Medical Billing and Coding Education in Louisiana - LA

Steps to Acquiring Medical Billing and Coding certification in Louisiana

According to Louisiana’s Department of Health and Hospitals’ Health Standards section, medical billing and coding specialists are not required to apply for licensure at this time. However, studies have shown that those individuals in this profession who have achieved medical billing and coding certification in Louisiana earn more during their career than those who do not have professional credentials.   You may choose a Louisiana medical billing certificate, coding certificate, or comprehensive medical billing and coding certification in Louisiana.

What types of professional certification can those looking for careers in medical coding and billing achieve? Here’s a brief survey of the major ones.

• The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) issues credentials to establish high standards for the management of patient medical records by validating knowledge and competency in the following areas.

Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA)
Registered Health Information Technician (RHIT)
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
Certified Coding Specialist – Physician Based (CCS-P)
Certified in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS)
Certified Health Data Analyst (CHDA)

• Additional information is available on the American Health Information Management Association Web site.
• The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) certification credentials establishes that coders have mastered all code sets, evaluation and management principles and documentation guidelines.  The examinations for the following credentials typically consists of 150 multiple choice questions and must be finished within five hours and 40 minutes. For more information, visit the American Academy of Professional Coders Web site.

Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H)
Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-P)
Certified Interventional Radiology Cardiovascular Code (CIRCC)

In addition to the above credentials, the AAPC has established 19 specialty credentials to validate knowledge in complex and challenging medical specialties such as cardiology, anesthesia and pain management, hematology and oncology, pediatrics, and others.