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After completing your medical coding classes, there are several organizations you may consider joinging. One of thes is the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC.) The AAPC’s certifications allow medical coders, billers and other health care professionals to:Validate superior knowledge and expertise in various medical coding environments Earn 20% more than non-credentialed codersShow credentials nationally recognized by employers, physician societies and government organizations Have confidence in their ability to capture lost revenue for their practice, diminish post-payment risk and protect their practice from unfavorable audit results AAPC certification is a must for anyone interested in pursuing a career in medical coding and billing. The AAPC was founded in 1988 to provide education and professional certification to physician-based medical coders and to elevate the standards of medical coding by providing student training, certification, ongoing education, networking and job opportunities. Currently, the AAPC has a membership base of 95,000 worldwide, of which more than 64,000 are certified.AAPC credentialed medical coders have proven mastery of all code sets, Evaluation and Management principles and documentation guidelines. CPC’s and other AAPC credentialed coders represent the best in outpatient coding.AAPC certifications encompass the physician office CPC, the hospital outpatient facility CPC-H, payer perspective coding CPC-P, interventional radiology cardiovascular coding CIRCC, medical coding auditor COMA. All certifications provide a working knowledge to support cleaner claim submission resulting in more accurate coding, faster reimbursement and fewer denials. Special credentials are currently offered in 19 different fields of expertise. The AAPC offers continuing education through local chapters, workshops, monthly newsmagazine (Coding Edge), publications and conferences.
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