Medical Billing Certification

Medical billing certification is usually obtained by sitting for an exam that test your knowledge on a specific subject.

Upon passing the examination you will be awarded a certificate that validates your knowledge by specifying the type of credentials you have earned through your testing.

Although there is not a single certification standard, some type of certification is required in most places of employment.

What is the difference between the four medical billing organizations?

The history of AHIMA dates back 1928. They were first founded as the Association of Record Librarians of North America (ARLNA) by the American College of Surgeons for the purpose of more accurate record keeping. Through their history they have changed their name twice more and are currently known as AHIMA.

From the beginning to the present their organization has been mainly focused around medical record keeping, clinical data, and health information. In addition to the four medical billing certifications AHIMA offers they also offer several medical coding credentials.

Currently AHIMA is a globally recognized organization with a membership that is 53,000 strong. Individuals holding credentials from this organization are usually highly sought after by employers nationwide.

AAMA:

The AAMA was founded in 1955. The purpose of this organization was to standardize education for individuals assisting physicians in order to improve the quality of care for patients.

Through the years the AAMA has been on the fore front creating quality standards, implementing education programs, and developing curriculum.

he AAMA is backed by the American Medical Association and currently holds the golden standard in this field by offering the Certified Medical Assistant credential for either the clinical or administrative focus.

AMBA:

The AMBA was founded in 1998. This organization was created to provide a way for medical billers to network, to educate others, and to help standardized medical billing certification.

This organization is still quite young and its credential is not yet a standard, but it is gaining recognition in the medical billing community.

The organization is trust worthy, offers solid education, and offers a certification which is a nice compliment to existing certifications and/or higher education.

Currently the AMBA holds a membership of 6,0000 and is growing.

Medical Association of Billers:

The Medical Association of Billers was created in 1995. This organization is education based on creating medical billing certification standards (similar to the AMBA).

This is also a young organization that is gaining recognition in the medical community but is not yet considered a standard.

The certification offered by this organization is a solid credential that nicely compliments existing education and/or certifications.

How do I know which credential to obtain?

Option #1:

Obtain an associates or bachelor's degree that can be coupled with the RHIT, RHIA, or CMA certification.

These three credentials are the most recognized and sought after in the medical billing industry.

Adding a medical coding certification to any of these three options is also suggested. These certifications combined will not only give individuals a clearer understanding of the medical billing cycle, but offer a competitive edge over those who hold only the single certification.

Options:

• RHIA requires a bachelor's degree
• RHIT requires an associate's degree
• CMA program is 1 year and can be extended into a 2 year associate's degree

When choosing between which of the three to peruse you will need to assess your career goals.

The RHIT and RHIA credentials are highly requested by large organizations and hospitals, but do limit individuals to administrative work.

The CMA credential is more versatile, offering individuals the opportunity to work in both professional and facility settings as well as either clinical or administrative settings.

Although the CMA credential is more versatile, if climbing the administrative ladder is your goal the RHIA or RHIT is a better fit.

If salary alone dictates your education decision the RHIT averages a higher annual salary than a CMA, and the RHIA more than the RHIT.

Option #2:

The CMRS and CMBS are both upcoming credentials that are nice compliments to existing education. The organizations that offer them are reputable and their education is solid and trust worthy.

Although it is not suggested that individuals staring out in the medical billing field obtain one of these alone, career opportunities may be found by choosing to couple one with a medical coding certification.

This is suggested for those who cannot invest years in education, but are willing to take an entery level position and work their way up.

Career opportunities may be limited to small private practices in the beginning.

Option #3:

Another option for individuals is to obtain medical coding certification first.

These courses generally run six months long and only require individuals to pass the certification exam (CPC or CCS coding credentials). The credentials are nationally recognized and highly sought after by employers.

This option allows individuals to seek employment within the medical billing cycle in a quicker fashion. This credential can then be held while pursuing higher education and medical billing certification.

Later, once other certifications are achieved, individuals will have a highly competitive edge due to their dual credentials in both fields.

Option #4:

Other credentials, such as the CHDA and CHPS, are not created for beginners and require several years of experience coupled with pre-existing education. These medical billing certifications are great goals to aim for, but not a starting point. Those who desire to obtain the CHDA or CHPS should begin their career path by obtaining the RHIT or RHIA first.