Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®)
The Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®) examination is specially designed for professionals experienced in coding inpatient and outpatient records. The Certified Coding Specialists (CCS)s create coded data used by hospitals and medical providers to obtain reimbursement from insurance companies or government programs such as Medicare and Medicaid.
Who should take the exam?
Eligibility requirements to apply for the CCS exam includes credentials held, education, and experience. Candidates must assemble one of the five eligibility claims from the list below:
- Hold the RHIA®, RHIT®, or CCS-P® credentials;
- Complete courses in all the following topics: anatomy & physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, medical terminology, intermediate/advanced ICD diagnostic/procedural and CPT coding, reimbursement methodology OR
- Attain a minimum of two years of related coding experience straight applying codes;
- Hold the CCA® credential plus one year of coding experience directly applying codes;
- Hold a coding credential from another certifying organization plus one year of coding experience directly applying codes.
Exam Overview
The Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®) is a 4 hour long and has multiple-choice questions. It has 47 questions. The passing score for the examination is 80% and above. Also, this examination will cost you around $399 USD. However, The exam consists of two sections, a Multiple-Choice Section and a Medical Scenario Section (inpatient, outpatient, and emergency department). Also, the exam is given in a computer-based format.
Exam Registration
To register for the examination, follow the following steps:
- Go to the official website of Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®).
- Click on Apply for the examination.
- Follow the prompt. Make the payment and complete the registration.
- Once the registration is complete you will receive a confirmation mail from AHMA.
For more information, click on Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®) FAQs
Course Outline
Domain 1 – Coding Knowledge and Skills (51.9%)
- Apply diagnosis and procedure codes based on provider’s documentation in the health
record - Determine principal/primary diagnosis and procedure
- Apply coding conventions/guidelines and regulatory guidance
- Apply CPT®/HCPCS modifiers to outpatient procedures
- Sequence diagnoses and procedures
- Apply present on admission (POA) guidelines
- Address coding edits
- Assign reimbursement classifications
- Abstract pertinent data from health record
- Recognize major complication/co-morbidity (MCC) and complication and co-morbidity (CC)
Domain 2 – Coding Documentation (10.1%)
- Review health record to assign diagnosis and procedure codes for an encounter
- Review and address health record discrepancies
Domain 3 – Provider Queries (8.9%)
- Determine if a provider query is compliant
- Analyze current documentation to identify query opportunities
Domain 4 – Regulatory Compliance (29.1%)
- Ensure the integrity of health records
- Apply payer-specific guidelines
- Recognize patient safety indicators (PSIs) and hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) based on
documentation - Ensure compliance with HIPAA guidelines
- Ensure adherence to AHIMA’s Standards of Ethical Coding
- Apply the Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set (UHDDS)
Preparatory Guide for Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®)
To help you out with your preparation we have provided you with a preparatory guide. This guide will help you in preparing for the examination.Let’s get started.
Refer the Exam Guide
The course domains and modules act as a blueprint for the exam. Therefore you must refer to the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®) guide before commencing its preparations to excel in the exam. Also, exam objectives are very important when it comes to preparing the exam strategy. Here, we have provided you with the exam objectives:
- Coding Knowledge and Skills (51.9%)
- Coding Documentation (10.1%)
- Provider Queries (8.9%)
- Regulatory Compliance (29.1%)
Learning Resources
The second step to successfully clear any examination is to practice from the resources. AHIMA provides you with workshops and webinars where you can learn about the Certified Coding Specialist (CCS®) examination.
Reference Books
It is very important to study in the right book. There are an ample number of books available in the market for this examination. This book will help you in preparing for the examination:
- Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) Exam Preparation by Jennifer Hornung Garvin
Join Study Groups
It is very important to interact with people who have a common aim in life. Joining study groups is a good way to get yourself fully involved with the certification exam you applied for. These groups will help you get up to date with the latest changes or any update happening exam. Also, these groups contain both beginners as well as professionals.
Practice with testpreptraining
It is very important to practice what you have learned so that you are in a position to analyze your practice, by practicing you will be able to improve your answering skills that will result in saving a lot of time. Moreover, the best way to start doing practice tests is after completing one full topic as this will work as a revision part for you. Start practicing now!
