Online Medical Billing & Coding Schools in Wisconsin: Compare Programs

Unpacking Online Medical Billing/Coding Classes in Wisconsin

We’ve spotlighted below three online medical billing and coding programs currently available through Wisconsin colleges and universities. Each has its own curriculum, online content delivery methods, length, and cost. But you can be certain that they all provide the education and training you need for national certification eligibility and landing your first medical biller/coder job. Best of all, all three feature fully-online content delivery, meaning that you won’t have to step foot on campus at any time.

There are other online programs available in Wisconsin, many of which you’ll find information for in this guide. Campus-based options are available as well. So, don’t stop your program search with the three spotlighted programs. Just consider them as examples of what medical billing and coding programs in Wisconsin are all about.

Responding to Key Questions from Students

Still have questions about medical billing and coding in Wisconsin? We’ve answered five questions commonly asked by prospective students about medical billing and coding programs and careers in Wisconsin. If you need more information, don’t hesitate to contact the programs you’re considering for help.

Are medical billing and medical coding the same thing?

They are not, although there are some similarities. In simple terms:

• Medical billing involves the processing and submittal of medical treatment and services claims to patients and their health insurance providers for reimbursement.
• Medical coding concerns the application of standardized alphanumeric codes to convert medical diagnoses, procedures, etc., into a standardized form for use in medical and insurance records and billing.

It’s important that you have a basic understanding of the differences between medical billing and medical coding before you settle on any specific online medical billing and program in Wisconsin. That’s because each requires its own set of hard and soft skills. It’s also important because some online programs in Wisconsin provide training for only one or the other practices.

Is medical billing and coding hard?

For some, yes. For others, no. Becoming successful as a medical biller or coder will depend on your individual talents, skills, and job preferences. Important skills for working in medical billing and coding include a strong mind for numbers and figures, attention to detail, good oral and written communication skills, and basic competence in the use of computers, applications, and technologies.

Medical billers and coders working remotely will additionally need to be highly organized and disciplined self-starters who are comfortable working independently. If you have doubts about your abilities in any of these skills, remember that you’ll get help in developing them during your medical billing and coding training.

Can I really work remotely as a medical biller or coder?

You certainly can. Medical billers and coders working from home or at other off-site locations is quite common. The reason is simple. Medical billing and coding practice is carried out almost exclusively on computers, which is something that lends itself well to remote work.

The extent to which you’ll be able to work remotely, practically speaking, will depend on your particular employer and job duties. It’s not unusual, for example, for medical billers and coders to split their time between working at home and in their employer’s office. Others will be able to do their jobs from home on a full-time basis.

Are there career advancement opportunities in the billing and coding field?

There are. In fact, you may be surprised at the wide variety of job titles available to professionals in the billing and coding field at all points of their careers. The training you’ll receive in your online medical billing and coding program, along with basic national certification, will qualify you for entry-level jobs with titles such as Certified Medical Biller, Certified Medical Coder, Medical Records Clerk, among others. Advancing beyond entry-level positions, however, may require additional training and specialized certification. But you can feel confident in knowing that moving up the career ladder into positions in management and specialized practice is absolutely possible.

Is financial aid available for my medical billing and coding education in Wisconsin?

One of the major benefits of pursuing a medical billing and coding career is that getting the education you need to start your career can be surprisingly affordable (as indicated by the cost figures in the program spotlights above). What’s more, help in funding medical billing and coding education is available to qualifying students. Potential resources include in-house and external scholarships and grants, employer tuition reimbursement opportunities, tuition discounts and payment plans, and even student loans. Not all funding types are available for all programs, so it’s in your best interest to speak with a financial aid officer for each of the programs you’re considering before you enroll.

Ranking Wisconsin’s Top Online Medical Billing and Coding Schools

We’ve provided below our current rankings for the best online medical billing and coding programs in Wisconsin to help you get a feel for what you can expect to find during your program search. In making our selections, we considered an array of important program elements, including accreditation, cost, course content, study convenience, and access to useful academic and career student support services. Click the “About the Rankings” button to learn more about how our rankings are determined.

Continuing Education and Certification Pathways

There are no state licensure or certification requirements to work as a medical biller or coder in Wisconsin – or practically anywhere else in the U.S., for that matter. In reality, though, you will need to obtain national medical billing/coding certification which, in turn, requires completion of formal training, like the kind you’ll get in an online medical billing and coding program in Wisconsin. This is because employers themselves require certification of their medical billing and coding job applicants. Common certifications for entry-level billers and coders include the AAPC’s Certified Professional Biller (CPB) and Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and AHIMA’s Certified Coding Associate (CCA) and Certified Coding Specialist (CCS). Other forms of certification are available, including many that recognize advanced or specialized skills.

Continuing education is also not required by the state to maintain your medical billing/coding employment. You will, however, need to renew your national certification(s) at given intervals which will require completion of a specified number of continuing education units (CEUs).

Medical Billing and Coding Salary Expectations in Wisconsin

Once you've completed your medical billing and coding education, it's natural to wonder about your career prospects in Wisconsin—and the kind of salary you can expect once you start working. On the first point, there's good news. Medical billing and coding professionals are projected to be increasingly in demand, with an estimated 8.5% growth rate over the next decade nationally, which is well above average. In Wisconsin, the outlook is even brighter, as medical billing and coding jobs in the Badger State are projected to grow at an even higher rate of 11.2% over the next ten years. You can expect not only plenty of job opportunities but also a decent salary, with the average medical billing and coding professional in Wisconsin earning $51,870 annually. The expected salary is even higher in densely populated and higher cost-of-living areas; for instance, in Appleton, as shown in the table below, the median medical billing and coding worker earns an average of $59,650 per year.