MEDICAL BILLING
STUDENT SUPPORT
GUIDE
Updated August 2012
Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................... 3
Features and Benefits ........................................................................................... 4
Skills and Admission Requirements ...................................................................... 5
Demonstration of Program .................................................................................... 5
Products................................................................................................................ 5
Upgrade Information: Optional Text ...................................................................... 6
Student Support Overview .................................................................................... 7
Points of Contact ............................................................................................... 8
Description of Contact ....................................................................................... 8
Frequently Asked Questions ............................................................................... 10
Graduate Services .............................................................................................. 12
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 2
Introduction
Who is Career Step?
Career Step is a leading online education company. Career Step enjoys a tremendous
market advantage in the industry by virtue of its reputation as an innovative,
competency-based training company offering high-quality training designed to prepare
students for entry into the workforce. Career Step is committed to helping each student
graduate and successfully transition into a rewarding career. Career Step has been
providing education for nearly twenty years and is headquartered in Provo, Utah.
The Medical Billing program offered by Career Step will be highlighted in this resource
guide.
Commitments:
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Provide affordable quality education that fully prepares graduates for
successful employment in their area of study.
Recruit highly qualified content experts to write and update industry-relevant,
skills-based curriculum.
Invest in expert technical personnel and technologies to provide state-of-theart delivery of quality curriculum, which makes learning interesting and
successful.
Set and maintain competency-based standards for skills
assessment/graduation to assure successful transition from education to
career.
Partner with quality educational institutions to provide community-based
enrollment opportunities that combine affordability, local student/graduate
support, expanded services and complete ready-to-use curriculum.
Develop and maintain active partnerships and collaboration with industry
employers to ensure industry-relevant curriculum, encourage
student/graduate networking opportunities, provide quality products and
services, and maximize employment opportunities for graduates.
Assemble a dedicated team of student and graduate support professionals
who provide students and graduates with expert support services.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 3
Features and Benefits
Train at Home
Career Step offers quality online training that teaches the skills necessary to work
successfully as a medical biller. The course is available 24/7 allowing for flexible study
schedules.
Growing Job Market
The demand for medical billers nationwide is growing. The U.S. Department of Labor
projects 21% growth, in the number of medical biller positions by 2020. Medical billers
enjoy competitive salaries as well as the potential for traditional employment benefits.
Visit http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Medical-records-and-health-informationtechnicians.htm#projections_data for more information.
Flexibility
Career Step enjoys favorable name recognition nationwide, which allows our graduates
to successfully find employment.
Offices in many different branches of the Healthcare field depend on medical billers,
offering a variety of choices when selecting a position.
Complete Training in a Relatively Short Period
Most careers require years of schooling and an expensive college degree to earn a
reasonable income. Career Step provides an opportunity to study at home for a
comparatively small investment. Career Step students set their own pace. Training fulltime, a student can be done in as little as three months. If more time is needed,
extensions are available.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 4
Skills and Admission Requirements
Essential Skills for Medical Billers:
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Technology
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English Language
Admission Requirements:
Students must have a minimum of a high school diploma or a General Education
Development Certificate (GED). Students must be beyond the age of compulsory high
school attendance as prescribed by Utah law. Students must agree to abide by the rules
and regulations set forth in the Enrollment Agreement. Strong skills in the reading,
writing, and speaking of standard American English are recommended.
Demonstration of Medical Billing Program
To receive demo access to the Career Step medical billing training program, contact the
Academic Partners Account Managers. They can be reached toll free at: 1-888-3554144 Option 3 or at accountmanager@careerstep.com.
Products
The medical billing program provides all the resources necessary to develop the skills
and knowledge needed to succeed as a medical biller.
Enrollment includes:
 In-depth, online training modules that prepare students for work as a medical
biller and allow them to learn at their own pace.
 Unlimited student and technical support from qualified professionals, including
extended hours for immediate support.
 Lifetime access to networking opportunities in Career Step's student forum and
chat room.
 Career Step certificate of graduation upon graduation.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 5
Text Companion
The Career Step program is designed to be an online, interactive experience. The online
pages are not designed to be printer-friendly, but we offer text companions as an aid to
learning. The text companion contains five books.
Online Modules Included in Text Companion
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Medical Word Building
Healthcare Structure and Organization
Mastering Medical Language
Exploring Healthcare Reimbursement
Patient Billing and Collections
The text companion serves several purposes:
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It is a convenient alternative when students cannot be online. It can be taken on
a trip, to the kids’ ballgames, to the doctor’s office, etc.
It reinforces the online information. While the text companion is not an exact
reproduction of the online program, it does cover the same information and
contain the same exercises. Many times, seeing the information presented a
couple of different ways improves learning.
It enables students to take physical notes, highlight important information, etc.
It becomes a lifetime reference. Long after program access expires, the books
remain on the shelf as a permanent source of information.
The text companion is intended as a supplement to—not a replacement for or
duplication of—the online program. Students should plan on primarily using the online
program. For instance, the text companion does not contain any of the tests, so students
need to complete those online.
The online platform and format allow for immediate updates, changes, and addition of
material. The print format is not as flexible, and students will occasionally find
differences in the two versions. Whenever students encounter a discrepancy between
the two versions of the information they should defer to the online material because it
contains the most up-to-date content.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 6
Student Support Overview
Availability
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Student Support: Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Mountain time
Direct hotline: 1-888-657-5752
Curriculum: Cari Greenwood, Randy Johnson, Rebecca Brailsford
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Technical Support: Mon.–Fri., 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sat., 12 p.m.–4 p.m. Mountain time
Direct hotline: 1-888-657-5761
Contact Means
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Phone
Email
Forum (public or private message)
Moderated Chat
Other (letter, fax, etc.)
Response Time
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Phone: Immediate (or same-day return call if a voicemail is left, next day if
voicemail is left at end of day or after business hours).
Email: 1-2 business days, usually same day.
Forum: Usually same business day.
Chat: Immediate if advisor is available.
Moderated Chat: Immediate (within chat timeframe).
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 7
Points of Contact
Timeframe
Contact
Day of enrollment
Email
Day after enrollment
Email
After student has completed
final, or if passing score is not
achieved on the final exam
Consultation / Webinar
Name
Student may call in for
optional phone
consultation.
Final Exam Consultation
Description of Contact
Follow-up Communication
-Day of enrollment login email
Contains the individual student’s login information and student ID number, as well as
contact information for support services.
-Day after enrollment introduction email
Includes a welcome to the program, introduction to support services and tools. The email
also ensures that the student received their login information and was able to access the
program.
Consultations
-Final Exam Consultation (Optional)
Discuss student test scores, strengths and weaknesses, and study plan to pass final on
the next attempt.
Tools
- Forum
An online discussion center for students and graduates. The forum is separated into
categories including Potential Students, Students, Graduates, Technical Support, For
Fun, and Resources. The forum allows students and graduates to network together,
discuss their progress and tips for success, ask and answer questions, form study
groups, and build lasting relationships. The forum is moderated by Career Step support
staff, which posts announcements, answers questions, and provides advice where
appropriate.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 8
- Chat rooms
Within the forum framework, there are various live chat rooms that allow students to chat
with each other in a real-time format. Chat rooms are especially effective for study
groups. Various Career Step support staff members login and maintain a presence in
the chat rooms during business hours in order to respond to any questions that may
arise via chat.
- Completion Plans
Completion Plans provide students a pre-set study plan based on a certain timeframe.
Students simply follow the weekly completion schedule in order to stay on target to
complete the training within their chosen timeframe.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 9
Frequently Asked Questions
What is medical billing?
Medical billing is crucial to the business of healthcare. A facility or practice would be out
of business very quickly without medical billers who handle the reimbursement process
for all services provided. After medical coders have assigned standardized codes to all
diagnoses, tests, treatments, and procedures, medical billing professionals use these
codes to compile and submit the claim to the insurance company and then subsequently
bill the patient. Though specific responsibilities vary from location to location, medical
billers typically see a claim all the way through payment, managing claim denials and
handling all appeals if necessary.
Do I need to be certified?
Certification is not required for employment. There are very few medical billing
certifications available, and employers are more interested in education and hands-on
experience.
What are the advantages of training with Career Step?
Career Step has been training quality professionals for over 20 years and offers a
comprehensive training program that thoroughly prepares students to work as medical
billing professionals. With Career Step, you can train affordably without sacrificing
quality, learn from comprehensive curriculum developed by industry professionals, take
advantage of live student and graduate support, and quickly gain the specialized skills
you need to succeed as a medical biller. We're committed to helping you achieve your
goals, and Career Step provides everything you need to succeed!
What kind of skills or experience do I need to enter the Career Step
program?
In order to be admitted, you must either a) have a high school diploma or a General
Education Development Certificate (GED), or b) pass the Career Step competency test.
If you are under 18 years of age, consent and signature of a parent or guardian is
required before admission. There are no specific skills or experience that are considered
prerequisites for entry into the Career Step training program.
How is the Career Step Medical Biller program structured?
The Career Step Medical Billing program is offered entirely online, providing 24/7 access
to all material and allowing you to progress through the curriculum on your own schedule
and at your own pace. The program is broken into modules, or course subjects, all of
which focus on helping you build the essential knowledge and skills of a medical biller.
What type of student support does Career Step offer?
Career Step student support includes access to:
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Student Support Advisors who have professional experience in the industry
and are uniquely qualified to answer questions about both the curriculum and the
industry. They provide timely answers to questions about the program material
and offer a number of personal consultations throughout the training to help
students master important concepts.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 10
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Technical Support Advisors who are knowledgeable, experienced, and
available six days a week to help you work through any technical or computer
issues encountered within the training program.
Graduate Support Advisors who help you transition to the workforce after
graduation. Your Graduate Advisors will help prepare the best resume, develop
solid interview skills, and teach you valuable job search techniques.
Though the course is entirely online, you'll never be on your own. Career Step's student
support team will always be there to offer personal, ongoing support all the way
through the training program.
How long does it take to finish the course?
The Career Step Medical Billing training program is 145 completion hours. Since the
program is completely self-paced and the online training format allows you the flexibility
to study as much or as little as your schedule allows, the time it takes you to complete
the course will vary from other students. Some students are able to complete their
training program in as little as one or two months and others, who are more limited in the
time they can devote to the course, take longer (for example, students who can devote
about 10 hours a week may finish in about 4 months).
Every student who enrolls in the Career Step Medical Billing training program receives
an initial 3-month period of enrollment—and we currently offer an additional 3 months at
no extra charge! You'll have a full 6 months to complete the program. If you need extra
time to complete the course after your initial 6-month enrollment, we have 3-month
extensions available for purchase.
What payment options does Career Step offer?
We realize that one of the most important questions tied to education is how it will be
paid for. Because this is such a big part of the decision of whether or not to go back to
school, Career Step has designed several tuition assistance and payment options.
How soon will I receive my materials?
It takes 2-3 business days to process the application, depending on method of payment.
Once the payment is processed you will be emailed your course login and password and
can start training immediately. Additional course materials are shipped UPS Ground
after the payment is processed. The average wait is about 7-10 days. Your coding
reference materials will be sent after you reach a certain point in the training program to
ensure that you receive the most up-to-date materials.
Note: Any promotional items will not be shipped until after the 14-day refund period.
What if it takes me longer than three months to complete the program?
Extensions beyond the initial enrollment period are available. Extensions may be
purchased as needed to complete the program. All extensions are subject to the current
extension policy at the time the extension is purchased.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 11
Graduate Services
How do I contact Graduate Services?
Our Graduate Services team can be reached at 1-800-246-7837 Ext. 721 or at
graduates@careerstep.com. The office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Mountain Time.
What does Graduate Services include?
Graduate Services include:
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A personal resume review.
Local job posting notifications.
Tips for interview preparation and interviews.
Help hotline access to our Student Support team for six months after graduation.
What is NOT included in Career Step Graduate Services?
Career Step does not find the graduate a job, submit the graduate's resume to
employers, or fill out applications for the graduate. Career Step helps graduates improve
their applications and posts job alerts for applicable positions.
How do I find work after I have finished the program?
Career Step Graduate Services offer assistance in finding employment. Because a
person's employment potential is based upon their performance, we cannot guarantee
employment. However, we do aid graduates in getting started in their employment
search.
What is the job market for a medical biller?
Medical billers can be found working in doctors' offices, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and
almost every other medical facility. There are opportunities in almost every community,
and the U.S. Department of Labor estimates that the demand for medical billers will grow
by 21%, by the year 2020.
How much can I earn as a medical biller?
The U.S. Department of Labor report states that the middle 50% of medical billers
nationwide earn between $26,280 and $43,410 annually. You many also qualify for
employment benefits as a medical biller.
Medical Billing Student Support Guide 12