AHIMA and APPCA
AHIMA AND AAPC
In this paper I’m going to talking about what AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association) and APPC(American Academy of Professional Coders) code of ethics are and the relevance that these two have to the coding profession. Then I’m going to explain how AHIMA and APPC code of ethics are incorporated into the Medical Insurance Specialist (MIS) field, and why continuing your education is important in this field. Hopefully after reading this paper you will have learned the difference between AHIMA and APPC codes of ethics. American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) was founded in 1988 to provided 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. Since then, AAPC has expanded beyond coding to include training and credentials in documentation and coding audits, regulatory compliance, and physician practice management according to their website. The certification process for AAPC is a coder needs to take a test that consist of 150 multiple choice questions that they have five hours and forty minutes to finish it with in. It focuses on the correct application of CPT, ICD-9 and HCPCS. To maintain certification the coder must maintain AAPC membership annul and submit proof of attending 36 hours of CEUs (Continuing Education Units) every two years. The coder can still take the test without two years’ experience but the credentials will “A” after them, which represent an apprentice. But they will do have a least to have two letters of verification of 2 years’ experience, including one from current employer, or supply one letter from an employer verifying 1 year of coding experience and documentation of 80 hours of approved coding education, or complete an online coding exercise consisting of 800 progress notes which must be coded with 90% accuracy. (Ross, K.
In this paper I’m going to talking about what AHIMA (American Health Information Management Association) and APPC(American Academy of Professional Coders) code of ethics are and the relevance that these two have to the coding profession. Then I’m going to explain how AHIMA and APPC code of ethics are incorporated into the Medical Insurance Specialist (MIS) field, and why continuing your education is important in this field. Hopefully after reading this paper you will have learned the difference between AHIMA and APPC codes of ethics. American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) was founded in 1988 to provided 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. Since then, AAPC has expanded beyond coding to include training and credentials in documentation and coding audits, regulatory compliance, and physician practice management according to their website. The certification process for AAPC is a coder needs to take a test that consist of 150 multiple choice questions that they have five hours and forty minutes to finish it with in. It focuses on the correct application of CPT, ICD-9 and HCPCS. To maintain certification the coder must maintain AAPC membership annul and submit proof of attending 36 hours of CEUs (Continuing Education Units) every two years. The coder can still take the test without two years’ experience but the credentials will “A” after them, which represent an apprentice. But they will do have a least to have two letters of verification of 2 years’ experience, including one from current employer, or supply one letter from an employer verifying 1 year of coding experience and documentation of 80 hours of approved coding education, or complete an online coding exercise consisting of 800 progress notes which must be coded with 90% accuracy. (Ross, K.
References: Ross, K. (October 30, 2013) Coding Ethics Professional Certification [PowerPoint slides] undefined. (undefined). AHIMA. In Who We Are. Retrieved October 4,2013, from http://www.ahima.org/about/aboutahima. undefined. (undefined). AAPC. In About Us . Retrieved October 4,2013, from http://www.aapc.com/AboutUs/.