If you become a Medical Biller and Coder in South Carolina, you can become a member of a healthcare team without direct patient contact.
You will have to talk to them, but it will concern their treatment records instead of having to poke them with a needle, place a stethoscope on their heart or help them bathe.
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Licensing Requirements To Become a Medical Billing & Coding Specialist in South Carolina
American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA) all provide certification.
You can seek credentials through these associations, and most employers approve of them.
The state of South Carolina does not require you to seek licensing through the government, and they do not offer it.
You also could earn the Certified Professional Coder (CPC) exam also hosted by AAPC or the Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) offered by the NHA.
Popular certifications include the Certified Coding Professional (CCA) or which AHIMA offers.
5 Schools in South Carolina
1. Midlands Technical College
Your Midlands training will prepare you to take the Certified Coding Professional (CCA) or Certified Professional Coding Apprentice (CPC-A).
The Certified Professional Coder exam is hosted by AAPC.
This 15-month certificate program will send you on your way to manage insurance claims, track payments and apply the correct codes to patient records.
If you plan to work in billing, you might also receive hands-on training in communicating with both patients and insurers about bills and claims.
2. Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College
OC Tech offers an online certificate program that will prepare you for one of several professional medical billing and coding certifications.
The CPC offered by AAPC and the CCA offered by AHIMA name a couple, and you could also try for the CBCS offered by NHA.
This gives you the opportunity to customize your career path.
For instance, you could just take only the billing track if not interested in coding.
Otherwise, you would learn the CPT and ICD-10 medical insurance classification systems used for processing patient claims.
This 12-month program also comes with a voucher to use for the exam of your choice, and you can participate in hands-on training when in this training track.
You could end up working full-time before you even finish your coursework.
3. Florence-Darlington Technical College
You can apply for the FDTC Health Information Management Certificate training as a standalone certificate for entry-level medical care administrative work.
Otherwise, you may want to take courses that would later count toward a Health Information Management degree.
This certificate prepares students for entry-level jobs in a variety of healthcare settings recording patient health histories, documenting medical conditions, and preparing insurance claims and invoices.
4. University of South Carolina Aiken
This Aiken Medical Billing and Coding Certificate program prepares you for work in helping patients process health insurance reimbursement claims.
You also will receive coding instruction that applies to one or more settings.
For instance, you will classify information for hospitals, urgent care clinics, doctors’ offices, pharmacies, long-term care facilities, and substance abuse facilities.
In addition, you could continue your training and obtain certifications in physical therapy or chiropractic office coding.
Your U of SC Aiken training will equip you with codes that you would use for both diagnosis and treatment.
What is more, you will learn the basic payment process and find out what issues patients most commonly fast come time to receive medical care and have costs paid back to them according to their policy.
5. Greenville Technical College
Greenville offers a Health Information Management certificate program that integrates health care, business, and technology courses.
You can use this training to prepare for certification offered by both the national AHIMA organization and its South Carolina chapter, SCHIMA.
Students can possibly apply for an AHIMA scholarship to fund their Greenville training too.
Billing and Coding Schools in South Carolina – Summary Table
Top 5 Schools in South Carolina
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Midlands Technical College | 151 Powell Rd, Columbia, SC 29203 |
| Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College | 3250 St Matthews Rd, Orangeburg, SC 29118 |
| Florence-Darlington Technical College | 2715 W Lucas St, Florence, SC 29501 |
| University of South Carolina Aiken | 471 University Pkwy, Aiken, SC 29801 |
| Greenville Technical College | 506 S Pleasantburg Dr, Greenville, SC 29607 |
Salary
A South Carolina biller and coder can make an average of $37,838 per year.
Depending on how many certifications you have, your salary could range from $34,260 and $41,606.
Columbia, Liberty, Pawleys Island, and Charleston include some cities where you can find jobs.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Medical Biller and Coders in South Carolina
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Columbia | $38,100 |
| Charleston | $39,100 |
| North Charleston | $39,100 |
| Greenville | $39,100 |
| Rock Hill | $40,500 |
| Mount Pleasant | $39,100 |
| Spartanburg | $38,400 |
| Sumter | $36,800 |
| Hilton Head Island | $38,400 |
| Florence | $37,100 |
Regional Salary in South Carolina
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 470 | $51,750 | $24.88 | $66,140 | $35,730 |
| Columbia, SC | 860 | $57,360 | $27.58 | $73,620 | $36,520 |
| Florence, SC | 170 | $50,760 | $24.41 | $75,280 | $27,330 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | 460 | $51,940 | $24.97 | $75,360 | $33,880 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 100 | $56,870 | $27.34 | $79,190 | $34,380 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 170 | $49,650 | $23.87 | $66,340 | $30,960 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 210 | $51,950 | $24.98 | $72,340 | $37,810 |
| Sumter, SC | 60 | $50,940 | $24.49 | $70,280 | $35,830 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Schools by City
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I learn to become a billing and coding specialist?
Any in-person or online medical billing and coding program approved by the AAPC prepares you for your certification exam.
However, you will learn the most during your hands-on training, which you may even get paid to do as an assistant under a certified professional.
How many billing and coding certifications are there?
Each association has several certificate specializations that you can concentrate on if you want.
You should, however, start out with the beginner’s certifications, such as the CPC, CCA, or CBCS.
It is also important to test for HIPAA compliance knowledge and understand medical ethics before taking on any billing or coding job and learning basic medical terminology.
All this comes with your certificate training before you take your exam.
Do South Carolina hospitals require both billing and coding skills?
You may not have to perform both duties if employed in a large hospital that takes in hundreds of patients a day.
However, you might end up needing both skills if working in a smaller practice, such as at a doctor’s office or substance abuse center.
Are billers and coders in high demand in SC?
As of May 11, 2022, you can find approximately 487 jobs just on one career site alone.
You will find even more openings at other online career centers.
The national demand may grow by about 8% across the nation until 2030, according to the BLS.
What is the difference between medical billing and coding?
Medical billing involves creating invoices for patients and submitting claims to insurance companies.
Billers also track balances still owed and investigates denied claims.
Coding involves applying alphanumeric abbreviations to patient records, which also might appear on their bills.
It is what a doctor would use for documenting medical diagnosis and treatment for future visits in cases any are needed.
