• Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

SuccessDegrees

  • Search All Online Degrees
  • Affordable Nursing Degrees
  • Affordable Bachelor Degrees
  • Online Nursing Masters Degrees
    • Nursing Informatics Degrees
    • Best Reasons To Get A Nursing Masters Degree
    • Advanced Care Nursing Careers
    • Masters In Nursing Education Careers
    • Why Become A Nurse Educator?
    • Transferring Credits From One Nursing Master’s School To Another
  • Low Cost Online MBAs
You are here: Home / Allied / Medical Coding Certifications

Medical Coding Certifications

By Paul Mannet

Medical Coding Certificate Levels

Both The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) and The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) are reputable organizations, though some say that AAPC is more oriented to physician-office coding and AHIMA is more hospital or “in-patient” focused.

Tests for the following three certificates are administered by AHIMA. If you meet the requirements for a certificate, you can apply to take a test in your area at AHIMA’s website.

Certified Coding Associate (CCA)

If you have recently completed a coding degree, the CCA certification gives you the first credential you need to work in a medical environment. It’s an entry-level certification you can use to start building your career on. To be eligible for the CCA test, you need a high school diploma. It’s recommended, but not required, that you have at least six month’s experience working in a medical office or a certificate from a coding program. Virtually all coding certifications require you to have a good understanding of the Health Information Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA), the federal law that protects patient rights and guarantees that their medical records will be kept confidential.

Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)

This is a more advanced certification, which proves you can operate the current state-of-the-art coding systems – the ICD-9-CM and the surgery system of the CPT (Current Procedural Terminology). This credential can get you a higher-paying job, but it requires that you understand a good deal about pharmacology and medical terminology. Eligibility requirements include experience in a hospital-based coding environment and course study in physiology and pharmacology, along with other medical specialties.

Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based (CCS-P)

Provides you with certification to work on physician’s offices, clinics and other treatment environments. For this, you need to be familiar not just with ICD-9-CM and CPT, but also the Level 2 coding systems known as HCPCS (Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System). Eligibility requirements include experience in a physician-based coding environment using codes in surgery anesthesiology and other specialties, and some course study in anatomy, physiology and other medical specialties.

AAPC’s certifications are slightly different. They offer:

Certified Professional Coder (CPC)

This is for coders working in physician’s offices, either private or hospital-based, home health agencies or with auditors of insurance claims.

Certified Professional Coder – Hospital (CPC-H)

For coding in hospital outpatient billing, ambulatory surgical centers and other outpatient centers.

Certified Professional Coder – Payer (CPC-P)

A new certification created in 2009, primarily for claims managers at insurance companies and auditors.

Certified Interventional Radiology Cardiovascular Coder (CIRCC)

An advanced certification for coders working in radiology and cardiovascular charging and coding.

For information on testing and qualifications for AAPC’s certifications, visit their website.

Online Medical Coding Degrees

Medical coding is definitely an area where you can benefit from an online degree. Typical courses involved in an online coding degree include human anatomy, medical terminology, computer fundamentals, procedural terminology, CP coding, ICD-9-CM coding and pathology.

Click to rate this post!
[Total: 0 Average: 0]

Filed Under: Allied


Sponsored Schools

Full List Of Schools Offering Online Degrees In Medical Coding & Billing

Rasmussen College
Rasmussen offers online or combined online/campus programs in a wide variety of career specialties. The school has a particularly large variety of associate’s degrees.
Learn more about Rasmussen’s Medical Billing & Coding certificate program

Southern Technical College
STC is a private two year college with several campuses in the sunshine state. It offers training in a variety of trades, but has a particularly strong focus on healthcare. The school offers diploma programs in:
– Medical Billing & Coding
– Medical Billing & Coding Technology
– Medical Assisting
Learn more about Southern Technical College

Daymar College
Daymar is a highly career-focused school with a large online program and more than 15 campuses in Kentucky, Ohio and Tennessee. Tuition fees are in a moderate range. Offers online associates, bachelors and diploma programs in various specialties.
Learn more about Daymar’s Billing & Coding Specialist Diploma Program
More on Daymar’s Billing & Coding Specialist Associate Degree

About Paul Mannet

Paul Mannet has worked for over 15 years in digital media as a publisher, business analyst and project director. His experience in higher education includes student recruitment work with The Chronicle of Higher Education, Blackboard, eLearners and with several leading online schools. He has also helped entrepreneurs gain funding from investors, and organized large business and tech teams to execute major website launches.
Contact me by email
Linkedin Profile

Primary Sidebar

CHOOSE AN ONLINE SCHOOL

Good Low-Cost Online Bachelor's & Associate Degrees

Non-Profit Online Colleges

Affordable Online RN to BSN Degrees


Schools Offering Medical Coding Programs Online

Sponsored Schools

Full List Of Schools Offering Online Degrees In Medical Coding & Billing

Rasmussen College
Rasmussen offers online or combined online/campus programs in a wide variety of career specialties. The school has a particuarly large variety of associate’s degrees.
Learn more about Rasmussen’s Medical Billing & Coding certificate program

Ultimate Medical Academy
UMA is a Florida-based school with over 25,000 students. As it’s name suggests, it focuses largely on degree programs in the health profession. Click to learn more about
UMA’s associate’s degree in medical billing & coding
or
UMA’s diploma in medical billing & coding

Success Degrees Privacy Policy      Terms of Use     Affiliate Disclosure
Copyright © 2022-2023, All Rights Reserved Rum Point Digital, Inc., P.O. Box 162, Peconic, NY 11958
Contact Us