# What Other Certifications are Accepted and Recognized?



## marianne202 (Jul 9, 2009)

There are a ton of agencies that offer certification, but they are not nationally recognized or in some cases anything more than a way for the small group of people to make a ton of money! I'm wondering which certification those in the field recognize and that employers want? I'm talking about all those that are not offered by AAPC or AHIMA. Does anyone have any experience with other agencies good or bad? If you are not careful you can drop a ton of money on a certification that isn't worth the paper it's written on. I'm involved in education and steer most of my students here but some want or need AHIMA cert.  I'm always looking for others that my students can benefit from especially in this tough job market. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!


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## tammster (Jul 9, 2009)

I received a CMC certification through PMI.  Their classes were extremely informative and I really liked them.  

However, they don't offer ANY free CEU classes.  And, when I found out through a friend that AAPC offers so many free ones - I inquired about the recognition of those free CEUs and was told that AAPC and AHIMAs freebies only transfer over at half value.  They do, however, accept the CMS freebies at full value.

And, that's why I am over here now


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## kevbshields (Jul 9, 2009)

The only other organizations I would personally (as a hiring official) recognize are the RCC (Radiology Certified Coder) from RCCB (www.rccb.org) or for home health and/or compliance the Board of Medical Specialty Coding (BMSC).  I know that home health is heavily underserved, so BMSC is the only organization offering options for those entering or interested in home health.

The organization I work for only recognizes AHIMA and AAPC for salary determination.  Any additional certifications from other organizations may or may not be factored in as added qualification--depending on the reviewer.


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