With the use of medical coding certificates, job seekers may prove to employers that they are qualified medical coders. However, not all medical coding credentials provide job seekers the same benefit.
The top medical coder certificates are listed below. In addition to giving you an advantage when applying for employment, earning a medical coder certification will raise your prospective compensation.
12 BEST MEDICAL CODER CERTIFICATIONS
1. Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS)
In order to file a claim for payment, a Certified Billing and Coding Specialist (CBCS) largely concentrates on translating a medical treatment, diagnosis, or symptom into particular codes.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 2 year(s)
2. Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Healthcare firms place a high value on accurate coding since it affects revenue and helps to describe patient outcomes. In actuality, certification has evolved into an implied business need. A practitioner’s demonstrated mastery of coding ability and verified data quality and integrity abilities are therefore shown by the CCS certificate. Inpatient and outpatient record coding specialists might think about acquiring this certification.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 3 year(s)
3. Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
A Certified Professional Coder is a highly ethical individual who has passed the coding certification exam given by the American Academy of Professional Coders (the AAPC) (CPC). The precise application of CPT, HCPCS procedure and supply codes, and ICD-9-CM diagnostic codes is required in order to appropriately bill professional medical services to insurance companies.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 2 year(s)
4. Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
The RHIT credential has a strong chance of leading to managerial roles with experience, especially when paired with a bachelor’s degree. Although hospitals are where RHITs are most frequently employed, they can also be found in other healthcare facilities such as doctor’s offices, nursing homes, home health agencies, mental health facilities, and public health organizations. In reality, RHITs can work for any company that uses patient data or health information, including medical equipment suppliers, law firms, and insurance organizations.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 3 year(s)
5. Certified Medical Coder (CMC)
The Certified Medical Coder (CMC) exam is open to seasoned medical office staff with superior coding abilities. With its CMC accreditation, the Practice Management Institute has raised the threshold of expertise by assisting doctors and their employees in ensuring adequate outpatient coding training.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required?
6. Medical Assistant
The requirements of the company determine the specifics of the medical assistant job description. A medical assistant is a professional with a variety of skills who benefits a doctor.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 1 year(s)
7. Certified Code Specialist
An inspector who focuses on code inspection is known as a Certified Code Specialist.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 1 year(s)
8. Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
RHIAs have a variety of employment options throughout the healthcare sector. They include the various ambulatory care settings, long-term care facilities, mental health facilities, hospitals, and multispecialty clinics and physician offices. Careers in managed care and insurance firms, software vendors, consulting services, government agencies, education, and pharmaceutical industries are just a few of the nonpatient care contexts where the field has experienced tremendous growth.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 1 year(s)
9. Certified Professional Medical Auditor (CPMA)
Medical auditing is a crucial component of successful and compliant doctor practices. You can enhance the revenue cycle of your practice or another practice by using your demonstrated expertise in coding and documentation standards as a Certified Professional Medical Auditor.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 2 year(s)
10. Certified Outpatient Coding (COC)
A person with great professional integrity who has passed a coding certification exam administered by the American Academy of Professional Coders is known as a Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H) (the AAPC). In order to properly charge facility services to insurance companies, CPT, HCPCS procedure and supply codes, and ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes must all be applied correctly.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 2 year(s)
11. Certified Coding Specialist–Physician-based (CCS-P)
When you take into account the expansion of managed care and the expansion of the delivery of health services outside of the hospital setting, the job picture for CCS-Ps is really positive. The CCS-P certification is a testament to the skills of professionals that execute coding in a medical office, clinic, or other comparable context. Instead of evaluating skills at the entry level, the CCS-P certification exam measures mastery-level coding proficiency.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? No
- More than two years of work experience required? No
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 1 year(s)
12. Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA)
A Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) performs routine administrative and clinical tasks to keep the offices and clinics of physicians running smoothly.
Certification Details
- More than two years of education or training after high school required? Yes
- More than two years of work experience required? Yes
- Oral or Written Exam Required? Yes
- Renewal Required? Every 2 year(s)
