National Associates, Inc.
Coding Institute (80 hours)
CPC/CPC-A Training
POLICIES AND GUIDELINES
Professional Medical Coding Classes
Certified Professional Coder (CPC) is the first line of defense against noncompliance and down-coding for any medical provider.
Certified coders help prevent legal difficulties and ensure providers receive full reimbursement in a timely manner.
Our instructors have been training physicians and coders for over a decade.
The Curriculum includes:
• Lecture
• Exercises
• Abstracting from Operative Reports
• End of Chapter Tests
• Final Exam
What is a Certified Coder (CPC)?
A Certified Professional Coder (CPC) is an individual of high professional integrity, who has passed a coding certification examination sponsored by the American Academy of Professional Coders. The examination consists of questions regarding the correct application of CPT, HCPCS procedure and supply codes and ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes used for billing professional medical services to insurance companies. A CPC must have at least two years coding experience and maintain yearly CEU requirements (18 CEU’s) which must be submitted to the AAPC every two (2) years.
A student who successfully passes the AAPC’s certification examination will be awarded the CPC certification if he/she has At least two years full time coding experience.
Full Time is defined as follows:
• Thirty-two (32) or more hours per week.
• Job must be either coding or coding related (CPT books used daily).
• One year experience may be waived for completing the A+ Coding Institute’s 80 hour coding course.
• Six months experience will be waived for completing A+ Coding Institute’s Boot Camp 40 hour coding course.
CPC-Apprentice (CPC-A)
Students lacking any of the above combination of coding experience and education who successfully sit for and pass the exam will be awarded the apprentice certification (CPC-A). The same exam is administered.
Upon passing, the student will be sent a certificate stating the CPC-A credential has been earned.
The same number of CEU’s are required each year (18 CEU’s) for both CPC and CPC-A credentials and are required to be submitted to the AAPC every two (2) years (36 CEU’s).
Once the student has completed the coding experience requirements, two letters of recommendation must be submitted to the AAPC.
• One letter from the student’s employer.
• If part of the experience is waived for education one letter must come from the instructor.
Upon receipt and approval of the letters the “-A” will be dropped from the credential and a diploma will be issued.
NAI Coding Institute
ABC’s of Medical Billing
A high level review of medical office billing procedures rules and regulations
Addendum Anatomy and Word Elements
A review of basic human anatomy, medical and surgical terms, and a review of how medical terms can be broken down into word elements to obtain word meaning are contained in this chapter.
Chapter One ∞ Introduction to CPT
A high level overview of CPT is covered in this chapter. This chapter addresses the CPT format as well as how to use the CPT index. Topics include a review of the section numbers and their sequences, terminology and format. A discussion of the three levels of HCPCS coding conventions, a legend to explain HCPCS specific symbols, appendices and modifiers are provided. An in-depth presentation and review on how to search for various HCPCS codes are provided.
Chapter Two ∞ Evaluation & Management
This chapter addresses the coding conventions for identifying and selecting the appropriate evaluation and management service The “key” components are defined and the determination of patient status, e.g., “new” versus “established” are addressed. AMA© conventions for using time as a basis of selecting a visit are discussed along with consultations, emergency department services, critical care, preventive medicine and home care coding guidelines.
Chapter Three ∞ Anesthesia
A discussion of the ASA relative values, anesthesia guidelines, modifiers, code organization and crosswalk, as well as a review of the different types of anesthesia available for patients and the methods in which they are administered and covered in this chapter.
Chapter Four ∞ Introduction to the Surgery Section and Integumentary Section
This chapter presents the “global surgical package” concept and coding conventions. “Separate procedures” and “add-on” CPT procedure codes in great detail. CPT modifiers are examined in great depth. This information teaches the students how to use a set of coding rules for surgery, applying them across all anatomical subsection of surgery codes. This chapter also includes an overview of anatomy and medical terms as they apply to the integumentary system. A discussion of procedures and techniques, e.g., debridement, repair, etc., lesion measurement, local treatment of burns and Moh's’ micrographic surgery is provided.
Chapter Five ∞ Musculoskeletal System
This chapter includes an overview of anatomy and medical terms as they apply to the musculoskeletal system. This chapter covers CPT procedure and coding guidelines for incisions/excisions, introductions and removals, repairs and reconstruction, fractures, and dislocations as well as endoscopies, arthroscopies and arthrodesis of the musculoskeletal system.
Chapter Six ∞ Respiratory System
This chapter covers procedure and coding guidelines pertaining to the respiratory system. Topics include the respiratory process, endoscopic and sinus surgeries, procedure and coding explanations of the larynx, trachea bronchi, lungs and pleura.
Chapter Seven ∞ Cardiovascular System
Cardio-thoracic surgery of the heart, coronary arteries and great vessels present a special set of coding challenges, which are discussed in this chapter. Pacemaker and auto-defibrillator placement also come with a unique set of coding conventions that are covered in this chapter. Surgery on the vasculature for occlusive disease and aneurysms are also addressed. Therapeutic and diagnostic vascular procedures, such as creation of an A/V shunt for dialysis, venipuncture, vein stripping, and refilling of an implantable infusion port are all addressed in this chapter.
Chapter Eight ∞ Female Genital System and Maternity Care and Delivery
This chapter is an in-depth look at the female reproductive system for both gynecologic procedures and the conventions of coding for obstetrical care can be found in this chapter.
Chapter Nine ∞ General Surgery I
Digestive System
Urinary and Male Genitourinary System
Chapter Ten ∞ General Surgery II
Hemic and Lymphatic Systems
Endocrine System
Nervous System
Eye and Ocular Adnexa
Chapter Eleven ∞ Radiology Section
A discussion of radiological procedures and coding guidelines including: body positions and relationship terms, radiological supervision and interpretation codes, technique and equipment issues, diagnostic radiology, MRI's, ultrasounds, and radiation oncology are covered in this chapter.
Chapter Twelve ∞ Pathology/Laboratory Section
This chapter covers procedure and coding issues pertaining to pathology and laboratory. Topics include: organ and disease oriented panels, drug testing, therapeutic drug assays, consultations, hematology and coagulation, blood counts, hemograms and differentials, bone marrow procedures, blood clot studies, transfusion medicine, microbiology, anatomic pathology, and CLIA requirements.
Chapter Thirteen ∞ Medicine
This chapter discusses immunization and administration for vaccines/toxoids, therapeutic and diagnostic infusions, psychiatry, dialysis, gastroenterology, ophthalmology codes, cardiovascular codes, physical medicine, and other special services that are found in the Medicine section of the CPT-4 text.
Chapter Fourteen & Fifteen ∞ ICD-9-CM
This chapter covers all aspects of the ICD-9-CM text including medical necessity, coding guidelines and how-to-steps, coding conventions, coding tips, as well as a section devoted to the use and understanding of Volumes I and II are located in this chapter.
Chapter Sixteen ∞ Third Party
Reimbursement Issues
CPC Examination Preparation Course Program Costs:
Payable to the AAPC
Membership Fee $ 70.00 (non-refundable)
AAPC National Board Exam Fee $260.00 (non-refundable)
AAPC Membership dues and exam fee is payable to the American Academy of Professional Coder’s. This fee will be due at least 8 weeks before your test date
National Associates, Inc.
Instructors Fee (Includes Text Book, Coding Books and Work Book) $ 2,500.00
Total Due to National Associates, Inc. $ 2,500.00
Make check payable to: NAI for Registration Fee or give us a call to pay via credit card
Admission Policies
National Associates, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of sex, ethnicity, religion, age, disability, or national origin in the admission process.
• Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at the start of the program.
• Applicants must have a High School Diploma or GED.
• Applicants are strongly advised to have knowledge of the following subjects:
Payment Policy Classroom Course
Deposit of $400.00 shall be paid at the time of registration. The balance of the tuition and all other fees shall be paid on or before the first day of class. (Payment plans must be authorized before enrollment and contract completed prior to the first day of class).
National Associates, Inc. Coding Institute
1 Quarter
ABC’s Medical Billing
2nd Quarter
A Walk through CPT Coding
3rd Quarter
Getting to know ICD-9 Coding,
Intro to ICD-10
4th Quarter
Coding Reports and notes
Sample CPC exam please be on time. This will be a timed test.
The National Certification is awarded by the American Academy of Professional Coders after successfully passing the National Examination.
Requirements for National Certification are as follows:
A student who successfully sits for and passes the AAPC’s certification examination will be awarded CPC certification if he/she has:
• At least two years full time coding experience
• Full time is defined as 32 or more hours per week.
• Job must be either coding or coding related (CPT books used daily)
• One year experience may be waived for completing an 80+ hour coding course.
• Six months experience will be waived for completing a 40+ hour coding course.
Students lacking any of the above combination of coding experience and education who successfully sit for and pass the exam will be awarded the apprentice certification. The same exam is administered.
Upon passing, the student will be sent a certificate stating the CPC-A credential has been earned.
Once the student has completed the coding experience requirement, two letters of recommendation must be submitted to the AAPC.
• One letter is required to come from the employer.
• One letter is required to come from the instructor documenting the amount of education.
Requirements for National Exam Application American Academy of Professional Coders:
Membership in the AAPC
Student membership fee $70.00
Regular membership fee $120.00
Exam Payment
PMCC student $260.00
All others $300.00
Exam paperwork must be completed and received by AAPC at least six weeks prior to exam date:
• Membership Application Form
• National Exam Application
• National Exam Order Form
• Two Letters of Recommendation
• Employer Letter
• Instructor Letter