CPC Exam training guide - The best study guide for passing the AAPC CPC exam

This is for people who are looking for books, videos, DVDs or online courses toward AAPC certification training in the US. This includes people who really want to pass the CPC exam (come what may) and get certified as a medical coder.

Laureen Jandroep's "Medical Coding Blitz" video course is both unique and -- hands down -- the best training guide you're going to find for passing the CPC exam.

In fact, it's the only full-video guide I know that prepares you for both the AAPC CPC exam and AHIMA CCS exam in a single review course. This is the very guide that has helped hundreds of coding aspirants pass their CPC exam in their first or latest attempt.

You can download the full course here.

Medical Billing Salary Goes Up with Certification, Experience and Location

The average medical billing salary in the US ranges between $25,000 and $50,000 per year. The median salary (most expected range) is $30,000 for an entry-level medical biller and $42,000 for certified and experienced medical billers.

Usually, the salary of medical coding specialists is slightly higher than that of  medical billing specialists. But this can be solved by:

(1) Completing medical billing training courses (including a degree) at your local community college or billing schools online

~OR~

(2) Passing nationally accredited certification exams like AAPC's Certified Professional Coder (CPC) or AHIMA's Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)

Option #2 is a better choice as both credentials are recognized and valued by billing companies across the United States. It is also far cheaper (and quicker to get) than Option #1 as having just ONE of these certifications will make a significant difference in your candidate profile. This is important to get a medical billing job.

Another factor that affects how much medical billing salary you draw is the matter of location. That is, the place where you are working (or worked) as a biller, or the location of the company where you intend to apply.

Large cities like NYC, Miami, FL and Los Angeles, CA pay higher per hour (and per year) to billers & coders than cities like Knoxville, Boise, Springfield or Albuquerque.

Based on per-hour rates, medical billing positions pay between $17 to $20 per hour in Los Angeles, California while for the same (or equivalent) positions elsewhere, you can expect your earnings to be in the following ranges:

• $9 to $11 per hour in El Paso, TX
• $11.40 to $13.20 per hour in Akron, OH
• $10.00 to $12.00 per hour in Hershey, PA
• $11.00 to $12.00 per hour in Chicago, IL
• $11.50 to $13.25 per hour in Boise, ID
• $14 to $16 per hour in Indianapolis, IN
• $16.25 to $18.25 per hour in New Rochelle, NY

Medical billing jobs for certified specialists revolve around hospitals, insurance companies and medical claims. A medical biller generates and submits these claims to the health insurance company so that the hospital, physician or medical facility is suitably reimbursed for services and treatment rendered to patients.

To do this competently requires knowledge of and experience in hosptal billing along with ICD-9 guidelines and CPT coding procedures. On an average, billers work for 40 hours/week, Monday through Friday.

As a career option, medical billing and coding is one of the very few health care professions where the annual salary even at the entry level is comparatively high. Once you gain experience and certifications, you can also work from home.

And while the future of billing jobs remains positive for the long term, your prospects of a higher medical billing salary (irrespective of the economy) increase manifold with a certification like CPC.

So if you aren't already certified, please make it a point to do so as you can easily complete it in a few months' time. To get certified, you need to prepare for and pass the CPC exam. You are free to study independently but your preparation needs to be "top notch" as less than 50% of the candidates pass it in the first attempt.

Recommended website:

Medical Billing and Coding Certification Prep (with Videos)

The fastest way to get a higher medical billing salary

AHIMA Certification: CCS and CCS-P Medical Coding Certification Prep with Exam Review Guide

The AHIMA certification is one of the most sought-after credentials by US medical facilities, hospitals and health care employers. If you are seeking a job in the medical coding and billing industry then you need to pass this certification exam.

AHIMA stands for American Health Information Management Association. Along with the American Academy of Certified Professionals (AAPC), it is among the most prominent organizations of its kind in the United States.

Two of AHIMA's most significant certification programs are Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) and Certified Coding Specialist-Physician (CCS-P). Both are accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Points to remember:

• The CCS and CCS-P exams are valuable for healthcare professionals who have gained significant mastery of coding skills either in a medical or healthcare facility, or in a physician's office.
• They are not suited for entry-level candidates who have only a basic understanding of coding procedures in addition to limited-to-no work experience. For such candidates, the AHIMA's Certified Coding Associate (CCA) or AAPC's Certified Professional Coder-Apprentice (CPC-A) credential are better options.

As a general thumb rule, if you have prior experience in the following areas, then you have a better chance of passing AHIMA's CCS or CCS-P exams:

• Hospital-based inpatient coding
• Hospital-based ambulatory or outpatient coding, including emergency room care

This also ensures that the specific certification you obtain will be in line with your skills, experience and career goals. The key benefit of this is that it translates into higher salaries and quicker promotions to senior coding positions.

To reiterate and clarify what was said earlier: An AHIMA certification like CCS or CCS-P signifies mastery of coding procedures while a CCA (also from AHIMA) denotes that you have entry level coding skills. You are free to start your medical coding and billing career with either of these certifications.


As far as preparing for the CCS or CCS-P medical coding exam is concerned, I would recommend that you study Laureen Jandroep's Exam Review Guide (highly recommended).

This guide helps you prepare for both the AHIMA certification and the AAPC certification, and has a number of video tutorials, real-life practice exams and a ton of useful insights into how to maximize your scores on exam day.

If this is your first attempt toward either the CCS or CCS-P exam then let me tell you that the percentage of passing candidates can be as low as 49-52%.

Add to this the fact that the application cost for either exam ranges from $299-$399 based on whether or not you have an AHIMA membership. So it makes sense to prepare to the best of your ability so that you not just save time and money, but also ensure you don't have to retake the CCS or CCS-P exam again.

Recommended website:

AHIMA Certification Exam Guide - Full Preparation for your CCS-P Exam (with Videos)

The easiest, most complete guide to ace your CCS & CCS-P exams

Medical Coding and Billing Salary - Certified Medical Billers & Coders Earn a Higher Salary

The average medical coding and billing salary in the United States ranges between $31,000 at the lower end to $54,000 per year at the higher end, based on a number of factors.

The most important of these factors are:

• Having a nationally accredited certification like CPC from AAPC or CCS-P from AHIMA, both of which are valuable credentials in the health care industry.

• Work experience as a medical coding specialist, either in a hospital, medical center, urgent care or private practice. Private practice implies a doctor or physician's medical office where you analyze medical history, catalog records & medical tests and assign diagnosis codes for the use of health insurance companies.

For some experienced coders, the average annual salary can go as high as $62,000 a year, but it is rare. According to US labor statistics, most entry-level medical billing jobs pay a salary of $35,000 a year, while healthcare professionals in senior coding & billing positions get an average of $43,000-$44,000 a year.

• This range has been consistent in the past 5 years and is likely to hold up (due to increased spending and focus on healthcare jobs) between the years of 2012 through 2018. This includes the transition period from ICD-9 to ICD-10 in 2014 as well.

• The salary you get also depends on your location, the economy, and the nature of any coding jobs you may be experienced in. For the same position, a coding job in a larger city will attract a higher salary than one in a smaller city.

• For example, a certified medical coder working for healthcare facilities in New York, Los Angeles or even San Diego earns around $22-30 per hour, while for the same position, a person in Bloomington, Cleveland or Northern Colorado may get $16 an hour. This is primarily because of significantly better scope for health care professionals in large metropolitan cities that have a higher concentration of hospitals, health care providers and urgent care centers.

But remember that, as a career option, medical coding and billing graduates draw comparatively higher salaries even at the entry level, than those in other healthcare companies. You also don't need extensive medical coding training and are able to start working earlier.

This means, if you have completed high school or have an Associate degree, then you can look forward to a rewarding career in the field.

But to make all of this happen, you need to be certified and it certainly helps if you have some prior experience in the healthcare industry (like a medical billing company, hospital management or medical practice management) or knowledge of current procedural terminology and healthcare reimbursement.

While you are free to choose from online schools to community college for your certification or degree, the quickest way to get a higher medical coding and billing salary is to have credentials from organizations like the American Academy of Certified Professionals (AAPC) or American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA).

The certification exam of AAPC is called Certified Professional Coder (CPC) while that of AHIMA is called the Certified Coding Specialist-Physician (CCS-P).

Most US employers want to see proof of passing at least one of these exams on your resume. This is as important for advancing in this field as it is about getting a job in the first place.

From the viewpoint of salary, a candidate with a CPC or CCS-P usually gets around $7,000 more per year than one without. That's at least 16% higher income than non-certified billers and coders.

Recommended website:

Medical Coding Certification Prep - The A to Z Exam Guide (with Videos)

The fastest way to get certified and maximize your salary potential