CCS® vs CPC®: Which Certification is Right for You?

The Certified Professional Coder (CPC) and Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) exams are both geared toward people who wish to work in the healthcare industry as medical billers or coders. By passing these exams, you earn professional certifications that verify your knowledge and skills in medical coding across a variety of patient encounters and healthcare settings.

The CPC® certification is administered by AAPC and consists of 100 multiple-choice questions that evaluate your understanding of 17 areas of knowledge, including anatomy, medicine, pathology and medical terminology, as they relate to medical coding. To pass the CPC exam, you need to achieve a score of at least 70%.

The CCS® exam, is administered by AHIMA. The test consists of a medical scenario section and a multiple-choice section. The entire test is administered via computer, and the total number of questions ranges from 115 to 140 depending on the year. To pass the CCS exam, you need to achieve a score of 300.

It's helpful to keep in mind that while a side by side CCS vs CPC comparison will reveal some overlap between the two, they are distinct in some important ways.

The CPC and CCS certifications are both effective ways to validate your coding knowledge and experience, and each requires you to demonstrate a high level of coding proficiency. Your choice of which certification to pursue, however, may hinge on your career goals.

Based on information from AHIMA and AAPC, the differences between CCS vs CPC can be found in the following categories.

CCS certification is intended for more experienced medical coders and those who want to advance their careers. CPC certification might be a better fit for coders who are just starting out on their medical coding career journey.

Eligibility requirements for the CCS certification exam are based on a combination of completed coursework, work experience and credentials. Coders with a minimum of 2 years of medical coding experience are eligible. Coders with only 1 year of experience are also eligible if they have completed coursework in anatomy & physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, medical terminology, reimbursement methodology, intermediate/advanced ICD diagnostic coding, procedural coding and medical services (CPT®/HCPCS) or hold another industry-recognized certification.

To take the CPC certification exam, you must possess knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy and pathophysiology, as well as an understanding of the proper application of CPT procedure codes, HCPCS Level II procedure and supply codes and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes.

Another key difference in CCS vs CPC is where the certification holders work. CCS professionals typically work in hospitals or other inpatient healthcare facilities. They are skilled in accurately classifying medical data from patient records to obtain reimbursement from insurance companies and government programs such as Medicaid and Medicare, and for use by researchers and public health officials.

The AAPC calls the CPC certification the gold standard for medical coding in a physician office setting. CPC professionals typically work in outpatient settings, like a physician’s office, with reimbursement related coding for services performed by physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

Both certifications focus on coding for reimbursement. They do, however focus in 2 different areas. CCS professionals are typically focused on reimbursement related coding in hospital and facility settings, while CPC coders focus on provider and physician coding.

The CCS and CPC certification exams are both administered in a computer-based format and are largely multiple-choice based exams.

Here’s a more detailed description of the content and format of each exam:

The CCS certification exam is a timed exam given in a computer-based format with a total of 115-140 items in 2 sections. You are given 4 hours to complete the exam. The multiple-choice section presents content in several domains:

The 100-question CPC exam features questions in 17 domains covering topics that include:

The certifying bodies of both credentials maintain strict requirements for recertification, which involve continuing education units (CEUs) and recertification fees.

For CCS recertification, each recertification cycle has a duration of 2 years. CCS professionals must earn a particular number of CEUs during each 2 year recertification cycle, which they can do by earning an additional AHIMA certification or Microcredential, serving as an AHIMA volunteer or being an author in a research journal or trade publication.

For CPC recertification, the AAPC requires CPC professionals must also maintain a certain number of CEUs during a 2 year cycle, with a certain number of those CEUs corresponding to a discipline or specialty, depending on the particular credential a holder has.

Preparation is important when you’re working to pass the CPC or CCS exams. As with many professional certification exams, it can be helpful to have prior experience in an academic setting or through on-the-job experience, if possible.

Here are just a few of the ways you might consider preparing for the CPC or CCS exams:

Practice exams are an effective way to acclimate yourself to the types of questions you'll likely run into and may help you feel less out of your comfort zone when it’s time to take the actual exam. You might even consider taking your practice a step further by challenging yourself to complete practice exams under the same time restrictions.

When preparing for the CCS or CPC exams, you'll want to make sure you're studying the correct medical codes. Having a working knowledge of how different code systems are organized may help you feel more prepared and reduce the amount of time it takes for you to find the correct answers.