Fordney's Medical Insurance and Billing

**2026 Textbook and Academic Authors Association (TAA) McGuffey Longevity Award Winner**

Gain the skills you need to succeed in insurance coding and billing! Fordney’s Medical Insurance and Billing, 17th Edition helps you master the insurance billing specialist’s role and responsibilities in areas such as diagnostic coding, procedural coding, HCPCs coding, medical documentation, billing, and collection. Using clear explanations, this book covers all types of insurance coverage commonly encountered in hospitals, physicians’ offices, and clinics. Step-by-step guidelines lead you through the submission of electronic claims and paper claims, as well as the job search and professional advancement. Written by coding specialist and educator Linda M. Smith, this market-leading text is a complete guide to becoming an efficient insurance billing specialist. NEW HCPCs Coding chapter covers ambulance billing, supply billing, and certificates of medical necessity NEW! Content on professionalism includes customer service, conflict management, diversity awareness, leadership, and other competencies to help you become an effective, engaged, and highly functioning employee NEW! Additional content on medical decision making helps you select the appropriate evaluation and management codes under the current documentation guidelines NEW! Additional examples of CMS claims include those from Blue Shield and Automobile Insurance NEW! Updates to credentialing include those specific to Medicare, Medicaid, and Workers’ Compensation Coverage of medical documentation, diagnostic coding, and procedural coding provides you with the foundation and skills needed to work in a physician’s office as well as ambulatory and inpatient settings Coverage of the role and responsibilities of the insurance billing specialist emphasizes advanced job opportunities and certification Chapter on HIPAA compliance as well as Compliance Alerts highlight important HIPAA compliance issues and the latest regulations Step-by-step procedures detail common responsibilities of the insurance billing specialist and coder Key terms and abbreviations are defined and emphasized, reinforcing your understanding of new concepts and terminology Color-coded icons denote and clarify information, rules, and regulations for each type of payer Insights From The Field includes more interviews with experienced insurance billing specialists, providing a snapshot of their career paths and offering advice to the new student Scenario boxes help you apply concepts to real-world situations Quick Review sections summarize chapter content and also include review questions Student Software Challenge on the Evolve website allows you to practice filling out interactive CMS-1500 forms