Become a Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Are you a medical coding professional who would like to advance to the top of your field? Hospital coding may be the next step for you. In this 100% online course, you will prepare for one of the most in-demand areas of the coding profession, facility-based, hospital coding. Upon successful completion, you will be prepared to sit for the American Health Information Management Association’s (AHIMA) Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) exam, the industry’s leading credential for medical coding.
Registration and Enrollment
This course is 100% online. Start anytime!
Course Details
- Identify the roles and responsibilities of a coder in both inpatient and outpatient facilities.
- Abstract health information from clinical documentation using your knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy/physiology, and disease processes.
- Assign ICD-10-CM/PCS and CPT/ HCPCS Level II codes and modifiers in accordance with current coding guidelines.
- Understand reimbursement methodologies.
- Clarify conflicting, ambiguous, or missing information from health records by querying the physician.
- Participate in clinical documentation improvement initiatives to ensure accurate and complete health data.
I. Hospital Structure, Billing, and Insurance
II. Ethics and HIPAA Administrative Simplification
III. Inpatient Acute Care Diagnosis Coding
IV. Regulatory Guidelines and Reporting Requirements for Inpatient Care
V. ICD-10-PCS Inpatient Procedure Coding
VI. Outpatient Coding: CPT and HCPCS Level II
VII. Data Quality, Compliance, and Auditing
VIII. Career Roadmap
IX. CCS Exam Preparation
This is not an entry-level course. Before taking this course, you should:
- have previous coding experience or education; and
- have completed either the Certified Medical Administrative Assistant with Medical Billing and Coding course or the Medical Billing and Coding course.
Hardware Requirements:
- This course can be taken on either a PC or Mac.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 8 or later.
- Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The following textbooks are included with the course and will be shipped to you approximately 7-10 business days after enrollment:
- Coding and Reimbursement for Hospital Inpatient Services (1yr access to e-Book)
- Professional Review Guide Online for the CCS/CCS-P Examination (1yr digital access)
The following materials are required for the Advanced Hospital Coding & CCS Prep Course. Before purchasing, please check the AHIMA website for the Allowable Code Books List for the CCS certification examination. You will need the current year’s version of:
- Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) (not included)
- Healthcare Professional Coding System (HCPCS) Level II (not included)
- ICD-10-CM (not included)
- ICD-10-PCS (not included)
Carline Dalgleish
Carline Dalgleish has worked in medical office administration for over 30 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Information Systems, a master’s degree in Leadership, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in Health Information Management. She is a Registered Health Information Administrator and an AHIMA Approved ICD-10-CM/PCS Trainer. Dalgleish is the author of an ICD-10 coding system and also owns her own consulting firm, AnnGrant Educational Services.
Bunny Reeves
Bunny Reeves is the senior ambulatory surgery coder at the Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. She trains student coders at Maimonides Medical Center and previously trained and supervised entry-level coders at Staten Island’s St. Vincent Medical Center. Reeves is a Certified Coding Specialist, accredited by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).
$1,895.00 (USD) per person
This course is 100% online.
| Course Hours | Duration | Start Dates |
|---|---|---|
| 100 hours | 6 months | Start anytime! |
Job Outlook
Advanced medical coders, especially those with CCS status, are among the best-paid members of the coding profession. According to the AHIMA, over 75% of their members earn $50,000 or more, many without a bachelor’s degree. PayScale.com reports that early-career coding specialists earn around $16.00 per hour, then advance to $31.00 per hour as they gain experience.
FAQs
WHAT DO HOSPITAL CODERS DO?
Certified Coding Specialists take data from patient records and create data that is submitted to insurance companies or government programs for reimbursement. They provide high-quality and accurate data by:
- Reviewing patient records and correctly assigning numeric codes for each procedure using the ICD-10-CM and CPT® coding systems.
- Correctly apply medical terminology to describe disease processes and pharmacology concepts.
IS CERTIFICATION NECESSARY FOR ADVANCED HOSPITAL CODING?
Certification is a crucial indicator of a coder’s proficiency and professional ambition. Since academic and public health researchers also use their data to define and monitor health trends, certification such as the CCS provides these groups with a high level of confidence in the quality of data and the procedures used to compile it. This course includes a voucher for the CCS exam fee.
“I liked that it was available to do at my own pace and yet I could reach someone when I had a question. The combination of the online course and the books proved to be an intense learning experience. I am happy that I was able to pass the CCS exam earlier this week and could not have done it without this preparation!”
M.H., Madonna University