The program is designed to help you examine and understand health care delivery systems, medical health care information terminologies, and classification systems for diseases. As a medical coder, you’ll abstract clinical information from a variety of medical records and assign appropriate diagnostic and procedural codes to patient records. These codes allow for proper data retrieval, data analysis, and claims processing (in compliance with federal legislation mandating the use of electronic record-keeping). You may also learn to utilize computer software to categorize patients into one of several hundred “diagnosis-related groups” (DRG).

You’ll be trained to meet the highest standards of professionalism, confidentiality, and ethics. Kaplan University’s curriculum has been developed by a recognized authority in medical coding, and courses are taught by instructors with years of industry experience.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health information technology is one of the 20 fastest-growing occupations in the country. Due to the rising number of medical tests, treatments, and procedures evaluated by insurance companies and others, employment of medical coders is projected to increase through 2014.*

Employers seek medical coders who are well trained and qualified.† Kaplan University’s Medical Coding Certificate program helps prepare eligible students to sit for the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Certified Coding Associate (CCA) exam.‡ Understanding the requirements of certification and state board licensing exams is the individual student’s responsibility. No student is automatically certified in any way upon program completion. Even if a student obtains certification, Kaplan University does not guarantee job placement.

*U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Survey, 2006.
†”Employers Value Credentials in Healthcare, An AHIMA Survey” 2005,
‡Individual state requirements concerning practice as a medical coder may vary. These requirements may change at the discretion of the state. Kaplan University makes no representations or warranties as to whether the Medical Coding Certificate meets specific state licensure or regulatory requirements. It is the students’ sole responsibility to contact the appropriate state agency for information concerning the licensure and regulation of medical coders within that state.