Coding Basics: Medical Billing and Reimbursement Fundamentals
Cynthia A. Richards, CPC, has worked in the medical profession for over 30 years. She received her AAS and worked as a radiologic technologist for 15 years. She gained experience in the clinical side of the medical profession both in the physician's office and hospital settings. She worked in the reimbursement sector of the medical office for over 16 years in the specialties of Rheumatology, Anesthesia, Family Practice, Eye Care, Orthopedics, and Radiology. She became a Certified Professional Coder in 2004 while coding for a large radiology billing company in the New Jersey area. Sharing her expertise in the reimbursement and coding fields led her to a teaching position in a local Maine career school. Becoming the lead instructor in the Health Claim Specialist Program was rewarding and challenging. Teaching adult learners the concepts of medical reimbursement, insurances, coding, hospital billing, medical terminology, psychology, math, and English turned into a full-time profession. Working to expand the current program and becoming the externship site coordinator allowed her to help each student gain his or/and her full potential. Th e most rewarding aspect in the education field for Cynthia was seeing the students graduate and become an important part of the medical community.