Health Insurance Today: A Practical Approach simplifies health insurance concepts through abundant real-world examples, case studies and application exercises. Practice-based instruction, supported by the direct, conversational writing style, makes the often-complicated insurance billing and coding process understandable and accessible. Each chapter develops the learning objective in a manageable, direct narrative, followed by a short application exercise to ensure student comprehension. Key terms are highlighted and defined in the margins to facilitate immediate understanding and build familiarity with industry terms. Compliance tips located throughout teach correct billing and coding practices to comply with federal and state mandates. Case studies, critical thinking exercises and collaborative learning activities provide ample opportunities for practice, self-assessment and confidence building. Features the new CMS-1500 (8-05 version) throughout, to prepare students for real-world practice. Each chapter has been carefully developed to stand on its own, making the text ideal for open entry programs.