Hi everyone - I have a question that maybe some students who've taken the CPC can help me with. I am scheduled to take the CPC exam on May 21st at a location that is about an hour from my house. I set it for that date because I wasn't sure how long it would take me to get through Module III. I now think that I will finish Module III by March 15th. I completed Coding Exam 6 and am just waiting for clarification on a few questions before I turn it in. All of my Green and Asperheim tests are done. That gives me a couple of weeks to work on Exam 7. There is an exam being offered only 20 minutes from my house on April 7th. So I'd have about three weeks to prep for the CPC once I'm done with Module III. I'm not even sure if I'd be able to change my test date. I suppose I'd have to call AAPC and find out. Since the CPC is so heavily based on CPT, I'm wondering if it would be better for me to try to take it as soon as possible after finishing Module III so that it's fresh in my mind. Did anyone find that once you were entrenched in Module IV and inpatient coding it was harder to to focus on CPT when preparing for the CPC or would the extra preparation time be worth waiting until May 21st?
Good luck!!
I can't comment on waiting either, but I have mine scheduled for about 3 weeks after I finish Module III as well. I believe there are some fees involved with changing your test date though. I'm going to try to keep myself from digging into Module IV before I test, but I'm excited to keep moving forward. I plan on just using those 3 weeks to go through my AAPC study guide and be as prepared as I can be. That would be my only concern for you, getting into Module IV and not being "fresh" for your CPC. I'm sure there are some on here who can better answer that though.
I know there is a fee if I flat out cancel the test, but not sure if I have to pay the fee to reschedule. It looks like three weeks may be the perfect amount of time to prepare - especially because we get an extra two weeks added onto our Module IV deadline. I wouldn't have to dive into Module IV right away. Then, I think that I could just be sure to work on CPC practice each week until May 21st and maybe I'd be "super prepared"...or I'd be worn down.
Hi Michelle! I had a similar situation a few months ago. I live just outside of Los Angeles and work traffic is horrible, so I scheduled my CPC exam based on location, not date. I took the CPC before finishing Module III (not recommended and not my smartest move). I had just under two weeks of prep time for the CPC and didn't have time to do the AAPC study guide (although I wish I had). I did get the AAPC practice exams, and those were VERY beneficial (be sure to time yourself!). I got about the same score on the CPC as I did on the AAPC practice exams the FIRST time I took them (I took them several times each, timed). I personally wouldn't want to wait from March 15th through May 21st preparing for the CPC, or make the longer drive, but obviously I'm a bit of a risk taker. I barely passed the CPC with 73% and I ran out of time having to play 'fill in the bubble' on about 20-25 questions. I also don't think I would have passed if I didn't start at the back of the exam because the longer more time consuming questions seemed to be at the beginning of the exam (a fellow student gave me that advice so I'm passing it along, it helped a lot). Time was my major issue on the CPC exam, although I've heard others didn't have any problem finishing and very high scores.... like Nicki, she did amazing! Practice the reverse coding technique, get the AAPC study guide and all three practice exams. I'm sure you'll do great whether you take it sooner or later. :)
Thanks Heidi! Time is the thing I'm worried about on the exam...realizing that I have several questions left and no time. I have two practice exam books that I ordered. I was planning on working through those untimed. Then, go through the AAPC study guide. And then their practice exams timed. The more I'm thinking about it, the more I'm wondering if it's worth the hassle to try to reschedule the test and better to take the extra time to prepare.
Here is my experience with waiting. I finished module III and could have sat for the CPC back in November. I decided not to do that because I would have had to take the ICD-9 and ICD-10 tests. Although others did both tests and did fine, I decided to wait. I am scheduled to take the CPC in March. Since I am a couple months into Module IV, I am giving myself a full month to go back and review everything. If at the time, I could have taken just the ICD-10 test I would have taken it right away and would not have waited.
However, I have found that I do better on the Inpatient exams then I did on the Outpatient exams. The CPT coding I find more difficult then the PCS. During Module IV, you do go over the Coding Handbook again and go through all the exercises for coding. I have found this to be more helpful in the ICD-10-CM coding, because some things are starting to click better. In preparing for the 2016 exam, I ordered all new books since that was recommended. Since notes are allowed in the CPT book, I am reading every chapter in the Kuehn book again and comparing those notes to the guidelines in the CPT book and writing in any information that is additional or that I believe would help me. I have to say, I have found this to be much more helpful in my understanding of certain guidelines and it also helps me to familiarize myself with the CPT book guidelines, the layout etc. I am also submitting Chapters 5,6,8,9 questions that were not completed during Module III using the reverse coding technique and will send that to the instructor to see how I do before I complete the practice exams through AAPC.
Although I haven't timed myself since I haven't taken the practice exams yet, time is my biggest worry. I am gaining a little more confidence in my coding guidelines as I re-read Kuehn and I am hoping that will help. Nothing takes longer then reading the guidelines to find out what you need to code and how to code it. In the end, I am glad I waited. I don't believe I would have gone back and re-read Kuehn just after finishing Module III, which I will say again, has been a big help to me. Also, I barely noted anything in the CPT book and I am very glad I am able to go back and do that.
Brandy, you pretty much just helped with me my decision. The minute you brought Kuehn into the discussion, a light bulb went off. I do need to order my 2016 versions of the code books. So, I'm going to do that and then go back through Kuehn like you are doing and lightly underline important guidelines in the CPT based on re-reading Kuehn. I think my the time I order the new books, re-read Kuehn, work through the practice exam books I've already purchased and then work through the AAPC prep with practice tests, it will be fine to wait until May 21st.