COURSE FAQ - How do I register for the course?
Select a city and state on the first drop down option. Then select a date. Only the dates for the city you selected will be available. If you decide to select a different city and state. Click on the word CLEAR to start over.
What is the deadline to register for the course?
The deadline is Friday before the week the course begins or if the seats are already gone.
How will I know if it’s too late to sign up for a course?
The drop-down menu to select a date will show “Out of Stock”.
What time is the course?
Wednesday 8 am to 8pm
Thursday 8 am to 8pm
Friday 8 am to 8pm
Will we have a lunch break?
There is no separate or official lunch break. Students are encouraged to pack a lunch, snacks and drinks to enjoy during class. Small breaks will be given to use the restrooms.
Are refresher courses given? Is there a deadline to take a refresher when you are a student of MCA?
Refresher courses are offered to students of MCA that have taken the course once before. The cost for the refresher course is $500 and must be taken within the same calendar year. Please send an email for a Refresher invoice to accounting@medicalcodingacademy.org
If I attended a different school and have my medical coding/billing credential can I take a refresher course with MCA?
New students with a CPC credential pay the full cost for the 3-day course. Refresher rates are for current MCA students only within the same calendar year.
EXAM FAQ - How do I register for the national board exam?
If you select to get your credential through the AAPC then visit their website at AAPC.com. Click on the Certification tab. Find your preferred credential and follow instructions from there. If you select to get your credential through AHIMA then visit this link and select your preferred credential https://my.ahima.org/certification/getcertified
What is the difference between AAPC and AHIMA?
AAPC has no application process or prerequisites needed. AHIMA has some prerequisites & an application process.
How many questions are on the exam and how long is the exam? Is this an open book exam?
The AAPC test offers 150 multiple choice questions with 5 hours and 40 minutes to complete it. It is an open book paper exam. The AHIMA test offers 200 multiple choice questions with 4 hours to complete it. It is an open book computer exam.
Once I complete my 3 day medical coding course, can I sit for both the CPC and CCS-P exams?
Yes, however, they are equivalent credentials offered through two different organizations. CPC is through AAPC and CCS-P is through Ahima. It is best to decide which organization you wish to be credentialled through, then take the test with that organizations.
When and where should I take my test?
You may book all AAPC exams through the aapc.com website in your hometown. You may book all AHIMA exams at a Pearson View location designated by your Ahima representative. Please schedule your exams between 1 to 3 weeks later. The sooner, the higher the chances on passing the exam on the first try.
What time does the class start and finish for all Specialty exam 1 Day Prep Courses beyond my initial AAPC or AHIMA credential?
This courses are provided online and can be purchase through our website.
Is there any prework needed for any of the Specialty exam 1 Day Courses?
No, all work is completed during the course.
SUPPLIES FAQ - Which books are required for the class?
Please purchase the following books published in the same year that you are taking the course/exam.
• CPT Professional Spiral Bound by AMA
• ICD-10-CM (any publisher)
• HCPCS Level II (any publisher)
Click on this link to purchase the books directly from the publishing company to save 31%
Elsevier Education Portal
This publisher is MCA’s preferred publishing company since their books have the guidelines in the front of the books which helps you navigate your books faster when taking the course and the national board exam.
Which books do you recommend purchasing?
Upon registering for the 3-day course and/or purchasing the medical coding & exam prep kit, you will receive an email with an embedded link to purchase your 3 medical coding books. Medical Coding Academy took the highest ranked books by our students and negotiated a reduced rate directly with the publisher.
TRAVEL FAQ - Can you share the location of the Hotel you are teaching at before we sign up?
Due to safety precautions, we do not release this information until you have paid your deposit. Upon registering for the course, a confirmation email will disclose the course location.
Do we get a student discount rate at the hotel?
We have negotiated student rates for our headquarters location in Arlington, TX only. The course will take place in the same hotel. For courses taken outside of Arlington, Tx we do not have negotiated rates with the hotels.
OTHER FAQ - How do I leave a review?
Better Business Bureau – Submit a review through the Business Better Bureau by clicking
here.
Google - Please type in Medical Coding Academy in the google search engine bar. You can leave a direct review under the location.
Click here.
Facebook – Login to facebook to find Medical Coding Academy under @medicalcodingacademy and rate the academy under the
reviews section.
Is job assistance provided by MCA?
MCA assists students by sending their resumes to employers daily.
How much do Medical Coders earn?
Given the intense competition in some parts of the US for coding and billing jobs, it is only fair to say that you should use every available advantage and opportunity at your disposal to increase your employability and competitive edge.
The keywords here are certification, experience, and location because these are the three main factors that determine how much you earn as a medical coder.
If you have at least 2 of the 3 factors in your favor (e.g., certification and experience, or certification and location, or experience and location) then your earning potential increases exponentially.
Salary data reveals that the more AAPC credentials you carry, the higher your salary. The average salary in 2015 of members with:
• 1 credential (any credential) was $47,899
• 2+ credentials (any credentials) was $58,399
• 3+ credentials (any credentials) was $65,643
Only a little more than 12% of our certified members hold multiple credentials currently.
• (CPC) – $50,593
• (CPC-H/COC) – $58,822
• (CPC-P) – $57,995
• (CPPM) – $64,666
• (CPMA) – $68,115
• (CPCO) – $70,113
• Specialty Credentials - $53,489
Members living in the East North Central part of the United States (Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio) saw a 2.2% increase in salaries from last year. If you add it to the 6.1% increase those states received in 2014, that’s more than an 8% increase in two years, from $44,816 in 2013 to $48,584 in 2015.
The demographic who makes the most income is the Pacific region (Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Washington), with an average salary of $57,021. This may be due to a higher cost of living.
Average CCS salaries for job postings nationwide are 12% lower than average salaries for all job postings nationwide which is between $52,000 to $62,000.
What are the top 5 states hiring medical coders?
1. Florida
2. Texas
3. California
4. North Carolina
5. Georgia
More than 65% of all medical billing and coding activity is concentrated in these 21 US states:
Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, California, New York, Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico, Louisiana, South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Illinois, West Virginia, Missouri, Massachusetts, Ohio and New Jersey.
What are the top 5 cities hiring medical coders?
If you are a certified coder looking at an employment scenario in 2021 then these are the Top 5 cities right now:
1. Dallas, TX
2. Houston, TX
3. New York City, NY
4. Los Angeles, CA
5. Chicago, IL
The above data is based on May 2016 figures. Sourced from actual job listings and employment data.
What puts these cities in practical prominence are 3 unique factors:
(a) higher per-hour salary for certified medical coders
(b) growth opportunities within a re-energized healthcare economy
(c) stable employment prospects that have proven themselves be recession proof.
