How to Study for the Certified Medical Coding Test
Medical coding tests such as the CPC (Certified Professional Coder) from the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) are comprised of multiple choice questions covering: Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Physiology, Reimbursement and Insurance Methodologies, Coding Guidelines and Divisions and Practice Management,. Since the exam deals with a range of topics, start by breaking up the topics and reviewing them one by one; devoting time to each subject separately will increase your overall knowledge in the coding arena.
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Things You'll Need
- CPC Coding Exam Review Book (Recommended: CPC Coding Exam Review 2010: The Certification Step, by Carol J. Buck)
- Coding manuals
- Medical terminology guide
- Anatomy/physiology guide
Instructions
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Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Physiology
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1
Review your notes on medical terminology and become familiar with their components: prefix, root word, suffix and combining vowel.
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2
Write down individual prefixes, root words, suffixes and combining forms on index cards and separate each category into a stack. Keep drawing different cards from the pile and rearrange their combinations to practice formulating terms.
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3
Note how the meaning of the term changes according to the particular component used. Make sure that you know the meaning of each term you formulate.
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4
Study pictures of the human anatomy and structure of the body to become familiar with the body's parts, functions, and their relationship with one another. Along those lines, review these systems that the body is broken into: Skeletal System, Muscular System, Nervous System, Endocrine System, Cardiovascular System, Lymphatic System, Respiratory System, Digestive System, Urinary System, and Reproductive System.
Insurance Methodologies & Coding Systems
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5
Look over key health insurance terminology like: coinsurance, co-payment, covered expense, deductible, premium and reimbursement, and the different types of insurance plans, such as: indemnity and managed care plans (which includes HMO, PPO, POS and EPO) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
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6
Study the "Coding Education Program Approval Manual" published by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Aside from being able to correctly apply CPT, HCPCS Level II (procedure and supply codes), and ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes, review the guidelines and following coding categories: Evaluation and Management, Anesthesia, Surgery, Radiology, Pathology and Laboratory, and Medicine.
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7
Use charts, records and other medical documents to practice locating and assigning appropriate codes, without encoders.
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8
Look into the explicit laws and coding standards implemented by The Joint Commission, American Medical Association (AMA), Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP).
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Tips & Warnings
Identify the areas that you find most difficult and create your own study guide or flashcards.
Take advantage of sites (like Ritecode.com) like offer free reviews, games and other materials.
Attend a review seminar and join or start your own study group.
It's important to know the specific coding test that you are taking along with the organization that provides the certification. This is important, as different tests are centered on particular topics and areas of coding. The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) offers exams to become a Certified Professional Coder (CPC), Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H), and Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-P). Whereas the exam certifications overseen by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) include: Certified Coding Associate (CCA), Certified Coding Specialist (CCS), and Certified Coding Specialist--Physician-based.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit education image by Anatoly Tiplyashin from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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This will help for all the MB&C students @ Southern Tech....fyi.
