AAPC chapter meeting - Anonymous

Hi MTLC! I thought your message about the AAPC meeting was interesting - Linda Andrews

CPC-H vs CCS - Redpen

You said:  The main speaker who started out with AHIMA credential and has added AAPC said that CPC is becoming more popular. She is a department head and has hiring responsibility for a large hospital/clinic system. She said they would consider anyone credentialed, even those fresh out of school.

I'm glad she said that!  Really, most employers now do not quibble about whether one credential has more value than another.  Way back when there were only two credentials, you saw a lot of that, but there are more credentials now and so many people have multiple credentials that it looks really tacky when someone starts going on about how only one credential is "accepted" or "worthy."   You don't usually see people with multiple credentials doing this, either. 

One thing you might notice is that a coder often thinks that the FIRST credential they got is the hardest.  If it was an AHIMA credential, they think that AHIMA credential is the most difficult.  If it was an AAPC credential, they think that AAPC credential is the most difficult.  I think that the second test they took might have been easier, no matter which one it was, because the first-test fear is gone and the coder has more experience.  Sometimes, too, a coder will think whichever test suits their test-taking style better is easier.  If you're used to taking paper tests with the fill-in-the-circle answer sheets, but dislike computerized tests, you might think the AAPC exam is easier, and vice versa.

In general, if a person does not have the credential, it's best not to listen to their opinion of what you should do to get it, how difficult it is, what what the requirements are, what it means, or what you can do with it once you have it. 

Yes, as the speaker noted, the CPC is very popular . . . it's specifically tailored to the needs of the physician-services coder.  If you think about it, there are a lot more jobs available in that sector than in hospital coding.  Outpatient/physician-services coding hasn't been around as long as hospital inpatient-stay coding, and a lot of hospital coders aren't as familiar with it, so when you talk to hospital-based coders you can come away with the impression that hospital coding is the ONLY way to go.  It isn't, though.  There are loads of jobs outside of that. 

You asked:  I noticed that CPC has an "H" credential for hospital. How does that compare to the CCS credential which is for inpatient coding?

The CPC-H is focused on facility coding.  It is more outpatient based and revolves around physician-services coding.  The facility technical component that you mentioned in your other post comes into play here.  The facility needs to code and bill for outpatient services like x-rays, lab, and pathology, for operative procedures done on an outpatient basis.   

The CCS is focused on hospital inpatient coding.  Instead of each individual service being coded and billed by itself, an inpatient stay is coded as a unified whole, regardless of how long it is.  The exam does also cover the coding of some of the procedures done at hospitals (same as the CPC-H), but the traditional focus has been on inpatient coding itself.  

One important thing to note is that it is the only exam that covers inpatient coding in particular.  A coder who wishes to demonstrate proficiency in inpatient coding thus has only one choice, the CCS.  

How much experience you need before taking this seems to vary.  The "official" recommendation has gone from 2 to 3 years, but I've known a lot of people who passed it with little or no experience.  I think this has to do with the individual's preparedness, both in terms of the quality of the course they took, the degree to which they learned, and their background.  

Thanks for explaining CPC-H and CCS! - MTLC (SM)

My perspective as a student - Anonymous

You got me! LOL! - MTLC

Good Points But I Disagree A Little - Now is the time to decide where to get the training. - SM

Worrying about which certification exam to take. - Redpen

Eligible for exam without training? - Anonymous