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Is self-study through AAPC an option to become a coder? - Hopeful

Posted: Sep 03, 2013

I have 15 years experience as a medical transcriptionist, have an AA degree, took anatomy and physiology, medical terminology, etc., and have taken one non-credit ICD-9 class, and one non-credit medical billing class, both at a local community college.

My question is, if I purchase AAPC's study guide and do practice tests (yes, I know it will be very hard and take a LOT of studying), would I be allowed to test without having taken a specific medical coding program? In other words, is there a requirement that I take an actual medical coding program through a school, or can I try to study and learn on my own and then test?

Thanks for any advice and/or tips.

Pay the price of the exam - and

[ In Reply To ..]
and also pay for membership, which is required to take it and keep up once you have it. Those are the requirements. But go to AAPC website, under certification heading, scroll down and there are tabs, requirements, and the apprentice status explanation. So you can see and know for yourself.

Thank you! - Hopeful

[ In Reply To ..]
I will check that. Thanks for your reply!

Yes, self-study is fine for AAPC - However

[ In Reply To ..]
AAPC has no restrictions on how you learn to code. You are free to study on your own. However, they do have an experience requirement (2 years full-time). You may take the exam even if you do not have the experience. If you pass, you receive an apprentice-designation credential. The -A is removed once you have completed the 2 years of experience. They will waive ONE year for an 80-hour course. If you self-study, you will not qualify for the course waiver.

AHIMA now requires that you meet certain educational requirements to test for the CCA, CCS, and CCS-P. If your course does not meet them, you cannot test without 2 years of experience for the CCS and CCS-P, as I recall. Note that the AAPC course does not qualify. Even AHIMA's own online course does not qualify and many AHIMA-approved college coding courses do not qualify.

Look up the "official" info on their websites. Also check the date when their exams will switch to ICD-10. You will need to get in before then, or plan on testing in 10. Either way, you will need to learn ICD-9 and ICD-10, but it might be easier to test in 10.

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