Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC)® Online Training Course
The CIC training course is the only course that teaches fundamental medical coding skills for inpatient hospitals and facilities.
As the only certification exclusively specialized in hospital and facility inpatient coding, the CIC is a perfect pairing with the CPC to expand career opportunities across the entire coding landscape.
When to enroll
This course is recommended for anyone who is preparing for a career in medical coding for an inpatient hospital/facility and ambulatory surgery center setting and who wants to earn a CIC credential. The CIC is a natural progression for anyone holding a CPC credential, who wants to expand their job opportunities.
Value
AAPC trains over 20,000 new students annually for careers in medical billing and coding. Affirm your experience with employers and differentiate yourself for a career in hospital and facility coding.
Education and experience
Knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology is required to successfully complete this course. AAPC offers the following prerequisites:
Fundamentals of Medicine - covers all three of the prerequisites below.
Anatomy (self-paced instruction), Medical Terminology (self-paced instruction), and Pathophysiology (self-paced instruction).
Course length
Self-paced: Average time to completion is 4 months or less. 6-month access to course materials with options for extensions.
Instructor-led: 16 weeks from start date to completion. New courses start every week.
Continuing education units (CEUs)
Receive 40 CEUs on successful completion. One-time use only. AAPC certified prior to enrollment; excluding CPCO, CIRCC, CPMA, and specialty certifications.
Course syllabus
Financial options
Pay in full: Price includes $500 pay-in-full discount
Pay over time: Make easy monthly payments over 12, 18, or 24 months
Course curriculum overview
One of the best ways to expand your career opportunities is to acquire new skills. Whether you already have been coding in your job or you hold a CPC or other AAPC certification, adding a CIC credential can have an immediate and positive impact on your career and will be an important differentiator to employers.
Inpatient coding differs from physician-based coding in that it focuses on services provided by the facility, rather than on services provided by the physician.
The CIC credential is the only certification exclusively specialized in hospital and facility inpatient coding. This certification validates mastery in abstracting information from the medical record for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS coding. It also represents expert knowledge of Medicare Severity Diagnosis Related Groups (MS-DRGs) and the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS).
Certified inpatient coders typically work in hospitals (acute care facilities), skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), critical access hospitals (CAHs), teaching hospitals, inpatient rehab facilities (IRF), and long-term care hospitals (LTCHs).
Inpatient coding training objectives
Understand the different types of hospital facilities and their departments including hospitals, teaching hospitals, critical access hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), and outpatient hospital departments
Learn about documentation and coding standards for facilities
Apply coding and conventions when assigning diagnoses and procedure codes
Understand the official ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS coding guidelines for diagnoses and procedures
Understand the Uniform Hospital Discharge Data Set (UHDDS) coding guidelines
Code a wide variety of patient services using ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS coding guidelines
Develop an understanding of how to code operative notes in the facility
Differentiate between inpatient and outpatient services and payment methodologies (IPPS and OPPS)
Understand the difference between MS-DRGs and APC assignments, and how those services are reported
Develop an understanding of compliance in the hospital facility
Learning methods
AAPC understands that students learn in different ways—that's why we allow you to choose a learning style that fits you best. AAPC offers the following learning methods:
Live instructor-led
Live instruction and classroom-paced training
16-week course via 1.5 hour online live sessions per week
Highest exam pass rate
66% better than no exam prep
New courses start every week
Self-paced instruction
Flexibility to prepare for the exam on your own time and pace
On-demand coaching — get expert feedback within two business days
Up to 6-month access to course materials
50% better than no exam prep
What students are saying
The CIC certification gave me more confidence in coding inpatient and the course helped me understand the why which has led me to my newest position as Education Coordinator.
Mary Vivian-Leidy, CPC, CIC, COC, CRC, CDEI, CGSC, RHIA, CCS
Obtaining the CIC credential can show your proficiency and open doors to new opportunities. The CIC will expand your horizons and make you more marketable in the coding arena.
Jennifer Swindle, RHIT, CCS, CCS-P, CDIP, CPC, CIC,CPMA, AAPC Fellow
After passing the exam, the credential solidified my expertise in inpatient documentation and coding in the new ICD-10 world.
Gabriel Aponte Moberg, MSHIA, RN, RHIA, CPC, COC, CIC, CRC, CDEO, CDEI, CPMA, CCC, CHONC, CCS, CCS-P, CDIP, CCDS, CCDS-O
Course bundle includes
In addition to the actual course of interactive online lectures, step-by-step coding processes, and all training needed to pass the exam, you’ll receive:
Online practice exams (included in Self-Paced Max and Instructor-Led packages)
Three practice exams with 20 multiple-choice questions and three fill-in-the-blank coding cases to help you determine your readiness for the exam.CIC exam (included in Self-Paced Max and Instructor-Led packages — a $499 value)
The CIC exam features 40 multiple-choice questions and 7 inpatient cases with fill-in-the-blank questions (proctored) over 4 hours. Your package includes two exam attempts.FREE BONUS: Practicode CIC Practicum (subscription included in Self-Paced Max and Instructor-Led packages — a $249 value)
Practicode is a coding practice tool that helps you improve coding, giving you hands-on practice with real-world (redacted) cases. The tool evaluates your progress and helps you identify areas of weakness.FREE BONUS: AAPC eBook
2024 Medical Coding Training: CIC
FAQs: Get your questions answered
What happens when I complete the course?
Certified inpatient coder training not only prepares you for an inpatient coder position, but also ensures you're ready to do well on the certification exam. So after you complete the CIC training course, study, and study some more — it will be time to schedule your CIC exam.
How do I earn the CIC certification?
You earn the CIC certification by passing the CIC certification exam. Once you successfully pass the exam with a score of 70 percent or higher, you will become a certified inpatient coder (CIC).
How hard is the CIC exam?
The CIC exam includes 40 multiple-choice questions and 7 cases that assess your ability to accurately read and code medical records. If you complete the training course, dedicate time to study, and learn to comfortably navigate your ICD-10-PCS and ICD-10-CM code books, the test may be challenging but not difficult.
Why train with AAPC?
Any credential you earn through us will be recognized worldwide. Our education is trusted globally, positioning AAPC as a leader in training and certification.
Train with the same experts who created the exams. We created the industry’s accreditations for medical coders and medical billers — and have been teaching these programs for more than 35 years.
We have the highest exam pass rates in the industry. We provide the most trusted curriculum and training — and it shows in our exam pass rates that remain unmatched by other medical coding and billing programs.
Join our group of over 275,000 professionals. We’re the world's largest training and credentialing organization for the business of healthcare. As an AAPC member, you’ll have countless opportunities to network, earn free or low-cost CEUs, save, and more.