Effective March 31, 2012 the CCA exam will require 2012 version of the ICD-9 & CPT codebooks, please review the list of allowable codebooks if you have any questions. Candidates that do no present the correct versions of codebooks will forfeit their exam fees.

 

CCA—Demonstrate Your Coding Competency in Any Setting 

Based upon job analysis standards and state-of-the-art test construction, the CCA designation has been a nationally accepted standard of achievement in the health information management (HIM) field since 2002. More than 8,000 people have attained the certification since inception. The CCA is the only HIM credential worldwide currently accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

The CCA credential distinguishes coders by exhibiting commitment and demonstrating coding competencies across all settings, including both hospitals and physician practices. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a shortage of more than 50,000 qualified HIM and HIT workers by 2015. Becoming a CCA positions you as a leader in an exciting and growing market. CCAs:

• Exhibit a level of commitment, competency, and professional capability that employers are looking for
• Demonstrate a commitment to the coding profession
• Distinguish themselves from non-credentialed coders and those holding credentials from organizations less demanding of the higher level of expertise required to earn AHIMA certification 

How Does the CCA Compare with Other AHIMA Coding Credentials?

The CCA exhibits coding competency in any setting, including both hospitals and physician practices. The CCS and CCS-P exams demonstrate mastery level skills in an area of specialty: hospital-based for CCS's and physician practice-based for CCS-Ps.

 Effective March 31, 2012 the CCA exam will require 2012 version of the ICD-9 & CPT codebooks, please review the list of allowable codebooks if you have any questions. Candidates that do no present the correct versions of codebooks will forfeit their exam fees.

Eligibility Requirements

CCA examination candidates must have a high school diploma from a United States high school or an equivalent educational background.

Although not required, it is strongly recommended that candidates have at least six months experience in:

• A healthcare organization applying ICD-9-CM and CPT coding conventions and guidelines,
  or
• Have completed an AHIMA-approved coding certificate program
  or
• Have completed other formal coding training program

Exam Information

Effective March 31, 2012 the CCA exam will require 2012 version of the ICD-9 & CPT codebooks, please review the list of allowable codebooks if you have any questions. Candidates that do no present the correct versions of codebooks will forfeit their exam fees.

 Applying for the Exam

• Exam Fees
• Application Checklist
• Exam Scoring/Passing Scores
• Annual Exam Pass Rates 
• 2005 CCA Job Analysis

Applying for the Exam

Submitting an Application

Before submitting an application, carefully review the information contained in this guide. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure eligibility before submitting the application. Applicants who are determined to be ineligible and submit an ineligible application or request withdrawal of their application, will receive a refund of the application fee minus a $75 processing fee.

Applicants may register online or by submitting a paper application .

Exam Application Checklist

• Read Candidate Guide
• Apply for exam
  • Register Online
  • Exam Application
  • Special Accommodations Form - Form A and B
• Submit all paperwork necessary (transcripts, resume, other documentation)
• Upon receipt of authorization to test (ATT), read it completely
• Schedule exam with Pearson Vue
  
• Verify what materials are needed at the testing center
• Verify time and date of exam

Exam Preparation Information

• Exam Specifications
• Exam Content Outline
• Cognitive Levels
• Exam Scoring/Passing Scores
• Recommended Resources
• AHIMA Approved Coding Programs

Effective March 31, 2012 the CCA exam will require 2012 version of the ICD-9 & CPT codebooks, please review the list of allowable codebooks if you have any questions. Candidates that do no present the correct versions of codebooks will forfeit their exam fees.

Exam Notice

The CCA exam is based on ICD-9-CM codes effective October 1, 2010, and CPT codes effective January 1, 2011. Only the American Medical Association CPT codebook is permitted. HCPCS II codebooks and ICD-9-CM codebooks containing HCPCS national level II codebooks are not permitted for this examination.

Candidates who report to the test center with incorrect code books (i.e. incorrect version, books not on the list of allowable code books) will not be permitted to test and will forfeit their exam application fee.

• List of Allowable Codebooks

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Exam Specifications

2 hour, 100 multiple-choice item examination consisting of 90 scored items and 10 pretest items.

Candidates' scores are based solely upon the number of scored items on the exam - pretest items do not affect the candidates' score. Pretest questions are administered to evaluate the item's difficulty level for possible inclusion as a scored question in future exams. These pretest questions are dispersed throughout the exam and cannot be identified by the candidate.

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Exam Content Outline

A certification examination is based on an explicit set of competencies. These competencies have been determined through a job analysis study conducted of practitioners. The competencies are divided into domains and tasks as shown in the PDF below. Examinations test only content pertaining to the following competencies.

• CCA Exam Content Outline (effective March 31, 2011)
• 2011 CCA Exam Content Outline/Crosswalk (effective March 31, 2011)

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CCA Resources

• CCA Recommended Resources

Every test question on AHIMA's certification examinations must be referenced to a valid, credible, and current resource. AHIMA's construction committee members and item writers most commonly use the following:

• Basic Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and HCPCS Coding, 2011 edition
• Basic ICD-9-CM Coding (2011 Edition)
• CPT Professional Edition 2011 (AMA)
• CPT Standard Edition 2011 (AMA)
• Coders' Desk Reference for Procedures, 2011 (Ingenix)
• Coding Clinic for ICD-9-CM (Quarterly Publication Edition) (AHA Press)
• Documentation for Medical Records, 2009
• Documentation for Ambulatory Care, 2001
• Electronic Health Records: A Practical Guide for Professionals and Organizations, 4th edition
• HIPAA in Practice: The Health Information Manager's Perspective, 2004
• Health Information Management Compliance: A Model Program for Healthcare Organizations, 4th Edition, 2007
• Health Information Management Technology: An Applied Approach, 3rd Edition, 2011
• Health Information: Management of a Strategic Resource, 3rd Edition, 2007 (Elsevier)
• ICD-9-CM Coding Handbook, 2009 (AHA Press)
• ICD-9-CM Diagnostic Coding and Reimbursement for Physician Services, 2010 edition
• Legal Aspects of Health Information Management, 2nd Edition, 2003 (Delmar)
• Pathophysiology: Concepts and Applications for Health Care Professionals, 3rd Edition, 2004 (McGraw- Hill)
• Principles of CPT Coding, 5th Edition, 2005 (AMA)
• Procedural Coding and Reimbursement for Physician Services: Applying Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and HCPCS, 2009 edition
• Quality and Performance Improvement in Healthcare: A Tool for Programmed Learning, 4th Edition
• Statistical Applications for Health Information Management, 2nd Edition
• Stedman's Medical Dictionary, 28th Edition, 2005 (Stedman's)
• The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy, 18th Edition, 2006 (Merck Publishing)

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