Certified Coding Specialist- Physician-based(CCS-P®)- Explore Further Coding Opportunities through Professional Certification
CCS-Ps are coding practitioners who:
- Specialize in physician-based settings such as physician offices, group practices, multi-specialty clinics, or specialty centers
- Review patient records and assign numeric codes for each diagnosis and procedure
- Possess in-depth knowledge of the CPT coding system and familiarity with the ICD-9-CM and HCPCS Level II coding systems
- Are experts in health information documentation, data integrity, and quality
- Play a critical role in a health provider's business operations, because patients' coded data is submitted to insurance companies or the government for expense reimbursement.
The employment outlook for CCS-Ps is highly favorable, considering the growth of managed care and the movement of health services delivery beyond the hospital setting. Professionals performing coding in a doctor's office, clinic, or similar setting should consider obtaining the CCS-P certification to testify to their capabilities. The CCS-P certification exam assesses mastery-level proficiency in coding rather than entry-level skills.
Eligibility
CCS-P Eligibility FAQ Document
Candidates must meet one of the following eligibility requirements:
- By Credential: RHIA®, RHIT®, or CCS® OR
- By Education: Completion of a coding training program that includes anatomy & physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, reimbursement methodology, intermediate/advanced ICD diagnostic/procedural and CPT coding; OR
- By Experience: Minimum of two (2) years of related coding experience directly applying codes; OR
- By Credential with Experience: CCA® plus one (1) year of coding experience directly applying codes; OR
- Other Coding credential from other certifying organization plus one (1) year coding experience directly applying codes.
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 Fees
Member Price: $299
Non-member price: $399
Exam Application Checklist
- Read Candidate Guide
- Apply for exam
- Upon receipt of authorization to test (ATT), read it completely
- Schedule exam with Pearson Vue
- Verify what form(s) of Identification are needed at the testing center
- Verify time and date of exam
Eligibility Period
A candidate’s eligibility period is defined in the Authorization to Test letter (ATT) as a four-month window in which candidates are required to schedule their exam appointment. Candidates who fail to schedule an examination appointment within their eligibility period indicated in their ATT will forfeit their application fee. A complete application and examination fee are required to reapply for the examination.
Candidates arriving at the test center 15 minutes after the scheduled appointment will not be allowed to test and will forfeit the testing fee. A complete application and examination fee are required to reapply for the examination.
Exam Preparation Information
Exam Specifications
- Multiple Choice Section- The multiple choice section will consist of 88 single response multiple-choice items (70 "scored" and 18 "pre-test" items). Pre-test items are unscored items that are included in the examination to assess the item's performance prior to using it for operational use in a future examination. The pre-test items are scrambled randomly throughout the examination and do not count toward the candidate's score.
- Multiple Select Section- The multiple select section will consist of 8 multiple response items (6 "scored" and 2 "pre-test" items). Pre-test items are unscored items.
- Fill in the Blank Section (Medical Record Cases)- The fill in the blank section will consist of 13 medical record cases, which requires you to perform diagnostic (ICD-9-CM) and procedural (CPT and HCPCS Level II) coding for physician services.
- The total testing time for the exams is 4 hours.
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.