Medical billers and coders are an inherent part of any health organization because they are responsible for managing and submitting insurance claim documents for reimbursement. It is no surprise that this job area has been observed as one of the fastest growing career choices in the healthcare industry by the U.S. Department of Labor.
Advantages of Obtaining Your Certification
Obtaining a medical coding certification has inherent advantages because it distinguishes an individual as competent, knowledgeable, and committed to quality healthcare through quality information.
There are a number of credentials available through the American Academy of Professional Coders that demonstrate proficiency in reviewing and assigning accurate medical codes for diagnoses and procedures in a physician office (CPC), a hospital outpatient facility (CPC-H), a payor environment (CPC-P), or specialty credentials, such as the Rheumatology Certified Professional Coder (CHRC).
Earning a coding certification represents a high level of achievement and demonstrates coding proficiency. The CRHC certification requires personal commitment and accountability because it includes an eight-hour review course and the passing of a rigorous exam. However, the rewards for earning a certification include improved earning potential and career advancement.
A survey done by the American Health Information Management Association showed that employers value credentials in healthcare.1 Several healthcare work settings were represented in the survey—such as hospitals and physician offices—and, overall, employers think favorably of industry credentials, with 83% of executive respondents and 80% of respondents overall reporting them to be “favorable” to “very favorable.”
Furthermore, employers feel that credentials are important for medical coding professionals and they “‘agree”’ to “‘strongly agree”’ that credentialed employees help reduce exposure to fraud and abuse (70 %), improve the delivery of quality healthcare (68 %), and require less training (68 %).The survey reported that 68% of employers indicated that they will hire a credentialed candidate over one who is not credentialed, and 53% preferred credentials when promoting their employees.
Get Certified in Chicago
Don’t miss the ACR Certified Rheumatology Coder Preconference Course and Exam November 4–5, 2011.To register, visit My ACR at www.rheumatology.org/annual or contact the ACR coding instructor Antanya Chung, CPC, CPC-I, CRHC, CCP at [email protected] for more information.
Having certified rheumatology coders on staff safeguards your practice from unnecessary audits.
Here are the top three reasons why the ACR Certified Rheumatology Coder Course and Exam is a must-attend session at this year’s ACR/AHRP Annual Scientific Meeting:
- Learn medical terminology and corresponding codes to ensure correct coding of rheumatology services and diagnoses;
- Develop an in-depth understanding of coding rules and regulations—including current issues regarding compliance and reimbursement; and
- Implement proficiency in claims processing for accurate coding of diagnoses and procedures.
For more on the importance of coding certification. Visit My ACR at www.rheumatology.org/annual to register for this course today and to become an expert in the field of rheumatology coding.
