About Medical Billing and Coding Certification Requirements That You Need Read First

Exploring the medical billing and coding certification requirements and understanding about everything is one step closer to reach your dream becoming a medical biller and coder. This post will cover everything that you have to read first.

There are several national organizations that offer medical coding certification. The first one is the American Health Information Management Association, which is also known as AHIMA in short. A lot of different kinds of medical coding certifications are offered by this one, including the Certified Coding Specialist or CCS, Certified Coding Associate or CCA, and Certified Coding Specialist – Physician based CCS-P credentials.

About Medical Billing and Coding Certification Requirements That You Need Read First

The requirements for the CCA exam include AHIMA membership, an application fee and a high school diploma or an equivalent educational background. In order to successfully get through the exam, you are recommended by AHIMA to have a minimum of six months of experience applying coding at a healthcare organization. Aside from that, it is also better for you to have attended a coding certificate program that has been approved by AHIMA and have completed another formal coding training program.

For those who are dreaming of getting in more specialized CCS or CCS-P exams, you are highly suggested to get a minimum of three years of experience in a hospital or the other places that are based on physician as long as in these places you are able to apply coding systems to a few different kinds of cases. To make the chance higher, you are also recommended to complete coursework in anatomy and in a few things such as pharmacology, physiology, and pathophysiology. Actually, it is also fine if you do not complete the coursework as long as you are able to show proficiency in those areas.

For detailed information about the medical coding certification requirements, the best thing that you can do is to visit the Certification page on the official website of AHIMA at https://www.ahima.org/certification.

The second one is American Academic of Professional Coders or AAPC. An organization membership and examination fee and two things needed if you want to get certified through this organization. To make the process smoother, you are advised to obtain an associate degree. After passing the exam, get ready to be chosen as an apprentice, unless you have a minimum of two years of medical coding experience. For your information, the designation will be eliminated after the requirements of two years of experience has been completed. Feel free to go to the official website of AAPC to find out more information about the AAPC and its medical coding certification requirements.

The third one is Board of Medical Specialty Coding and Compliance or BMSC. There are several coding credentials offered by BMSC, including Advanced Coding Specialist or ACS, Specialty Coding Professional of SCP, and Home Care Coding Specialist n Diagnosis or HCS-D. If you want to get the certificate through this organization, you will have to get a high school diploma or equivalent educational background. The second that you should get it a registration fee. Talking about the registration fee, apparently, this one includes the cost of the exam, meaning there is no need for you to pay again to take the exam. However, it is worth noting that most of candidates who get the success have had a minimum of three years of coding experience in their specialty or two years in home care coding. If you want to know more about the medical coding certification requirements, you can visit the official website of BMSC.

If you are looking for the organizations that offer medical billing certification, there are two options to choose from. The first one is American Academy of Professional Coders or AAPC. AAPC just released a new medical billing credential known as the Certified Professional Biller or CPB. Even though it is still considered new, it has been known nationally. This one is different as the certified coding credential. If you take this, you will learn about some coding basics with the main focus on medical billing on the provider side of health care. A good thing about it is the fact that it also qualifies for college credits for those who attend the University of Phoenix, unlike the other ones.

To get the billing certification, you will have to complete a 80 hours course. Fortunately, everything is not rush and it will follow your pace. The enrollment will start after purchasing and as the student, you are able to log in every time you want to start. Anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology are the things that are recommended to be taken before taking the course. It should be done in order to have a better comprehension of the course materials. At least one module has to be completed if you want to stay on the schedule. As a student, you are also allowed to send an email to the professional coaching staff consisting of questions related to the course.

The second one is American Medical Billing Association or AMBA. A medical billing certification course and the exam are offered by this organization and everything has been known nationwide. For those who want to get the Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist or CMRS certification exam, you are required to get the membership. In order to maintain the certification and to keep the CMRS credentials, renewing the membership every year is a must, just like the APPC. The ones who have certification are needed to submit 15 Continuing Education Units or CEUs to AMBA on the anniversary date of the CMRS. According to AMBA, a half or the required annual CEUs are originally from any combination of AMBA training, courses, local chapter meetings, and or the annual conference and from the CEU list that has been approved before.

In order to take the CMRS Exam, there are no prerequisites. The thing that makes it better is the non-existence of courses and training. However, it is not allowed for everyone to take the certification exam without any prior billing and or coding training or some type.

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