Missouri is another state currently making the push to standardize electronic medical records for all physicians and medical groups practicing in the state. St. Anthony’s Physician Organization, a St. Louis based group, has been using only electronic medical billing and coding methods since 2009, when they began working with one of the largest national medical information technology companies – Curas, Inc.
Missouri is also well known for the high number of schools in the state that offer specialized medical billing and coding certification programs. One of the most active of these schools is the Pinnacle Career Institute, which is based in Kansas City, Missouri. Pinnacle Career Institute specializes in technology based medical billing and coding within Missouri, preparing billers and coders for changes they can expect to see in the way medical transactions are handled across the state. Pinnacle Career Institute operates two campuses within the Kansas City area and regularly hosts open houses to build interest in medical information technology careers as the demand for medical billers and coders increases in Missouri.
General Missouri Medical Billing and Coding Information
- Number of Medical Billing and Coding Employees in Missouri: 3,750
- Average Medical Billing and Coding Salary in Missouri: $32,880
- 90th Percentile Salary: $49,150
- 10th Percentile Salary: $21,060
Medical Billing and Coding Training and Education in Missouri
Columbia Area Career Center
Professional Medical Coding Certificate
The classes in this program are limited to 18 students and will prepare the graduate to translate records into standardized codes used to bill patients. There are eleven courses in this program over 18 months. Courses include The Successful Medical Coder- Communication & Computer Skills, Health Record Content, and Introduction to Coding, along with Professional Experience. While not required to take the certification exam, completing this course will give the student the necessary skills needed to pass the exam. Tuition is $6,000 and includes textbooks.
Metropolitan Community College
Coding Specialist Certificate
The programs at MCC are accredited by CAHIIM in cooperation with AHIMA. The Coding Specialist Certificate prepares the student to get a job in a healthcare setting analyzing health records and coding them into databases. Courses include Medical Terminology for Health Records, Intro to Medical Insurance and Office Procedures, and Directed Practice. Upon graduating, students are eligible to earn the Certified Coding Associate title. After several years of experience, the Certified Coding Specialist or Certified Coding Specialist Physician exams can be taken. All courses taken in this program can be applied to the Health Information Technology associate’s degree. The program is 35 credits and takes a year to complete. Tuition is $87 per credit hour for in-district students.
Pinnacle Career Institute
Health Information Technology Program
The Pinnacle Career Institute has campuses located in South Kansas City, North Kansas City and Lawrence, MO. The Health Information Technology Program covers topics such as applying codes using ICD-9 and CPT/HCPCS sets, organizing data for clinical databases, using specialized healthcare information software and analyzing health records. The program takes 18 months to complete and results in either a Associate of Applied Science degree or an Associate of Occupational Studies degree.
Missouri AAPC CPC Exam Information
- City: Joplin, MO
- Proctor Name: Donna C Carr
- Registration Deadline: 10/22/2011
- Exam Date: 11/19/2011
- City: Springfield, MO
- Proctor Name: Delynn Marie Perryman, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/05/2011
- Exam Date: 12/03/2011
- City: Jefferson City, MO
- Proctor Name: Elaine Pauline Barnett, CPC
- Registration Deadline: 11/12/2011
- Exam Date: 12/10/2011
Medical Billing and Coding Jobs in Missouri
Three significant employers of medical billing and coding professionals in Missouri are:
Barnes Jewish Hospital
- Address: One Barnes-Jewish Hospital Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63110
- Email Address: Click here to access their contact page.
- Phone Number: 314-747-3000
- Website: www.barnesjewish.org
BJH is an affiliate teaching hospital for the Washington University School of Medicine. Since its opening in 1914, BJH has been declared a Magnet Hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) for nursing excellence. Today, they employ over 1,800 professionals, including 300 clinicians and researchers. Services include heart and vascular care, lung care, transplant services, orthopedics, neurology, trauma care, and more. Employee benefits at BJH include medical, dental and vision coverage, a pharmacy program, flex spending accounts, life and AD&D coverage, life insurance for dependents, business travel accident insurance, merit pay programs, and other perks.
Boone Hospital Center
- Address: 1600 East Broadway, Columbia, Missouri 65201
- Email Address: Click here for their contact form.
- Phone Number: 573-815-8000
- Website: www.boone.org
Boone has 394 beds, treating patients from 26 surrounding counties. They employ over 2,000 staff, including 350 physicians. Their specialties are neurology, cardiology, oncology, obstetrics, and surgical services. Employee benefits at Boone include 401k and 403b plans, a pension, medical and dental benefits, vision coverage, life and AD&D, long term disability, adoption assistance, tuition assistance, and more.
Jefferson Regional Medical Center
- Address: 1400 Highway 61 South, Festus, MO 63028
- Email Address: info@jhsmo.com
- Phone Number: 636-933-1000
- Website: www.jeffersonmemorial.org
Since opening its doors in 1956, Jefferson Regional has expanded to include a sleep lab in 1999, a pain management program in 2000, a women’s health center in 2001, and a heart and vascular center in 2003. The St. Louis Business Journal ranked Jefferson one of five Best Places To Work in 2010 and in 2011. The benefits at Jefferson Regional include medical coverage through the HealthLink Open Access network, dental and vision plans, disability, paid time off, a variety of retirement options, extended illness benefits, and more.
Top Cities in Missouri for Medical Billing and Coding Careers
1. Jefferson City, MO
Despite employing only 50 medical billers and coders, Jefferson City offers the highest wages in Missouri. Coders in Jefferson City earn an average of $18.39 per hour, which is the equivalent of $38,260 annual salary. Workers earning wages in the 10th percentile make $20,740 annually, while people in the 90th percentile earn $64,370 per year.
2. Columbia, MO
There are 230 medical billers and coders in Columbia, which is the highest number in the state. The average worker in Columbia earns $31,840 in a year, or $15.31 per hour. The 10th percentile earns $21,350, while the 90th percentile earns $49,100.
3. Springfield, MO
Springfield has 220 billers and coders that earn an average of $16.16 per hour. This translates to $33,610 in annual salary. The 90th percentile of workers earn $55,620 per year, while the 10th percentile earns $19,410 per year.
4. Joplin, MO
For the 120 medical billers and coders in Joplin, the average hourly wage is $14.59 and the average yearly salary is $30,340. Workers in the 10th percentile make $20,780 per year – similar to elsewhere in the state – and workers in the 90th percentile earn $44,550, which is the lowest of any of the four metropolitan areas in Missouri.
About our expert. Jan Jacobs has worked in medical offices since the early 1980's. Ms. Jacobs has worked for M.D.'s and D.O.'s in primary care and specialty care. She is employed as a senior medical biller and has been at her current job for nearly 10 years, where she uses three different billing systems.
