Applying for the Examination

CCS Examination Eligibility Requirements

CCS-P Examination Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to sit for the CCS-P exam, you must have earned a high school diploma from a United States high school or have an equivalent educational background. Although not required, it is strongly recommended that you have experience in physician-based ICD-9-CM, CPT, and HCPCS Level II medical record coding. Past experience has shown that those with three or more years of multi-specialty physician-based coding experience are more likely to pass.

Taking More than One Exam in a Calendar Year

The CCS and CCS-P examinations cannot be taken on the same day. Each examination can only be taken once per year; therefore, unsuccessful candidates from the first administration cannot take the same examination on the second administration within the same year.

An individual can take the CCS exam during the first administration of the year and the CCS-P exam during the second administration of the year, or vice versa. An application must be completed for each exam.

Special Testing Accommodations

1. Special Test Date for Religious Reasons

Requests for special non-Saturday examinations are authorized if your religion prohibits you from taking the examination on a Saturday; there is no additional fee for such a request. Submit the Request for a Non-Saturday Examination form to AHIMA with your application, requesting that you be permitted to take the examination on the alternative non-Saturday testing date and note your request on the application form. Requests for non-Saturday testing must be submitted by the published deadlines. The test site you select must be one of the regularly scheduled sites. Special test dates will be confirmed no later than two weeks before the scheduled exam.

2. Special Accommodations for Individuals with Special Needs

AHIMA and AMP comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and will provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities. If you require special accommodations, you must complete and submit all of the following:

• Request for Special Examination Accommodations form
• Documentation of Disability-Related Needs form
• Letter/memo submitted and signed from a qualified healthcare professional on official letterhead

The Documentation of Disability-Related Needs form must also be signed by a qualified healthcare professional. You will be notified in writing of procedures that you will need to follow to assure that the assessment center will be able to accommodate your special needs on your testing date. Arrangements for special accommodations may take up to 45 days to coordinate

Application Rejection

Applications received after the late application deadline will be rejected and returned to the applicant without exception. To sit for certification, the applicant will have to wait until the next scheduled examination date.

Applications received after the late application deadline will not be held over for the next available exam date. These applications will be rejected according to the procedure outlined above.

Invalidation of Scores

The criteria for eligibility, deadline dates, and fee acceptance are strictly enforced.

In the event a candidate sits for the exam and does not comply with application procedures, the exam scores may be invalidated. You will be notified by certified mail if this is the case. If you receive a notice that your score is being invalidated, you will be provided with information on appeal procedures.

Invalidation means that the candidate's score report will be destroyed and the results of the examination will not be released to anyone, including the candidate. Individuals whose scores are invalidated may not receive certification, and their application fees are forfeited. To sit for the certification exam in the future, the candidate must meet the current eligibility requirements and submit a new application fee.

Appeal Procedures for Denial of the Opportunity to Sit for Certification and for Invalidation of Scores

Any candidate denied the opportunity to sit for the certification examination or notified of an intent to invalidate examination scores may appeal. Appeals must be made in writing to:

Attn: Appeals Task Force

AHIMA

233 N. Michigan Ave., 21st Floor

Chicago, IL 60601-5800

The appeal should include a written explanation of the nature of the problem, along with evidence or documentation to support the appeal. The burden of proof is borne by the applicant. Appeals must be received within 10 days of the date of notification of the application denial or the intent to invalidate scores. Individuals whose appeals are denied by the Appeals Task Force, a subcommittee of the Council on Certification (COC), may request reconsideration from the full council. The decision of the COC is final.

Refund and Withdrawal Policy

•  Application Withdrawals

You may withdraw from the examination by submitting a written request to AHIMA .   The request must be submitted no later than the published deadline to receive a refund (minus a $100.00 processing fee).   No refunds will be made for requests received after the published deadline.

•  Failure to Appear for the Examination

You are not eligible for a refund of your fee if you fail to appear for the examination. Only under extreme circumstances will requests for refunds be considered (minus a $100 processing fee). If you fail to appear for the examination because of an illness or other emergency, you must submit a request in writing accompanied by a physician's statement or other official documentation postmarked no later than 30 days after the scheduled examination date. AHIMA reserves the right to grant or deny withdrawal requests. Withdrawal requests under the above-mentioned circumstances should be submitted to:

AHIMA

Attn: Certification Dept.

233 N. Michigan Ave., 21st Floor

Chicago, IL 60601-5800

To retake the exam, candidates must:

•  Meet current eligibility requirements

•  Reapply by submitting a current application and appropriate fee

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