What are medical coding certifications and which is better?
First lets have a look at medical coding certifications that are valued in the medical coding industry. Certifications from AHIMA and AAPC enjoy faith and trust from employers in the medical coding industry. These certifications are as follows:
•AHIMA Medical Coding Certifications:
Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based (CCS-P)
•AAPC Medical Coding Certifications:
Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H)
Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-P)
Which medical coding certification is good for me?
There is a general acceptance in the medical coding industry that AHIMA certifications are highly revered and more valued than AAPC certifications. That's true, but AAPC certifications have their own advantages. AAPC certifications are designed for outpatient and ER coding, whereas AHIMA certifications are necessary for inpatient coding. So if you are an outpatient coder than AAPC is the certification you should look for, and if you plan to go for inpatient coding, than AHIMA certification is a must. Passing CCS-P or CCS certification exam is tough and requires good understanding of CPT which will only come after two-three years of work experience. If you have less than a year of work experience and if you want to go for a certification, then CPC is good as it is much easy to pass than CCS.
First lets have a look at medical coding certifications that are valued in the medical coding industry. Certifications from AHIMA and AAPC enjoy faith and trust from employers in the medical coding industry. These certifications are as follows:
•AHIMA Medical Coding Certifications:
Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based (CCS-P)
•AAPC Medical Coding Certifications:
Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H)
Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-P)
Which medical coding certification is good for me?
There is a general acceptance in the medical coding industry that AHIMA certifications are highly revered and more valued than AAPC certifications. That's true, but AAPC certifications have their own advantages. AAPC certifications are designed for outpatient and ER coding, whereas AHIMA certifications are necessary for inpatient coding. So if you are an outpatient coder than AAPC is the certification you should look for, and if you plan to go for inpatient coding, than AHIMA certification is a must. Passing CCS-P or CCS certification exam is tough and requires good understanding of CPT which will only come after two-three years of work experience. If you have less than a year of work experience and if you want to go for a certification, then CPC is good as it is much easy to pass than CCS.
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