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Medical billers and coders must at least have a high school diploma or a GED before they can find employment. Most employers prefer to hire medical billers and coders with some college education and a certification.
Significance
There are several certification options available to medical billing and coding professionals that can help improve employment opportunities and advance their careers.
Certifiers
Community colleges, the American Health Information Management Association and the American Academy of Professional Coders offer medical billing and coding certifications.
AHIMA
The American Health Information Management Association offers the following certifications: Certified Coding Associate (CCA), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), and Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based (CCS-P).
AAPC
The American Academy of Professional Coders offers the following certifications: Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H), Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-P), and Certified Interventional Radiology Cardiovascular Coder (CIRCC).
Specialty
The AAPC also offers specialty certifications to coders with superior skills. Some examples of these specialty areas are cardiology, general surgery, orthopaedics, and pediatrics.
Requirements
Employers require medical billers and coders to be proficient in computers and to be familiar with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act regulations.
Source:
AAPC: Medical Coding Certification
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