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Certification requirements - OldTyper

Posted: Oct 26, 2010

I am curious about whether one has to have a certain amount of experience in coding before you can take the CCA or CCs certification exam. I have had 20 years of A&P and know a considerable amount about disease process. I have been studying coding on my own for about a year now. I know that your chances for passing the test are better if you have been in the coding business for several years, but has anyone out there taken the CCS just by studying and utilizing their life experience skills? I have been an acute care transcriptionist for 20 years. I study the same texts as the AHIMA program uses and an able to do very well on the exercises. I am doing the Coding Workout book which has intermediate and advanced problems. Do I have a chance of passing now and are you even allowed to take the test without going to school or having a certain amount of experience? It's my money so I think they should allow me to take it, but what are my chances of passing?

Also, is it worth it to take the CCA exam? Do employers accept this for entery level positions? All the jobs I see want a CCS with at least 2 years of experience. This was also the same case when I became a transcriptionist. They recommended 5 years experence before taking the certification examination. I was able to pass it by studying after 2 years.

Your opinions please.

Getting certified - Raine59

[ In Reply To ..]
AHIMA does not require experience or completing an official coding course but they do recommend 2 years experience. I am currently in a coding course and expect to be done around the end of the year. I'm planning to take the CPC from AAPC because I think it will be easier, and if I pass that, I may try for the CCS. I thought about the CCA but I'm not sure how well regarded it is. I have seen a few coding job ads that list that as one they will accept but as you said, usually it's the CCS they want. Those ads always say they want experience but I think (or hope) that with the shortage of experienced coders, they might be willing to consider someone with no experience as long as they have the credential. I understand both the CPC and CCS are pretty difficult but still I've heard of people who have passed without experience. It's hard to say though, whether you could pass just studying on your own. You might try the CPC first because you get one free retry within a year if you don't pass the first time and then you'd know what else you need to study. Hope this helps some.

Certified Coding - judimt1

[ In Reply To ..]
Hey all- I live in the land of Mayo Clinic and am taking the coding specialist program at a local accredited college, though online and have been told by everyone it is a waste of time and unless I go on to become an RHIT and get the associates degree in HIT, there is no work out there, shortage of coders or not. I've been a transcriptionist and worked hand in hand with coders and the HIM depts. for all that time and it will not help in getting hired because it is the combo of experience and accredited schooling and credentials that will get the job, though again the lovely how do I get experience if no one will give it situation but here in Mayo land, RHIT or nothing by the looks of it. Check out coding jobs on Indeed.com and see what the rest of the country wants too. This school was all too good to take my money when I got laid off from transcribing and decided on coding but 6 months into it, the teachers tell me there are no jobs unless you get the associates and RHIT cert and I see that is the case more and more, that is not to say there might be the very occasional exception to that rule but time will tell...

Certified coders - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
If you can code and have a certification, why would there not be work, what you are saying doesn't make sense. It doesn't seem that employers would dismiss qualified candidates while waiting for a RHIT to come through the door. Where I live, I'm seeing quite a few ads for outpatient coders, most of them want CPC or CCS certification, an RHIT would be secondary.

Coding certification/work - judimt1

[ In Reply To ..]
I wish that was the case around here and from what else I have seen. If you can code beyond just what a person learns in school and on an internship, then one would have experience from somewhere and that might get someone in the door. I've seen really none that will accept less than 2 years experience and nearly all prefer the RHIT and certification. I've seen so many bogus companies claiming there is work just so they can sell you their online course in coding, just like transcription but most everyone will not consider coders without RHIT and certification and first and foremost, experience. This is per one of my instructors who has been teaching and coding for the better part of 20+ years- "The CCA is entry-level and in my opinion, is not worth the time or money as it doesn't seem to be recognized in this area, anyway, as valuable.

The CCS,CCS-P etc. usually requires 2-3 years of coding experience for success on the exam. Your best bet is the AAS degree in HIT and passing the RHIT exam." They only suggest AHIMA related of course too.... So I guess ads and getting hired are two different things but I'm counting on nothing after completing my course and even doing an internship at Mayo Clinic itself....yippee.

Re Certification - jm

[ In Reply To ..]
I have to disagree that nearly all prefer RHIT. The ads I see say RHIT OR CCS. I have seen jobs for managers of coding that want an RHIT and REQUIRE also a CCS. As a coder, I am interested in coding and want to learn coding, specifically. RHIT includes all aspects of the medical record department and after you go through that course and get your RHIT you can veer off and specialize either in coding, cancer registrar, or management. Personally, I donâ��t want all that, I just want to code. Someone else might love that approach. Everyone should read all the info on the credentials on the AHIMA site and also the AAPC site for their credentials.

JudiMT - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
If any school promises job placement, especially in today's economy, I'd be skeptical of the school. I just re-read the contract from my progam, and not promising job placement is one of the things that is spelled out. I don't really want CCA certification but might want to take the test for the experience. I've wanted to work in an outpatient setting all along, so will try for my CPC, people are allowed to take that without 2-3 years of work experience. If you count on nothing after finishing your program, that is probably what you will get. I know it's going to take effort but I still think the jobs are out there. After your internship, don't you think it might be possible to get a job somewhere within your clinic system? I would think if you made a good impression they might find a spot for you, it's a big organization.

judimt1 - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
I checked the job ads you mentioned and did not see that the Mayo Clinic *required* an RHIT. What I did see was that they said an RHIT or . . . OR . . . CCS.

I also checked the AAPC website and found that there are so many coders in your area -- if you're at the one in Minnesota -- that there are TWO local chapters, not just one. They had a list of contact persons (chapter president, etc.), all of whom had AAPC credentials listed. There was not one RHIT among them. So, not only are there jobs for non-RHIT coders, there appear to be rather a lot of such coders in your area.

The Mayo Clinic isn't the only place to work, so my suggestion is that you start attending the AAPC chapter meetings every month so that you can get a less depressing view of the field and start planning to take the CPC exam. With an improved, positive outlook and more realistic expectations someone might want to hire you.

Your teacher is telling you what she believes to be true based on her view of the profession and of your school. Quite honestly, if I were you, I'd be taking what she tells you to the school administration and get my money back, because it sounds as though nobody there is doing you any favors.

If she is telling you that you won't get a job with their training, she's probably right. It's an indication that employers have had bad experiences with grads from that program. When she says that the exams usually require 2-3 years of coding experience for success, she's talking about her program's graduates, and the reason they need 2-3 years of coding experience is that her program isn't teaching them what they need to pass. That school is relying on employers to train their grads, who didn't get trained in school.

Nearly all instructors in those programs tell students to go on and do the RHIT. They nearly all paint a dim view of employment opportunities. It is because they flood the local market with grads who can do little more than stuff charts onto shelves--they can't do anything more complicated than that and employers know it. Another possibility is that the instructor doesn't think YOU can code and is trying to push you into something less challenging.

She's right about nobody accepting the CCA, though. It basically says you're ready to learn coding at your employer's expense on the job. What employer has time for THAT?

Given what she is telling you, I wouldn't put much stock in her belief that local employers will only accept an AHIMA program. What is there to commend them when their members openly admit that students can't get jobs???

Take my advice . . . find the AAPC chapter nearest to you and go meet some working coders who can give you some constructive advice on the job market in your area.

CCS - jm

[ In Reply To ..]
You can take the CCS exam if you have the money to pay. It does not require that you have experience to take it. They strongly recommend that you do, but you are free to take it. Clinical Coding Workout is an excellent study guide. As you do the cases, you can see the answers and see how the guidelines apply. MT experience will definitely be a help to you, but coding, coding, coding and the guidelines is something you need to understand. The CCS exam is 60 questions in 60 minutes for the first part, then 13 cases, 7 outpatient, 6 inpatient, or 6/7. It is a tough exam. Go to AHIMA site and read about it so you get an idea of what you might need to know. The chances of passing are up to you and how much you learn.

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