# CCS Certification



## megan518 (Feb 22, 2011)

Does anyone with their CCS certification, have any advice for a CPC wanting to get the CCS also? How difficult is it? Do you hold a CPC certification too? Which did you get first? How did you study/prepare for the CCS exam?


----------



## kristyrodecker (Feb 23, 2011)

*CCS info*

There is a lot of chat about the CCS on this forum...http://www.indeed.com/forum/job/medical-coder.html.....good luck


----------



## kristyrodecker (Feb 23, 2011)

*link*

sorry, my link took my word with it, here the link

http://www.indeed.com/forum/job/medical-coder.html


----------



## megan518 (Feb 24, 2011)

*Thanks*

Thanks for the link. Good forum!


----------



## ebpunsalan (Mar 11, 2011)

I have my CCS and CCS-P certification from AHIMA and my CPC.  I got my CPC certification first and then my CCS and and then my CCS-P.  

I had about 1 year of inpatient coding experience before taking the CCS.  I thought the CCS was the most difficult test out of the three.  

I used the CCS study guide published by PRG Publishing.  The questions in the book are similar to the questions on the test.  

My question to you is why you want to get the CCS?  If you want to code inpatient charts, then I would say go for it.  But otherwise, you really don't need it for physician/outpatient coding.


----------



## eel82 (Apr 1, 2011)

It would depend on how much experience you had.  I did not prep when I took the CCS-P exam (even forgot my HCPCS book) and passed on my first time but had 10 yrs experience coding.  I plan to sit for the CCS exam, without studying as well, but again, have experience.  I have heard it is far more difficult that the CCS-P exam so, we will see what my results are, but nonetheless, with experience it should not be too difficult.
I say all that to say, if you have experience, I am not sure what studying you would need to do... just own your knowledge and take it!


----------

