Even though the jobs of all medical billing and coding specialists are very similar, each certification you earn brings you new opportunities.  Every level of certification shows your knowledge and credibility in the medical billing field and can lead you to different positions in the health care industry. For example, some certifications apply to those looking to work as a medical biller in a physician’s office, while others are for those wanting to work in a hospital.

Courses for these certification programs are available at colleges and universities accredited by associations like AAPC, as well as online. We recommend researching and contacting nearby schools to see what medical billing classes are available.

Certified Coding Associate
This certification is offered by AAPC. Certified coding associates translate patient diseases, symptoms, and procedures into alphanumeric codes and enter them into the hospital or clinic records. As the most basic of jobs in the medical coding business, all that is required is a high school diploma and the CCA certificate, which takes about six months to complete.

Certified Professional Coder
AHIMA’s CPC certification is AAPC’s equivalent of the Certified Coding Associate training, though the requirements are a little tougher to meet. The American Academy of Professional Coders recommends an associate's degree and two years of medical coding experience for this position.

Certified Coding Specialist
These medical coding specialists are generally required to have graduated from a two-year associate's degree program in medical billing and have three years of on-the-job experience in medical billing and coding. Associate programs are offered at more than 200 accredited colleges and universities nationwide. Certified coding specialists have a vast knowledge of the ICD-9 coding system and generally work in hospitals rather than smaller clinics.

Certified Professional Medical Auditor
Offered by AAPC, this auditing certification has a little more to do with the medical billing portion of this job. Medical auditors review records and bills to make sure that the billing information is accurate, which leads to fewer problems such as under billing patients. Even though a degree isn’t required, we highly recommend obtaining an associate's degree and taking some basic college medical billing courses before pursuing this career.

Medical Office Manager
Medical office managers – sometimes called health services administrators – are not only in charge of the medical billers, but also oversee human resources, records and operations in a health care facility. Medical administrators manage things such as payroll, establishing office policies, conducting meetings, and managing compliance issues and accounting details. The standard education level for medical office managers in large facilities is a master’s degree, though a bachelor’s degree is usually sufficient for managers in smaller offices and clinics. Knowledge of medical billing and coding, as well as other aspects of the job such as office management, medical law and ethics, and business communication are crucial.

Even though medical billers all work for the same cause – to ensure accuracy when coding medical records and billing clients – each type of job has differences that require specialized training. Research each of these options and pursue the one that sounds most appealing to you.