Understanding Medical Coding

Sandra Johnson, CMA (AAMA), CPC has worked for 35 years in the health care field and offers25 years of teaching experience in medical assisting, medical coding and medical transcription courses. She is an active member of the American Association of Medical Assistants and the American Academy of Professional Coders. She was awarded the Indiana Medical Assistant of the year in 1993, the Golden Apple Educator Award by the Indiana Medical Assistants Association in 2003, and served as president of the ISMA in 1993-1994. She has been a multiple nominee for Who's Who Among America's Teachers and was the recipient of the Glenn W. Sample Award for Instructional Excellence in both 1996 and 2004 from Ivy Tech State College. She is a coding and transcription instructor at Indiana University Southeast, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational and Technical Education and a Master's of Science degree in Human Resource Development with a specialization in health and safety management from Indiana State University. Robin Linker, CHCA, CHCAS, CPC-I, CPC, CPC-H, CCS-P, MCS-P, CPC-P, CHC, COC, is Executive Director of Operations and Auditing for the Association of Health Care Auditors and Educators (AHCAE) and CEO of Robin Linker & Associates, Inc. Considered a leading expert with more than 30 years in health care, Ms. Linker has provided consulting and education in most areas of health care coding and billing. Ms. Linker is the past Director of Education and Technical Development for the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), where she wrote and presented numerous specialty related coding and training programs nationwide. She has been a frequent guest speaker for AHIMA, AAPC, HFMA, HCCA, as well as for numerous medical societies and healthcare organizations. Ms. Linker is also a past member of the Provider Outreach and Education Advisory Group for CMS and is the current President of the Northern Colorado Health Information Management Association (NCHIMA). She assists various professional health care groups, including attorneys, providers and facility managers, in the areas of coding, auditing, fraud and abuse assistance, and has served as an expert case witness on behalf of physicians. She is an experienced IRO assisting providers and organizations under mandated OIG Corporate Integrity Agreements. As a speaker, author, and educator for the American Medical Association, she provides annual CPT updates and ICD-10-CM trainings for the AMA. She first started teaching ICD-10 in 2002. As a true advocate in the health care industry, Ms. Linker has dedicated her career to her clients by increasing industry awareness and contributing to systems improvement. She is a member of the National Speakers Association and has provided thousands of educational and keynote presentations throughout the United States and on occasion, internationally, during the past 20 years