For Immediate Release BALTIMORE, MD (July 18, 2013) –Starting today StraighterLine (www.straighterline.com) offers an ICD-10 Foundations package of Anatomy & Physiology and Medical Terminology courses to better prepare medical coders for the ICD-10 exam. Medical billers and coders face significantly expanded international coding standards (ICD-10) that require new certification. The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) and the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), the two largest associations of medical coders, both recommend that students take these foundational courses prior to ICD-10 training. AHIMA also approved continuing education units for the online, tutor-supported StraighterLine courses specifically targeted for ICD-10 certification programs. In addition to helping medical billers and coders prepare for the ICD-10 exam, the StraighterLine bundle of courses offers college transfer credit and meets continuing education requirements. Given that most of the students will be employed full-time, StraighterLine’s self-paced courses give students the opportunity to take classes while continuing to work. “This change increases the complexity of a job that is already very detailed,” said Burck Smith, CEO of StraighterLine. “Our courses provide the industry recommended foundations for further ICD-10 training.” The World Health Organization maintains a diagnostic guide that lists tens of thousands of medical codes for different medical conditions, diseases and treatments. Medical billers and coders in a doctor’s office or hospital submit ICD codes for an ailment to a patient’s insurance company. The WHO is changing from ICD-9 to ICD-10, partly to accommodate the many new diagnoses that have been developed in past years. Coders will have to pass a new certification exam using the new standards, which will require additional specificity regarding ailments. About StraighterLine StraighterLine has been recognized as a revolutionizing force in education by major news organizations and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce for offering students online courses that earn real college credit for just $99 a month. Inside Higher Ed recognized StraighterLine for offering the “...lowest-cost set of credit-bearing courses on the Internet.” And Fast Company named StraighterLine one of the “10 Most Innovative Companies in Education.” In order to facilitate the award of credit, StraighterLine has forged partnerships with leading accredited online colleges and universities. A student ultimately earns a degree from those institutions but realizes tremendous savings and convenience by starting with StraighterLine. StraighterLine’s courses are evaluated and recommended by the American Council on Education’s College Credit Recommendation Service (ACE CREDIT), which includes over 1,800 participating colleges and universities. In addition to the institutions with which StraighterLine has a direct relationship, more than 350 other schools are reported to have accepted StraighterLine coursework for transfer credit. Currently, StraighterLine offers entry-level college courses online in the Sciences, Humanities, English, Math, Business and Language. Many StraighterLine courses are now offered in both self-paced and professor-led formats. For information, visit www.straighterline.com
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Contact: Josef Katz, StraighterLine (443) 842-5803< [email protected]