Medical Billing and Insurance Coding Certification

Medical Billing and Insurance Coding ­— Certification

Reliable, qualified Medical Billing and Insurance Coding professionals who earn a recognized certification are in high demand. When hiring new employees, employers compare the knowledge and skill of applicants by evaluating their education, experience and industry certifications. Becoming a certified coder, coupled with a formal college education, speaks volumes about the skills of a coder.

How to earn your certification

Becoming a certified coder is not easy, however the Herzing University Medical Billing and Insurance Coding online curriculum is designed to prepare graduates to sit for the first exam. There are six certification exams one can take to become a certified coding professional—some exams require one year of hands-on experience before eligibility, and some are geared toward working in a specific environment (such as a physician’s office, insurance company or hospital). Three exams are offered through each of these professional organizations:

American Health Information Management Association

• CCACertified Coding Associate
• CCSCertified Coding Specialists
• CCS-PCertified Coding Professional (physician-based)

American Academy of Professional Coders

• CPCCertified Professional Coder
• CCPC-HCertified Professional Coder (hospital-based)
• CPC-PCertified Professional Coder (for insurance payers)

In addition, students in the Herzing University Online Medical Billing and Insurance Coding Diploma and Associate Degree programs receive a special bonus:

National Center for Competency Testing

• Insurance & Coding Specialist

As part of their program, students in the Medical Billing and Insurance Coding programs have the option to sit for this entry-level exam at no charge. This is a great opportunity for students to get introduced to the certification examination process and start building their resume. Because of the focused curriculum and hands-on experience the Herzing programs provide, Herzing students typically do very well on this exam. In fact, 98% of testers in 2008 passed!