Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Who is the Board of Medical Specialty Coding?
- What certifications do you offer?
- Do you offer a general certification?
- Do I need another certification to sit for your exams? Do I need to join your organization to sit for your exams?
- I received my HCS-D or ACS certification while you were the Board of Advanced Medical Coding. Is my certification still valid?
- I’ve been coding a while, how do I know if I’m qualified for the Specialty Coding Professional certification or the Advanced Coding Specialist certification?
- What are the benefits of having a specialty certification?
- How do I prepare for certification?
- What are the formats and philosophy with your exams?
- I have another coding certification. Can I grandfather in to your program?
Who is the Board of Medical Specialty Coding?
The Board of Medical Specialty Coding is the premier provider of specialty medical coding certification, education and training for medical coders, clinicians and compliance professionals across the home health, physician and compliance fields.
BMSC is dedicated to creating and advocating a career ladder for medical professionals through multiple layers of coding and compliance education, certification and training.
What certifications do you offer?
We began our specialty certifications in 2003, as a result of market demand for specialty coding. Our examinations are skills-based. They reflect what coders do in the marketplace on a daily basis and test your day-in-day out coding knowledge.
On the home care side, we have offered the Home Care Coding Specialist-Diagnosis, HCS-D certification since 2003.
On the physician/facility side, we offer two levels of certification, all focusing on specialties.
Advanced Coding Specialist
The Advanced Coding Specialist credential was created in 2003 to test the knowledge of advanced coders in physician specialties. We currently offer the ACS certification in: Anesthesia, Cardiology, Emergency Medicine, Evaluation and Management Auditing, Facility Outpatient/ASC, Family Practice/Pediatrics, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Pain Management, Radiology, Urology
Specialty Coding Professional
The Specialty Coding Professional credential is being launched in early 2007 to test the knowledge of coders who have about two years of specialty experience. We will offer SCP certification in: Anesthesia, Cardiology, Emergency Medicine, Facility Outpatient/ASC, Family Practice/Pediatrics, Gastroenterology, General Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Pain Management, Radiology, Urology.
Do you offer a general certification?
No. BMSC is committed to specialty coding because that is what knowledge is truly needed within a physician practice or home health environment.
Do I need another certification to sit for your exams? Do I need to join your organization to site for your exams?
No. We want working coders who are interested in showing that they know their coding stuff to sit for our exams. You do not need to join or organization, have a different certification or pay annual membership dues to BMSC.
I received my HCS-D or ACS certification while you were the Board of Advanced Medical Coding. Is my certification still valid?
Absolutely.
Our name has changed, but our examinations and commitment to quality have not. You will continue along the regular path of renewal and recertification for your credential and will receive reminder updates from BMSC.
I’ve been coding a while, how do I know if I’m qualified for the Specialty Coding Professional certification or the Advanced Coding Specialist certification?
We offer two levels of certification on the physician side, each focusing on different levels of experience and expertise within a specialty.
Our Specialty Coding Professional certifications are aimed at coders who have about two years experience in their specialty. Coders should have a good working knowledge of coding conventions and coding within their specialty.
Our candidates for the SCP have a good working knowledge of:
- CPT, HCPCS Level II and ICD-9-CM coding conventions and guidelines
- Medical Terms and Terminology
- Medicine and Diagnostic Procedures
- Evaluation and Management Coding and 1995 and 1997 Guidelines
- Basic Laboratory Services, if applicable to specialty
- Basic Billing and Payor Issues
- Surgical Procedures, if applicable to specialty
We offer skill assessment questions for our exams online so you can begin to gauge whether your skill set and knowledge base matches the SCP certification.
Our Advanced Coding Specialist coders are considered leaders in the industry because they:
- Utilize their specialty knowledge and experience to better interact with physicians and providers
- Understand both basic and complex coding principles and guidelines
- Ensure their providers receive appropriate reimbursement
- Provide direction and instruction to less experienced coders in the workplace
Our most successful ACS candidates usually have at least three years experience coding in their specialty and possess a clear understanding of the following, as it pertains to their specialty:
- CPT, HCPCS Level II and ICD-9-CM coding conventions and guidelines
- Medical Terms and Terminology
- Category II, III and Unlisted Codes
- Medicine and Diagnostic Procedures
- Evaluation and Management Coding
- Clinical Laboratory Services
- Billing and Payor Issues
- Anesthesia
- Surgical Procedures
- ABNs
- HIPAA regulations
- Fraud and Abuse issues
- The Medicare Appeal Process
We offer skill assessment questions for our exams online so you can begin to gauge whether your skill set and knowledge base matches the ACS certification.
What are the benefits of having a specialty certification?
Your specialty physicians seek board certification when they desired to be recognized as proficient in their practice area, why shouldn’t you? You code for a specialty and you should show your knowledge of that specific specialty.
Our exams are the only ones developed for coders by coders. It tests skills and shows your proficiency. In a June 2006 by BMSC, we discovered that 1 in 5 of our surveyed certified coders had received a raises or bonus after certification!!
Many coders feel that certification makes them more effective when working with both clinicians and payers. Certified coders are generally more highly compensated and receive greater advancement opportunities.
For job applicants, certification can provide a competitive advantage, and providers are increasingly requiring coding certification as a condition of employment.
How do I prepare for certification?
Because our exams are skill-based, a coder doing excellent work every day should be prepared for the exam without the need for extra studying. We do, however, recognize people’s desires for reference materials to brush up on skills and concepts.
We offer for free on our website study outlines to help aid candidates in seeing what topics will specifically be addressed. We also are beginning to post several skill-based questions similar to ones that will be on the test per specialty. These can be downloaded and taken by a candidate to gauge if one is ready to sit for the ACS or SCP exam.
Within publishing, we offer larger Education Guides in home care and several physician-side specialties.
We are also in the process of creating smaller study guides with practice questions included for ACS candidates.
What are the formats and philosophy with your exams?
Examination philosophy…
BMSC credential exams are designed to test the day-in, day-out coding skills of the professional coder. As a result, many coding scenarios appear on the exam, as well as the crucial areas of medical anatomy and terminology.
This is the only nationwide certification exam created by coders for coders. Our goal isn't to stump you with trick questions on procedures you will likely never see in your office or facility, but rather to ensure – for you and for your employer – that you have, in fact, achieved advanced proficiency in your chosen areas.
Examination formats ...
Our tests are objective. This means a mixture of multiple choice, matching and fill-in-the-blank.
I have another coding certification. Can I grandfather in to your program?
Because our tests are unique in the marketplace, we are not offering a general amnesty or grandfathering in of other credential holders. However, Executive Director Victoria Forlini will take each request on a case-by-case basis and make a final decision.
