Recognition of CPC Credential

Here Is a Question in From One of Our Members About Recognition of CPC Credential:

Dear Laureen, Hi my name is R. and I have been visiting your website and also watching your youtube videos since last year. I became AAPC member after I watched your youtube video the one you explained about the differences between AAPC  and  AHIMA certification exams. I have purchased my all coding books from AAPC and made my decision to take CPC exam after I am done with all my medical coding classes.

However after my first session of my coding1 class, my instructor said that in LA people don’t hire CPC certified and she doesn’t accept AAPC. she is just talking about AHIMA and CCS exam. She also mentioned that for the exam we just need to study ICD-9 Volume1-3 and CPT no HCPCS. These info are completely different than we i’ve read at AAPC website. Now i am completely confused. Would you please help me and explain to me which facility is the best????

I received a magazine from AAPC and there is a long list of the people who already took CPC exam and become successfully certified. If what my instructor said, so why lots of people are still taking that exam!!!

Thank you in advance

Hi R.,

Sorry to hear your instructor is telling you that. I ran into the same thing when I became an Occupational Therapist – there was always this unspoken tension between OTs and PTs. It seems to be that way with AAPC and AHIMA coders at times. Your instructor sounds very loyal to AHIMA which is ok. You should review the course advertising you signed up for. Did it say inpatient coding? If so that is why your instructor is telling you that. AHIMA is very geared toward the inpatient world and the inpatient world is driven by ICD coding as that is what drives reimbursement.

And you’ve answered your own question – you see how many are getting CPC certified so there must be a need for them! The AAPC is geared toward the physician based and outpatient based coding world. So if you were taking a coding course like ours for example you’d see we are heavy into the CPC coding side of things and some ICD. We don’t have an inpatient coding course.

So I think you just got into the wrong class for what you’re looking for – that is if you are indeed looking for a physician based coding course.