member of the Louisiana Medical Auditor Association and the 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 more than 30 years of experience in the medical field. She holds a master's degree in organizational management and a bachelor's degree in business management. She has been a registered medical assistant since 1994. Blackford served 10 years on active duty in the U.S. Army as a clinical specialist. She later moved to the Gulf Coast to serve as director of education at Blue Cliff College and was subsequently promoted to campus director.

Stacey O'Brien
Stacey O'Brien has more than 10 years of experience in medical coding and reimbursement. 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. Adams 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. View a full list of 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.

• Certifying body for CBCS exam
• Certifying body for CCA exam
• Certifying body for CPC exam
• Salary of a medical biller in South Carolina
• Salary of medical records specialists in the US