# Auditing Credential advice



## ct@yahoo.com (Dec 20, 2019)

Good morning,

I'm thinking about getting my CPMA and I was wondering if anyone could give me any feedback or advice on routes I can take? I currently am credentialed with AHIMA (CCS-P) and I'm wondering if I can get my CPMA through AAPC? Has anyone else done this? Are there any other avenues I can take to obtain a medical auditing credential? Any help would be most appreciated.

Thanks so much


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## KellyLR (Dec 22, 2019)

ct@yahoo.com said:


> Good morning,
> 
> I'm thinking about getting my CPMA and I was wondering if anyone could give me any feedback or advice on routes I can take? I currently am credentialed with AHIMA (CCS-P) and I'm wondering if I can get my CPMA through AAPC? Has anyone else done this? Are there any other avenues I can take to obtain a medical auditing credential? Any help would be most appreciated.
> 
> Thanks so much


 ct,

You would be better off getting a CDIP credential than a CPMA. Join ACDIS and once you get your CDIP, the door opens. Not unless you love outpatient then go with NAMAS and CPMA and that door will open. Research thoroughly the expenses and maintenance for the credentials too. I think you have to havean AAPC credential to get a CPMA, not real sure about it but ask AAPC.

Good Luck and Happy Coding!


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## Tami_F (Dec 22, 2019)

KellyLR said:


> ct,
> 
> You would be better off getting a CDIP credential than a CPMA. Join ACDIS and once you get your CDIP, the door opens. Not unless you love outpatient then go with NAMAS and CPMA and that door will open. Research thoroughly the expenses and maintenance for the credentials too. I think you have to havean AAPC credential to get a CPMA, not real sure about it but ask AAPC.
> 
> Good Luck and Happy Coding!


You do not have to have an AAPC credential to get a CPMA. Please reference the CPMA credential page for details and requirements. 
From what I can tell, it doesn't look like AHIMA offers an auditing credential. CDIP is obviously a documentation improvement credential, so it would not necessarily point you towards an auditing position. If you decide to go with a CPMA, NAMAS is a good resource, but membership with them is not required to maintain your credential. There are plenty of CEUs offered through AAPC, and it seems like AHIMA accepts most of them as well.


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## KellyLR (Dec 22, 2019)

AHIMA doesn't need to offer an auditor credential. The level of sophistication is different. While a CDIP doesn't necessarily lead to an auditing position, a CDIP does get you much better pay in the long run. Clinical Documentation Improvement is now a mainstay in the healthcare field. I sat for my state's legislature Dec 2018 meeting this past year with a group of 100 or so credentialed coders, privacy officers, and other administrators and got an ear full and handful of documents that describe where the healthcare field is going. Lot of that information I thought was unbelievable until the Coordination Meeting at the CMS level happened earlier in 2019. All they talked about was what the Sepsis coding and clinical documentation improvement measures were and addressed mainly the changes that are coming. I encourage everyone to get more involved in what the House and Senate is keeping focused on in healthcare and how their agendas may eventually impact the healthcare field.

Oh yes about the CEUs. I've tried in the past to see if AHIMA accepts AAPC CEUs and the few times I entered the AAPC CEU into my CEU portal, the site rejected it. There were a couple of webinars that AHIMA would accept the AAPC for at the MAC level. And that was because the MAC instructed us on this inclusion. So unless AHIMA changed in the last year, I'm not so sure about the claim that AHIMA honors AAPC CEUs. AHIMA domains are structured differently from AAPC. Too bad AAPC doesn't offer an accredited college curriculum like AHIMA.

Happy Coding!


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## Tami_F (Dec 24, 2019)

KellyLR said:


> Oh yes about the CEUs. I've tried in the past to see if AHIMA accepts AAPC CEUs and the few times I entered the AAPC CEU into my CEU portal, the site rejected it. There were a couple of webinars that AHIMA would accept the AAPC for at the MAC level. And that was because the MAC instructed us on this inclusion. So unless AHIMA changed in the last year, I'm not so sure about the claim that AHIMA honors AAPC CEUs. AHIMA domains are structured differently from AAPC.


Interesting. I have an RHIT-certified colleague who joined AAPC just for the CEUs several years ago. Do you think it depends on the credential? I'll ask if she's had any issues.


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## KellyLR (Dec 25, 2019)

It might Tami, I don't know not wanting to call to find out. I just see most CEUs offered have designated certs for AAPC and AHIMA. So if you say that AHIMA takes AAPC CEUs then why doesn't both  AHIMA/AAPC drop the CEUs reference numbers and just accept all CEUs from wherever they were obtained for both AHIMA/AAPC with one tracker number? 

However, AHIMA is structured very differently from AAPC. AHIMA requirements and domains are not parallel to AAPC and vice/versa. There may be a few that are similar and that is why I think AHIMA would accept AAPC CEUs from that source under those circumstances however for basic domain. To correct something you poked at Tami about AHIMA not having anything for auditing. That is not entirely true, They do. It is just not specific and auditing is covered under other credentials. To get it, the minimum requirement now is a Master's I believe. AHIMA is adjusting their domains and will be coming out with new requirements this next year is if they haven't already done so. AHIMA is pushing on education and having a Master's for future career path.

Happy Coding!


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## KellyLR (Dec 25, 2019)

ct@yahoo.com said:


> Good morning,
> 
> I'm thinking about getting my CPMA and I was wondering if anyone could give me any feedback or advice on routes I can take? I currently am credentialed with AHIMA (CCS-P) and I'm wondering if I can get my CPMA through AAPC? Has anyone else done this? Are there any other avenues I can take to obtain a medical auditing credential? Any help would be most appreciated.
> 
> Thanks so much



CT,

One thing you want to question is this: If you go after the CPMA, find out if you would also need to stay current with an additional membership fee plus CEUs for that credential. AHIMA doesn't require membership to maintain your CCS-P but it is rather costly that that for CEUs. I would check into NAMAS or some other reputable and recognized credential and see what is doable. NAMAS used to offer their own credential, but since partnering with AAPC, they may not offer anything anymore unless through AAPC.

Good Luck!


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