Medical Billing & Coding Certification - Bakersfield Adult School

In 2025, Certification is Critical

There are 2 Medical Billing & Coding programs at Bakersfield Adult School. The first is a daytime program that runs 3 days a week, from 8:20am to 12:20pm. The other is an evening program that runs from 6:00pm to 9:00pm, and lasts the entire school year. The school year runs from August through June. As for Holidays, the Health Careers Center at Bakersfield Adult School keeps the same calendar as the Kern High School District.

Eligibility Requirements:

Successful passing of drug screening
Social security card
Attend a mandatory orientation class
Pass a reading and math test
Have a GED or high school diploma
Up-to-date TB test
Record of immunizations

For payment and enrollment details, the student is required to attend a mandatory testing and orientation session where program procedures and registration details will be thoroughly explained. There is no charge for taking the entrance exam. This program is one of the most affordable Medical billing and coding schools in California.

The total fee for the Medical Billing And Coding Certification program is $1,000. The payment can be broken into three payments of: Payment 1: $500. Payment 2: $250. Payment 3: $250.

A valid Social Security number and photo ID are required at the time of registration and testing.

Are There Other Programs in Bakersfield?

In 2023, there are now 6 Medical Billing and Coding certification programs in Bakersfield. All of them are accredited by the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE).

High Desert Medical College has 2 Billing & Coding programs: a 43 week evening class, and a 35 week daytime class. Both programs include a 200 hour clinical externship.

Kern Valley Medical College has a 17 week Certified Billing and Coding Specialist program. This program includes a 160 hour clinical externship.

San Joaquin Valley College has 2 Medical Billing & Coding programs. The first is a 7 month certification program. The other is a 15 month Associate degree program.

UEI College has a 10 month program which can be completed either online, or partially online in a "hybrid" format.

North-West College's Bakersfield campus offers both online and "hybrid" certification programs in billing & coding.

Bakersfield College's billing and coding program is now known as the Health Information Technology (HIT) Program. The HIT program is 2 years long, and graduates are awarded an Associate degree.

Is Accreditation Important?

In a word, YES! The most important part, however, is making sure the school that is offering the program is accredited. In California, schools that are accredited by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE) are valid. All of the schools we've listed here have BPPE accreditation.

If you're searching nationwide, or for 100% online courses, you want to make sure the schools are accredited by the US Department of Education. This will ensure you won't be taking a certification program that has little value.

As an example: Bakersfield College is accredited by the US Department of Education, and their program is 100% online. All of the same material you would learn in the classroom is learned online. Educators are still teaching the classes.

Billing & Coding programs are also offered in a "hybrid" format. A hybrid format will combine both traditional in-person instruction, as well as online instruction. The program at UEI College is a great example. Students will still get face-to-face interaction with their professors, and will also complete some coursework online.

The decision to go either 100% online, 100% classroom-based, or a combination of the two requires some serious thought. Do you struggle to keep on-task when carrying out your schedule? Then classroom-based may suit you best.

Do you plan to work and/or raise a family while attending school? Online programs may be a better fit. These programs allow for much greater flexibility than in-person programs.

Although there are pros and cons to both online and in-person, please keep in mind the importance of ACCREDITATION! The last thing you want to do is spend your hard-earned money and time on a program that will hold little value!

Medical Billing & Coding Salary

Nationwide, the average salary for a billing & coding specialist is $62,580. Of course, pay varies wildly depending on where you work. The west coast has some of the highest paying jobs, with many paying over $70,000 annually.

Certified specialists in Massachusetts average $67,260 annually, which is the highest in the nation. The DC metro area is a close second at $65,000.

The lowest paying states for certified specialists are Alabama($48,169), Mississippi($54,229), and Louisiana($51,244).

Hawaii, with its high cost of living, comes in at $66,902. Alaska billing and coding specialists average $57,883 yearly.

In California, San Francisco pays the most, with an average yearly salary of $77,183. Billing specialists who move into management positions can earn more than $102,000 annually.

San Diego billing & coding professionals make an average of $66,634 annually. Experienced coders in San Diego county can make $78,400. More than 80% of professional medical billers and medical coders work remotely.

In Kern County, certified coders and billers average $61,530 annually.

Billing vs Coding: What's the Difference?

Medical Coding

Medical coding is a work-related task that entails a trained specialist to utilize and classify thousands of codes for procedures, services, and products. They work for hospitals, various health care settings, and health care agencies.

In order for coders to input the correct set of information on a database, they need to have extensive knowledge in the following areas:

Fundamental medical office management and administration
Familiarization of medical and insurance terminologies
Standard coding protocol
Data-entry and software knowledge
Health information management

They are responsible for collecting the information of patients after the medical intervention and management process. They are also tasked to read through doctor’s documentations and other forms that are made by other members of the heath care team as well.

Once the information is properly coded, they are then typed into a database. Once all data are properly coded and transcribed, they are then forwarded to insurance companies.

These tasks may seem easy for some, but it is a complex and sophisticated job as encoders are expected to be familiar with more than 16,000 codes and are deemed to use various medical coding software and database to perform their job well.

Medical Billing

Medical Billers facilitate the sending of coded entries and information to insurance companies. They verify and check the bills that have been created by medical coders. Often, billers also perform the coding process, as these personnel are known to have a firm grasp on the allocation of codes to corresponding healthcare procedures and services.

They are also responsible for following up on claims that have been issued by the health care facility. They are also responsible for ensuring that both patients and insurance companies are billed accordingly for the services that have been rendered.

Lastly, a billing specialist is also responsible for investigating rejected claims and making revisions for eventual approval.

Requirements for this position include complete knowledge and understanding of the following concepts:

Health insurance and claim forms management
Medical documentation
Billing management
Electronic data interchange and modifiers
ICD-11 coding
Health insurance policies
Healthcare laws and ethics
Education, Training, and Certification Programs

Most Popular Certifications

Certified Professional Coder (CPC)

The American Academy of Professional Coders(AAPC) is one of the best known coding specialist certifications. Earning the CPC designation demonstrates to employers that you have shown competence and a deep understanding of issues facing healthcare organizations. CPC certified coders typically earn significantly more than their non-certified peers.

In order to qualify to take the CPC certification exam, you must complete an accredited billing & coding educational program.

Certified Coding Associate (CCA)

The American Health Information Management Association(AHIMA)'s CCA credential shows prospective employers that you have competency in both physician and hospital-based settings.

AHIMA's exam is rigorous, and students must pass an accredited coding program in order to sit for the exam.

Certified Billing and Coding Specialist(CBCS)

The National Healthcare Association(NHA) has multiple certification programs. The CBCS certification is widely accepted by employers nationwide. Many colleges and vocational programs include CBCS exam prep as part of their classes.

If you search online for billing & coding jobs, you'll see how in-demand these 3 certification programs are.

The AAPA, AHIMA, and NHA certifications are considered the gold standard for many hospitals, physicians' offices, and healthcare insurance companies.