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Preparing for CPC exam w/o school - mt

Posted: Mar 28, 2011

I am an MT that wants to transition into coding. Is there away to prepare for the CPC exam without going to school or taking an online course? What books do you need for studying and/or exam prep? I am hoping that my 12+ years as an MT will help me out without having to go back to school at 42. Thanks

CPC without school - oldtimer

[ In Reply To ..]
Dear MT,

I have 20+ years of MT experience and am 57 years old. I have decided to return to school to become a coder. I debated for a long time about spending the money on a course when I could just buy the books and do it myself. I finally decided that being affiliated with one of the well-known coding training programs would be well worth it when it comes to finding a job. Since it is very hard to find a job without experience, it can't hurt to be able to say that you made the commitment to learn by graduating from one of these programs. Best of luck, and 42 is young!

CPC without school - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I think it would be possible to learn coding and prepare for the CPC without going through school but I think it might be difficult, there is a lot to learn and at the very least you need some guidance in regard to what to study. MT and coding are not the same other than our backgrounds in terminology and anatomy, I found that out when I started my program. Something that you could try is perhaps getting a job in a medical records department or clinic as a clerk or support staff person and then do a coding internship and learn as you go, I think it's great to have a mentor if you can obtain one. I want to do transcription too and still have a good job so I'm torn between the 2 fields. I'm 56 so I know you can do this at 42. At your age, I would even suggest other health care occupations for you but it would require schooling (MA, 2-year nursing program, lab tech, pharmacy tech). Good luck whatever you decide.

Thanks - mt

[ In Reply To ..]
Thank you for your encouragement. I am probably going to go ahead and enroll in the coding course that the community college is offering this summer while I keep job hunting. Transcription work is getting hard to find. I should have the course completed by next summer if nothing comes up to slow me down. It is part of a MA associates degree so I may continuing going to school to get that degree as well as the technical certificate in coding. I have considered lab tech, but when I look at the courses I will have to take for that it scares me to death. lol I have 2 kids at home and I really need to be working at least part time while going to school so finding time to study and go to classes would be really stressful. I am just anxious to get started and want to start reading the coding books I guess. lol Thanks again

Deleted - Deleted

[ In Reply To ..]
Deleted by author.

CPC without school - Raine59

[ In Reply To ..]
I agree that it would be difficult to learn enough on your own to pass the CPC if you have not had any coding background. Also taking a legitimate course will reduce the experience you need to get rid of the apprentice status down to a year from 2 years. I think it would be worth your while to take a thorough course. And like the others have said, 42 is not old. I am 51 and have just finished my course recently. And when I went to a recent AAPC meeting, most of the people there (most of whom are coders) were approximately my age.

Which course did you take & how much did it cost? - mt

[ In Reply To ..]
Was this an online course that you took or an on-campus course? How much did you pay for the course? The thing about the online courses are that they have no financial aid avaiable. How do you afford it?

Cost - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
I did an on-line program. They let me spread my payments out over a year, interest free. I was considering a student loan but that made it doable for me as I still work full-time. I know of one other on-line school that lets you pay in installments, usually they work it so that the course is paid for when you finish. One of the other on-line programs lets you purchase modules one at a time so you pay as you go. The private on-line schools might be willing to make arrangements if that is what you want to do. On campus, of course, you would probably qualify for student loans and financial aid.

No-Interest Payment Plan With Andrews - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
You have 2 years to finish paying, but you can finish the course in 1 year.

I am just starting self-taught preparation - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
but my first MT job was in a small hospital and was actually a combination of MT and medical records analyst with occasional coding and chart audit duties, so I have a general working knowledge (although it was some years ago) of coding, and also worked as an office manager for a physician, so I have a good understanding of E/M codes, reimbursement, etc.

I purchased a 2011 ICD9 (the spiral-bound expert edition) coding book from EBay for 64$. I also got Carol Buck's Step-By-Step Medical Coding 2011 from Ebay. I bought Faye Brown's Coding Handbook from Amazon since there wasn't a current edition available on Ebay. Most of the texts colleges/online programs use can be purchased either on Ebay or Amazon at reasonable prices.

Are you the original poster? - Coder

[ In Reply To ..]
Why didn't you tell us this to begin with?

If this is the case, I can't imagine why you would even consider taking an MA program or bother going to college for this. You should already know what the job market is like and have a good understanding of what you need to do.

You'll need a CPT code book. Work through the books you have and try the CPC exam. If you do not pass, you have a year to retake it at no extra charge. At that point, take a week-long coding bootcamp from DecisionHealth if you need to.

If you feel that you already have a "good understanding" of E/M, reimbursement, and coding, then you will be unhappy in a formal program. You already know it and you'll be resistant to learning it again or differently.

No, not the original poster - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
apologize for the confusion.

Books w/ answers - AML

[ In Reply To ..]
Just make sure the book you purchase has the answers. College level books are sold on Amazon and Ebay but do not provide answers. I am currently enrolled at a local university and the textbooks we use can be found online; however, like I said, do not provide the answers.

The books I purchased (sm) - MT

[ In Reply To ..]
mentioned above from both Ebay and Amazon were available with or without answers.

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