CPC (Certified Professional Coder)

“Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect”

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CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL CODER (CPC)

Become a certified medical coder by earning your Certified Professional Coder certification (CPC), the most recognized medical coding certification in the healthcare industry. The CPC is the gold standard for medical coding in physician office settings. Over 105,000 certified professionals help maintain compliance and profitability within medical practices through accurate medical coding and documentation.

GROWING DEMAND FOR MEDICAL CODERS

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs for certified medical coders will increase 22 percent through the year 2022. Prepare yourself to meet the industry demand by becoming a certified professional coder. This is your first step to a career in healthcare. Increase your chances of being hired in a competitive job market.

SHOW YOUR PROFICIENCY

Through rigorous examination and experience, certified CPC’s have proven mastery of all code sets (CPT, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II), evaluation and management principles, surgical coding, and adherence to documentation and coding guidelines. Certified CPC’s represent excellence in medical coding.

LEARN FROM THE EXPERTS

Our goal is to train medical coders to be industry ready. We provide a complete education, preparing you for the CPC exam. Our in-depth CPC exam preparation course is for individuals preparing for a career in medical coding. Students preparing for the exam with our preparation courses are twice as likely to pass.

CERTIFIED CPC’S HAVE DEMONSTRATED:

  • Expertise in reviewing and assigning accurate medical codes for diagnoses, procedures, and services performed by physicians and other qualified healthcare providers in the office or facility setting (eg, inpatient hospital)
  • Proficiency across a wide range of services, including evaluation and management, anesthesia, surgery, radiology, pathology, and medicine
  • A sound knowledge of medical coding guidelines and regulations including compliance and reimbursement – allowing a CPC to better handle issues such as medical necessity, claims denials, bundling issues, and charge capture
  • Understanding of how to integrate medical coding and payment policy changes into a practice’s reimbursement processes
  • Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology necessary to correctly code provider diagnosis and services

The CPC Exam

  • 100 multiple choice questions (proctored)
  • 3 hours and 30 minutes to finish the exam
  • $720 which includes one year membership
  • One free retake
  • Open code book (manuals)

The CPC examination consists of questions regarding the correct application of ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes used for billing professional medical services to insurance companies. Examines must also demonstrate knowledge on proper modifier use, coding guidelines and regulatory rules.

The CPC exam thoroughly covers:

  • 6 questions
  • Surgical procedures performed on the integumentary system
    • Skin, subcut aneous, and accessory structures
    • Nails
    • Pilonidal cysts
    • Repairs
    • Destruction
    • Breast
  • 7 questions
  • Surgical procedures performed on the musculoskeletal system
    • Head
    • Neck
    • Back and flank
    • Spine
    • Abdomen
    • Shoulder
    • Arm
    • Hand and fingers
    • Pelvis and hip
    • Leg
    • Foot and toes
  • 7 questions
  • Surgical procedures performed on the respiratory system
    • Nose
    • Accessory sinuses
    • Larynx
    • Trachea and bronchi
    • Lungs and pleura
  • Surgical procedures performed on the cardiovascular system
    • Heart and pericardium
    • Arteries and veins
  • Surgical procedures performed on the hemic and lymphatic systems
    • Spleen
    • Lymph nodes and lymph channels
  • Surgical procedures performed on the mediastinum and diaphragm
  • 7 questions
  • Surgical procedures performed on the digestive system
    • Lips
    • Mouth
    • Palate and uvula
    • Salivary gland and ducts
    • Pharynx, adenoids, and tonsils
    • Esophagus
    • Stomach
    • Intestines
    • Appendix
    • Rectum
    • Anus
    • Liver
    • Biliary Tract
    • Pancreas
    • Abdomen, peritoneum, and omentum
  • 7 questions
  • Surgical procedures performed on the urinary system
    • Kidneys
    • Ureter
    • Bladder
    • Urethra
  • Surgical procedures performed on the male reproductive system
    • Penis
    • Testis
    • Epididymis
    • Tunica
    • Scrotum
    • Vas deferens
    • Spermatic cord
    • Seminal vesicles
    • Prostate
  • Surgical procedures performed on the female reproductive system
    • Vulva, perineum, and introitus
    • Vagina
    • Uterus
    • Fallopian Tubes
    • Ovaries
  • Maternity and Delivery
  • Surgical procedures performed on the endocrine system
    • Thyroid gland
    • Parathyroid
    • Thymus
    • Adrenal glands
    • Pancreas
    • Carotid body
  • 7 questions
  • Surgical procedures performed on the nervous system
    • Skull, meninges, brain
    • Spine
    • Spinal cord
    • Extracranial nerves
    • Peripheral nerves
    • Autonomic nervous system
  • 7 questions
  • Office/Other Outpatient
  • Hospital Observation
  • Hospital Inpatient
  • Consultations
  • Emergency Department
  • Critical Care
  • Nursing Facility
  • Domiciliary and Rest Homes
  • Home Services
  • Prolonged Services
  • Case Management
  • Care Plan Oversight
  • Preventive Medicine
  • Non-Face-to-Face Services
  • Special E/M
  • Newborn Care
  • Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care and Intensive Care
  • Complex Chronic Care Coordination
  • Transitional Care Management
  • 8 questions
  • Time reporting
  • Qualifying Circumstances
  • Physical Status Modifiers
  • Anesthesia for surgical, diagnostic and obstetric services
  • 10 questions
  • Diagnostic Radiology
  • Diagnostic Ultrasound
  • Radiologic Guidance
  • Mammography
  • Bone and Joint Studies
  • Radiation Oncology
  • Nuclear Medicine
  • 10 questions
  • Organ and Disease Panels
  • Drug Testing
  • Therapeutic Drug Assays
  • Evocation/Supression Testing
  • Consultations
  • Urinalysis
  • Molecular Pathology
  • MAAA
  • Chemistry
  • Hematology and Coagulation
  • Immunology
  • Transfusions
  • Microbiology
  • Anatomic Pathology
  • Cytopathology
  • Cytogenetic Studies
  • Surgical Pathology
  • In vivo and Reproductive
  • 10 questions
  • Immunizations
  • Psychiatry
  • Biofeedback
  • Dialysis
  • Gastroenterology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Otorhinolaryngology
  • Cardiovascular
  • Noninvasive Vascular Studies
  • Pulmonary
  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Endocrinology
  • Neurology
  • Genetics
  • Central Nervous System Assessments
  • Health and Behavior Assessments
  • Hydration
  • Therapeutic and Diagnostic Administration
  • Chemotherapy Administration
  • Photodynamic Therapy
  • Dermatology
  • Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
  • Medical Nutrition
  • Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment
  • Chiropractic Manipulative Treatment
  • Patient Education and Training
  • Non-Face-to-Face Nonphysician Services
  • Moderate Sedation
  • 8 questions
  • Medical terminology for all systems in the human body
  • 8 questions
  • Anatomy for all systems in the human body
  • 0 questions
  • ICD-10-CM Offical Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
  • Diagnosis for all the chapters included in ICD-10-CM
  • Diagnosis questions will also appear in other sections of the exam from the CPT categories
  • 5 questions
  • Modifiers
  • Supplies
  • Medications
  • Professional services for Medicare patients
  • 6 questions
  • ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
  • CPT coding guidelines and parenthetical notes
  • Modifier use
  • 5 questions
  • Services covered under Medicare Parts A, B, C and D
  • Apply coding to payment policy
  • Place of service reporting
  • Fraud and Abuse
  • NCCI edits
  • NCD/LCD
  • HIPAA
  • ABNs
  • RVUs

Medical Coding Certification Requirements

  • We recommend having an associate’s degree.
  • Pay examination fee at the time of application submission.
  • Maintain current membership with the AAPC.
  • New members must submit membership payment with examination application.
  • Renewing members must have a current membership at the time of submission and when exam results are released.
  • All exams will be reported with exact scores and areas of study (65% or less).

A CPC must have at least two years medical coding experience (member’s with an apprentice designation are not required to have two years medical coding experience.) Membership is required to be renewed annually and 36 Continuing Education Units (CEU’s) must be submitted every two years for verification and authentication of expertise.

Note:

Each examination is separate and distinct from one another. To obtain all certifications, each examination must be taken separately and passed. Continuing Education Unit (CEU) submissions are required for all certifications. For CEU requirements please see our CEU Information page.