Group Coding Certification Training
Why Should My Staff Become Certified?
The answer is simple -- it affects your practice’s bottom line!
“An AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC, CPC-H, or CPC-P) is the first line of defense against non-compliance and down-coding for any medical provider. Certified Coders can help prevent legal difficulties, and ensure that providers received full reimbursement in a timely manner.” (Taken from the AAPC website)
Audit Protection - Trained professional coders know how to code properly and compliantly and therefore claims are not going out the door that could come back to haunt you later in the form of an audit where you may be fined or have to pay money back.
Unclaimed Revenue - Trained professional coders know how to spot the provision of services that are not currently captured thereby increasing the revenue to the practice legally and ethically.
Compliance - It’s not longer sufficient to code as closely as possible. You are REQUIRED to code accurately. Compliance plans are voluntary but accurate coding isn’t. Having a real compliance program (not just a book on the shelf) that is overseen by a compliance officer (usually a certified coder) provides leniency in the case of an audit. The auditors see that you have a system in place coordinated by a competent professional and therefore judge accordingly.
Cleaner Claims - Improve your coding upfront BEFORE the claim goes out the door and prevent wasted hours in claim follow up and adjudication. Cleaner claims are reimbursed more quickly.
The Certified Professional Coder (CPC ) examination was developed for physician practice coders. The CPC exam covers medical terminology, human anatomy, CPT, HCPCS and ICD-9-CM coding.
The Certified Professional Coder – Hospital (CPC-H) examination was developed especially for outpatient facility coders. In addition to CPT and ICD-9-CM, the CPC-H exam covers medical terminology, anatomy, the format of the UB-92 claim form, Medicare guidelines, ASC facility questions, reimbursement issues, and rules involving the use of modifiers.
How Can My Staff Become Certified?
- Preparation – The AAPC board CPC exams are intense 5 1/2 hour exams that require thorough preparation. Despite having coded for several years most find the need to take a comprehensive course to prepare them for the broad base of knowledge that the exam covers.
- The CRN Institute has an educational format sure to meet your needs –from regular classroom style training to state-of-the-are training via the Internet. The programs are developed and led by CRN Approved Instructors. We stand ready to guide your staff on to becoming Certified Coders!
- The CDNG 301 - Physician/Outpatient Based Medical Coding course offered by the CRN Institute prepares you for the CPC board exam. This a definitive college-level program of study that is aimed at providing the most up-to-date information relating to CPT, HCPCS, and ICD-9-CM procedural and diagnostic coding. It is designed to prepare the student to sit for the AAPC or AHIMA coding board exams (CPC, CPC-H, CPC-P, CCA, CCS-P). Recommended prerequisite is Medical Terminology/Anatomy and basic ICD-9-CM and CPT course. (Successful completion of the 101 course meets the prerequisite for this course.) Pre-Approved for 30 AAPC CEUs!
Textbook and Workbook are included in all packages. Coding manuals are purchased separately if you don’t have them already.