U.S. grants $28.8 million to community health centers

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Obama's government said it will spend $ 28.8 million in grants to create new sites of community health center in 23 U.S. states and Puerto Rico.

The grants, announced Tuesday, are part of $ 11 billion pledged to the centers of new and existing health over the next five years. The money that was promised in the law last year that reviewed the U.S. health system is intended to help pay for new sites where people can receive medical care regardless of ability to pay.

These health centers serve 19.5 million patients, 40 percent of whom are uninsured.

The centers often include clinics in rural and urban areas and treat people who live far from hospitals and the poor, who pay variable rates based on the amount of money they earn. Ethnic and minority groups make up almost two thirds of patients in the centers.

The centers play an important role in public health through the adoption of voltage emergency rooms in major hospitals funded by the state that many people see as a last resort for the uninsured.

"They are paying attention is good or better than the rest of the health system and keep costs down," said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

The $ 28.8 million grant will expand the scope of the centers about 286,000 patients.

Community health centers suffered a blow earlier this year when Congress cut funding by 27.5 percent as part of the agreement on the budget.

Accounting for 2011 cuts funding for the fiscal year exceeds that of last year, rising to U.S. $ 2.5 million, said Health and Human Resources Manager Mary Wakefield.

Of that amount, about $ 1 billion comes from the health reform funding and another $ 1.5 billion regular credit, he said.

The HHS received 810 requests for grants announced Tuesday. Of the 67 winners, 10 applicants plan to establish new community centers, while others plan to add new sites of services to existing centers.

In October 2010, the Obama administration allocated the first $ 727 million to help fix the community health centers across the country. The money should go to 143 centers.
Read more at http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/09/us-community-health-centers-idUSTRE77854A20110809

Medical Billing and Coding Certificate Online

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

This fully online, six-course, 18 college credit certificate program offered by Drexel University College of Nursing and Health is designed for those who want to start medical billing coding and training or promotion career in medical billing and coding in the ambulatory and hospital patient, as well as clinics, medical clinics and health insurance organizations. Students will learn the principles of medical billing and coding related to the three main coding manuals: CPT, ICD-9-CM and HCPCS.

Moreover, the completion of the Drexel medical billing coding certificate program qualify individuals to perform the following national certification exams:

* American Medical Billing Association (AMBA) CMR exam and become a Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMR)
* The American Academy of Professional coder (AAPC) Certified Professional Coder (CPC or CPC-H) game review
* American Health Information Management Association (CCS or CCS-P) review of the Council

Furthermore, the end of this line of medical billing and coding program not only earns a certificate from the Drexel University and prepares you for certification exams held national billing and coding, but also allow you to earn 18 college credits quarter (or 12 credits per semester).

For those who currently owns 90 quarter college transferable credits (or 60 transferable semester credits), the 18 quarter credits earned in the certificate program can be applied as electives toward the room of 180 credits (or 120 semester credits) required for the full line of Bachelor Science (BS) degree in Health Services Administration.
Medical billing and coding program length

Depending on the number of online classes for medical billing and medical coding classes you take per quarter, the certificate program can be completed within a year. At the same time, the program can prepare you for certification exams held after the successful completion of Part II of any course of billing and coding. As a result, you can achieve national certification, even before completing the medical billing and coding Drexel Certification Program. Furthermore, since enrollment for the program is based on the number of credits taken and not the whole program, you have no obligation to complete all medical billing and coding class.
Read more here