Difference between CPC and CCS certification - which is better?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ก.ค. 2024
- Which is harder CCS or CPC? Is CCS better than the CPC? The difference between CPC and CCS certifications is big, so let's see what they each cover.
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Thank you so much, your information is very clear.
Thank you Jessica! Which credential are you considering?
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild I’m not sure yet. I will keep self study and when I’m ready to take the test I will decide.
@@jessicacolon1376 When the time comes also remember the CCS-P from AHIMA (CPC equivalent) and the CIC from AAPC (half of CCS, but I have a video on those 2 as well ;). Depending on which organization you want to go with, there are options for both profee and IP coding at both of them. Best of luck, whichever you end up choosing!
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild Thanks
Oh my goodness!!! Thank you so so much. I have been seeking this information for years now and you said it all. Thanks so much. But I do have another question? If I take the CCS exam will I be a Coder l or Coder ll or Coder lll? Coder l, Coder ll and so on, does this go by the years of experience or by the certification? I see a lot of posting that say Coder ll with the CCS after it but just wondering if you might be able to help me out on this. Thanks so so much for your knowledge, as I am totally subscribed to you...
Hi again! :) After you pass the CCS you become a CCS. The other titles you mention are job specific and different companies will give those titles to their employees based on different criteria. This can be years of experience, years at the company, credentials, anything else. Do you think you will go with the CCS? Thank you for the sub!!
Thank you for all the helpful information! do you have any recommendations on material to study for the CCS-P? I currently hold my CCA but my employer will no longer accept it and has asked me to obtain CCS or CCS-P. I took the CCS exam and scored low 255. Thank you, any help is appreciated.
Hi Mo21374! Sorry to hear about your low score on the CCS. It is a hard exam, don't be discouraged by it. For the CCS-P I would definitely purchase AHIMA's prep book, read MLN articles from CMS (where they instruct physicians on how to code and bill stuff), would read articles on RVUs and the Physician Fee Schedule and read, read, read the CPT and ICD-10-CM guidelines religiously. If you are a paying member of AHIMA, you can find lots of helpful articles on the AHIMA Body of Knowledge website as well. Plus, I would purchase a mock exam for the CPC from AAPC. Sure, that is a different exam but would provide you with extra practice on physician coding and billing. When do you want to test? Will you have time to review so many resources?
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild Thank you for the reply, I plan to test in September, I have been reading guidelines and studying off the AHIMA CCS-P study guide
@@Mo21374 Huh, September. Then it is almost time!! How are you doing on the study guide questions?
thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you
Happy happy happy happy happy to help help help help help help! :) Which credential do you think you will go for?
What would you recommend for someone who wants to start their own medical billing business with 13 years of Oral surgery background CPC, CPMA (AAPC) or (AHIMA) CCS?
Hi Baran285! Would you serve the oral surgery specialty or would you branch out into all specialties using your experience? An other question is whether your experience is on the facility fee or professional fee side. (CMS-1500 or UB-04)?
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild I’m experienced with CMS-1500 physician and facility based but of course I don’t want limited myself to Oral Surgery and would like to expand my knowledge in coding and billing more in depth in Medical that’s why I want to get my certification. Would you say one certificate is more specified for someone that would like to be employed like in a hospital or a facility versus the other certificate that would be more for someone as a freelancer or business owner?
@@Baran285 The divide is rather based on type of coding, not type of employment. Because inpatient facility charges are mostly done in-house, I would recommend you go for profee oriented credentials: CPMA, CCS-P, CPB. These would show a high level of knowledge in CPT coding and billing. The CCS is a very useful credential for outpatient and inpatient facility coders / billers (UB-04). It sounds like you are more on the profee / ASC / OP surgery side? (CMS-1500)
What do you think about CCA with Ahima for a beginner and later taking CCS.
Hi sunny pal! The CCA is an interesting credential because it is not quite coding but not entirely Health Information Administration either. It is somewhere in between. It is a great starter credential, my only issue with it is that getting a job will be hard. Not many employers accept CCA for coding / billing. Might be perfect for other admin roles in healtcare or as a short term solution until you get your CCS. Although it is a bit different, have you considered the CIC from AAPC? That one is inpatient coding only (no CPT codes) and wouldn't have the -A at the end. Would that work for your career plans?
Most people won't hire with with a CCA ..... CCS exam was nor bad
I see lots of "any credential from AAPC or AHIMA" in the Houston area.
Iam a beginner who is doing basic medical coding training (bmct) from a life science background. Would u suggest me cpc or ccs after this ?
Hi James! If you are familiar with basic coding, the CPC is the right credential for you. The CCS is way more involved than the CPC and much harder to pass. It brings in a ton of revenue cycle and compliance topics on top of complex coding. Don't get me wrong, it is totally doable but maybe not with basic coding background. Start with the CPC and take the CCS in 2 years or so after that.
Hello! Medical school drop out here. I had to because of disability, but my brain still works. I am set to begin my cpc training in November, but I am thinking to drag the ICD-10-PCS along with that with the hope of setting myself up for the CCS after passing the CPC; what do you think?
Hi Olawaleoluyemisi3452! Excellent plan! Get ready with both CPC and PCS, then you only need to add the facility coding guidelines and will be set to take the CCS. They question is whether you still want the CPC... If you want to do profee, you need the CPC, if not, save time and money and do just the CCS. What direction do you think you would like to go in the future? Facility coding and CDI or profee side?
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild Looking into CDI, but I have no idea what profee is. My ultimate goal is see if I can build this into a business.
@@olawaleoluyemisi3452 Most definitely! There are so many aspects here that could become a business. Profee coding simply means coding for professional services, everything a physician provides - as opposed to services a facility would provide (building, technician, drugs and supplies, OR etc.)
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild Thank you!
Your videos are so helpful! I was thinking of taking the CCA certification test but do you think that taking the CPC certification would be the smarter move?
Hi Dramabrat15! Thank you so much! I really appreciate that! :) Those 2 certifications go in 2 different directions, I would decide based on what you want to do in the next 2-5 years. The CCA is a general 'I know how to code anything', entry level credential, where you need to know inpatient, outpatient and physician coding rules, reimbursement methodologies and everything about IT, compliance and documentation improvement as well. But only on a basic level. The logical continuation of this credential is the CCS with which you move into full facility coding mode (inpatient and outpatient). The CPC is professional fee coding only - physician coding guidelines - but on a detailed level. You can't code outpatient or inpatient facility charges with that. The natural next step from the CPC is usually a specialty credential or the CPMA, the auditing credential for physician services. There are more entry level jobs on the physician side (so do the CPC), but facility coding pays better (do the CCA). The CPC is easier to pass (do that), but you will become a CPC-A and it will be harder to get a job (do the CCA). There are a lot of reasons for and against both, I recommend you review the syllabi of both, what these exams cover and ask yourself which one interests you more. Also check nearby employers for their preference! Whatever you decide, best of luck in your studies!
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild❤
@@gayathrireddy8050 Aww, thank you! :) Hope you have a great day!!
In Singapore is it they are accepting ccs credential
Hi Jaspin! I have no idea, I am sorry. Try searching for job opportunities, maybe through 3rd party American companies that offshore. Protiviti, RCM1, Optum...
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild ok dear
@@jaspinrp7255 Sorry, I really don't know. Best of luck!! :)
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild its ok dear... thank you 😊
I am fresher to this field..which certification is better and effective to enter this field cpc or cic or ccs?
Hi Dhanyarajaguru126! The best to enter the field is probably the CRC. Risk Adjustment is easier, as you are only dealing with 1 code set, and those jobs give more chances to new coders. Other than that, the CPC is the usual entry level credential. The CIC is not very much sought after at this time and the CCS is brutal hard for a brand new coder. Totally doable with a little experience though. :) Do you think Risk Adjustment could be something of interest to you?
Hi! I am a quality assurance specialist working for a behavioral health agency for 4.6 years. I review patient demographical data along with reviewing and correcting medical claims (fixing billing and coding errors). Also, I have knowledge with working with a revenue cycle for submitting claims. I am very interested in obtaining a certification to expand my knowledge. Which credential should I pursue, a CPC or the CCS? My goal is to become a clinical auditor or anything related with reviewing patient documents. Thank you!
Hi Lizbeth! The decision depends on whether you want to review documentation for physician billing purposes or for the facility. Which one are you doing currently? CMS-1500 or UB-04?
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild It would be reviewing documentation for the facility. The form I am most familiar with is the CMS-1500
@@LizbethGarcia-yv9qb I see. So as of right now you are more familiar with Profee coding and billing. That would equate to the CPC [AAPC] or the CCS-P [AHIMA] credentials. The auditor credential after these would be the CPMA [AAPC]. An other good option would be to do a CDI credential like the CDEI, CDEO, CDIP or the CCDS or CCDS-O. I know... that was a lot, my apologies! These latter ones are documentation improvement credentials; CDI is a sort of auditing where you review the notes for medical necessity, formal requirements, clinical indicators etc. You wouldn't be dealing with codes per se. If you are trying to get into the facility side (claim form UB-04), then the CCS would be best or COC + CIC if you prefer AAPC. (I would go with the CCS as that one is the gold standard for facility coding.) Long story short: if you want to have an easier time at the beginning of your coding journey, stick to profee coding because you already know it: CPC or CCS-P, followed by CPMA for auditing. If you are brave enough and have time to learn something new, do the CCS + maybe a CDI credential for auditing. What do you think?
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild Both options are great! I think my other question would be which route would open more doors to be likely employed? I am leaning more to take the CPC or CSS-P route with a CPMA credential.
@@LizbethGarcia-yv9qb Yes, that makes sense. So about doors... don't forget that the CPC will have the scarlet letter -A (apprentice) attached to it until you get rid of it. Just that 1 letter will throw your resume out in 99% of your applications. Just for that reason alone I would go with the CCS-P. Or, I would do the CPC coursework but then NOT take the exam but go for the CPMA immediately. The CPMA is not dependent on having a CPC, we just usually start there. I would do this because of the letter -A. But you know, maybe I am silly here. Would your current experience qualify for removing the -A?
Hi is Cpc certification accepted in UK?
Hi Keerthinarsing! I believe that the CPC is for USA only because the UK helathcare system doesn't use the codes we do. You could take the CPC in the UK and work for an American company that offshores its work maybe? Although it is also true that offshoring goes to India and the Middle East rather than Western Europe, so not sure if having the CPC would be beneficial to you. :/ The answer doesn't apply if you are a US citizen on a military base. In that case the CPC will be just fine.
@@TheMedicalCodingGuild thank you so much for the info..
Very helpful
Hi Gail! Thank you! I hope it helped with your decision!
I think CPC and CCS need union representation.
Hi Balcon! Yes, I heard that idea before but people weren't very open to it. Not sure why. Do you know about anyone potentially organizing?