Medical Coding Certification Guide
Top Certifications
|------|----------|------|--------|
| **CPC (Certified Professional Coder)** | AAPC | $399 | 150 MCQ, 5 hrs 40 min |
|---|
| CCS (Certified Coding Specialist) | AHIMA | $299 | MCQ + coding, 4 hrs |
| COC (Certified Outpatient Coder) | AAPC | $399 | 150 MCQ |
| CIC (Certified Inpatient Coder) | AAPC | $399 | 150 MCQ |
| RHIT | AHIMA | $229 | MCQ, 3.5 hrs |
| RHIA | AHIMA | $299 | MCQ, 4 hrs |
Three Code Systems — Know All Three
ICD-10-CM (Diagnosis Coding):
Used by: all settings (inpatient and outpatient)
Purpose: WHY patient was seen / treated
Format: A00.0 to Z99.89 (up to 7 characters)
Updated: October 1 each year
CPT (Current Procedural Terminology):
Used by: outpatient, physician office, ASC
Purpose: WHAT procedure was performed
Format: 5-digit numeric codes (10000-99499)
Category I: main procedures | Category II: quality | Category III: emerging tech
Updated: January 1 each year (AMA publishes)
ICD-10-PCS (Procedure Coding System):
Used by: inpatient hospital ONLY
Purpose: WHAT procedure was performed (inpatient)
Format: 7 alphanumeric characters (always 7)
Structure: Section + Body System + Root Operation + Body Part + Approach + Device + Qualifier
Updated: October 1 each year
HCPCS Level II:
Used by: all settings, especially for supplies and DME
Purpose: supplies, equipment, drugs, ambulance not in CPT
Format: Letter + 4 digits (A0000-V5999)
CPC Exam Preparation
EXAM FORMAT:
150 multiple choice questions
5 hours 40 minutes total time
Open book: ICD-10-CM, CPT, HCPCS codebooks allowed
Passing: 70% (105/150 correct)
Offered: in person at AAPC chapter meetings
QUESTION DISTRIBUTION:
Medical terminology and anatomy: ~10 questions
ICD-10-CM coding: ~25 questions
CPT Surgery: ~30 questions (largest section)
CPT Evaluation & Management: ~15 questions
CPT Radiology/Lab/Medicine: ~15 questions
HCPCS Level II: ~5 questions
Compliance and regulatory: ~10 questions
Reimbursement: ~10 questions
Medical record documentation: ~10 questions
STRATEGY:
Tab and highlight your codebooks before exam
Time management: 2 minutes per question maximum
Skip complex surgical questions, return later
Never leave blank — guess if needed (no penalty)
Practice with 2019-current AAPC practice exams
Study Resources
•AAPC CPC Study Guide — official, covers all exam domains
•AAPC Practicode — 500+ coding scenarios with feedback
•Blausen Medical — anatomy understanding for coding
•AHA Coding Clinic (ICD-10-CM) and CPT Assistant — official guidance
Revision Notes
THREE SYSTEMS: ICD-10-CM (dx) + CPT (outpatient proc) + ICD-10-PCS (inpatient proc)
HCPCS II: supplies, DME, drugs — use when no CPT code exists
CPC EXAM: 150 Q, 5h40m, open book, 70% passing
BOOKS ALLOWED: bring tabbed and highlighted codebooks
TIME: 2 min/question average — skip hard, return later
CODING ORDER: principal/first-listed dx first, then additional dx
SPECIFICITY: always code to highest level of detail (most characters)
