CCS- AHIMAA

What is CCS?

CSS Stands for (Certified Coding Specialist)

1. For professionals who have expertise in coding inpatient and outpatient records, the CCS certification is a natural next step. 
2. Hospitals and medical providers use classified data created by coding specialists to get compensation from insurance companies or government programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

The American Health Information Management Association is a professional association for health professionals involved in the health information management needed to deliver quality health care to the public

CCS:

• Examine the medical records of patients and assign numeric codes to each diagnosis and operation.
• Knowledge of the ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, and CPT® coding systems is required.
• Medical language, illness processes, and pharmaceutical principles are all familiar to you.

Requirements for Eligibility:

1. While not essential, it is advised that you take one of the following courses before taking the CCS exam.
2. Complete courses in anatomy & physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, reimbursement methodology, intermediate/advanced ICD diagnostic coding, and procedural coding and medical services (CPT/HCPCS) plus one (1) year of coding experience directly applying codes; OR Hold the CCA credential plus one (1) year of coding experience directly applying codes.

HOW TO APPLY FOR THE EXAM:

1. Examine the information in the Candidate Guide carefully before submitting an application. Before submitting an application, it is the candidate's obligation to ensure that they are eligible.
2.  Applicants who are found to be ineligible and submit an ineligible application or request withdrawal or cancellation of their application will receive a refund less a $75 processing charge.
3. All applications and fees must be submitted online and paid by credit card.
4. All AHIMA certification examinations are administered by Pearson VUE, AHIMA's contracted test vendor. 
5. All certification exams are delivered via a compass in a Pearson VUE proctored test center.

Fees for Eligibility Extensions and Policy:

• You must submit an extension request 14 days before your scheduled exam date or 14 days before your eligibility expires.
• For a total of 90 days, you can apply for extensions in 30-day increments. Each 30-day increment will set you back $50.
• examination fee:   $399.
• member ship fee:  $299.

Exam Requirements: 

• The CCS exam is timed. The exam will take four hours to complete. The exam's total number of questions varies between 115 and 140. 
• A Multiple-Choice Section and a Medical Scenario Section are both included in the exam (inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department). 
• The exam is conducted entirely on a computer.
• AHIMA tests include a number of questions or item kinds that demand you to select the best solution based on your knowledge, abilities, and/or experience. 
• Scored questions and pre-test questions are distributed randomly throughout each exam. 
• The outcomes of the pre-test questions are not included in the final results.