Certified Professional Coder

• Knowledge of assigning accurate medical codes for diagnoses, procedures, and services performed by physicians and other qualified healthcare providers.
• Knowledge of medical coding guidelines and regulations, including compliance and reimbursement – allowing a CPC to better handle issues such as medical necessity, claims denials, bundling issues, and charge capture.
• Knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology necessary to correctly code provider diagnosis and services.

AAPC designed a syllabus for Certification of professional Coding. This syllabus is completed in 3-4 month and then you have to qualify the examination with 70% or higher.

The CPC Exam

• 150 multiple choice questions (proctored)
• 5 hours and 40 minutes to finish the exam
• One free retake
• $380 ($300 AAPC Students) - one free retake
• Open code book (manuals)

Syllabus

The COC examination covers the questions of CPT, HCPCS Level II procedure and supply codes and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes used for coding and billing outpatient facility/hospital and freestanding ASC services to insurance companies. COC Exam covers following topics thoroughly.

10,000 CPT Series

• 10 questions
• Surgical procedures performed on the integumentary system
  • Skin, subcutaneous, and accessory structures
  • Nails
  • Pilonidal cysts
  • Repairs
  • Destruction
  • Breast

20,000 CPT Series

• 10 questions
• Surgical procedures performed on the musculoskeletal system
  • Head
  • Neck
  • Back and flank
  • Spine
  • Abdomen
  • Shoulder
  • Arm
  • Hand and fingers
  • Pelvis and hip
  • Leg
  • Foot and toes

30,000 CPT Series

• 10 questions
• Surgical procedures performed on the respiratory system
  • Nose
  • Accessory sinuses
  • Larynx
  • Lungs and pleura
• Surgical procedures performed on the cardiovascular system
  • Heart and pericardium
  • Arteries and veins
• Surgical procedures performed on the hemic and lymphatic systems
  • Spleen
  • Lymph nodes and lymph channels
• Surgical procedures performed on the mediastinum and diaphragm

40,000 CPT Series

• 10 questions
• Surgical procedures performed on the digestive system
  • Lips
  • Mouth
  • Palate and uvula
  • Salivary gland and ducts
  • Pharynx, adenoids, and tonsils
  • Esophagus
  • Stomach
  • Intestines
  • Appendix
  • Rectum
  • Anus
  • Liver
  • Biliary Tract
  • Pancreas
  • Abdomen, peritoneum, and omentum

50,000 CPT Series

• 10 questions
• Surgical procedures performed on the urinary system
  • Kidneys
  • Ureter
  • Bladder
  • Urethra
• Surgical procedures performed on the male reproductive system
  • Penis
  • Testis
  • Epididymis
  • Tunica
  • Scrotum
  • Vas deferens
  • Spermatic cord
  • Seminal vesicles
  • Prostate
• Surgical procedures performed on the female reproductive system
  • Vulva, perineum, and introitus
  • Vagina
  • Uterus
  • Fallopian Tubes
  • Ovaries
• Maternity and Delivery
• Surgical procedures performed on the endocrine system
  • Thyroid gland
  • Parathyroid
  • Thymus
  • Adrenal glands
  • Pancreas
  • Carotid body

60,000 CPT Series

• 10 questions
• Surgical procedures performed on the nervous system
  • Skull, meninges, brain
  • Spine
  • Spinal cord
  • Extracranial nerves
  • Peripheral nerves
  • Autonomic nervous system

Evaluation and Management

• 10 questions
• Office/Other Outpatient
• Hospital Observation
• Hospital Inpatient
• Consultations
• Emergency Department
• Critical Care
• Nursing Facility
• Domiciliary and Rest Homes
• Home Services
• Prolonged Services
• Case Management
• Care Plan Oversight
• Preventive Medicine
• Non-Face-to-Face Services
• Special E/M
• Newborn Care
• Neonatal and Pediatric Critical Care and Intensive Care
• Complex Chronic Care Coordination
• Transitional Care Management

Anesthesia

• 8 questions
• Time reporting
• Qualifying Circumstances
• Physical Status Modifiers
• Anesthesia for surgical, diagnostic and obstetric services

Radiology

• 10 questions
• Diagnostic Radiology
• Diagnostic Ultrasound
• Radiologic Guidance
• Mammography
• Bone and Joint Studies
• Radiation Oncology
• Nuclear Medicine

Lab and Pathology

• 10 questions

Medicine

• 10 questions

Medical terminology

• 8 questions
• Covers all system in human body

Anatomy

• 8 questions
• Covers all system in human body

ICD-10-CM

• 10 questions
• ICD-10-CM Offical Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
• Diagnosis for all the chapters included in ICD-10-CM
• Diagnosis questions will also appear in other sections of the exam from the CPT® categories

HCPCS level II

• 5 questions
• Modifiers
• Supplies
• Medications
• Professional services for Medicare patients

Coding Guideline

• 6 questions
• ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
• CPT coding guidelines and parenthetical notes
• Modifier use

Coding Guideline

• 5 questions
• Services covered under Medicare Parts A, B, C and D
• Apply coding to payment policy
• Place of service reporting
• Fraud and Abuse
• NCCI edits
• NCD/LCD
• HIPAA
• ABNs
• RVUs