National data — wages and growth are not published by state for this view.
Certification
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA)
Median earnings
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Cost
$299
Duration
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Completion
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The Certified Coding Specialist certification is designed for individuals skilled in classifying medical data from medical records. CCS professionals demonstrate a practitioner’s tested skills in data quality and accuracy as well as mastery of coding proficiency.
Assign and sequence diagnosis and procedure codes based on provider documentation and official coding guidelinesApply coding conventions, POA guidelines, and coding edits to ensure accurate code assignment across inpatient and outpatient settingsDemonstrate knowledge of reimbursement methodologies and identify major comorbid conditions to support accurate claimsVerify and validate health record documentation to ensure completeness and accuracy prior to code assignmentResolve conflicting documentation within the health record to support accurate and compliant codingAnalyze health record documentation to identify query opportunities and ensure queries are compliant and non-leadingConstruct ethical and compliant provider queries using appropriate clinical indicators to clarify documentationEnsure health record completeness and coding accuracy in compliance with HIPAA, UHDDS, and AHIMA ethical coding standardsIdentify patient safety indicators and hospital-acquired conditions based on provider documentation and payer-specific guidelinesUtilize EHR systems, encoding software, and computer-assisted coding tools to support accurate and efficient coding workflowsEnsure compliance with HITECH guidelines in the use of health information technologies