Certified Professional Coder (CPC)® + Certified Professional Biller (CPB)® dual certifications
For a dual-credential career path, we've paired the CPC with the CPB credential to give you the widest possible foundation for a career in medical billing and coding.
Medical billing and coding work hand-in-hand as elements of the revenue cycle management process. A dual certification demonstrates competency in both roles — which is an impressive background to bring to any potential employer.
Exam format
You will need to take one exam for each certification. The exams feature 100 (CPC) and 135 (CPB) multiple-choice questions.
Two ways to take the exam
Choose to take the exam online at home with a live remote proctor, or on a computer at a testing center. Learn more about your exam options and how to prepare.
Time allowed
Exams are administered with four hours to complete each exam. Both testing center and live remote proctored exam formats allow you to schedule your exams on the same day or separately as desired.
Equipment required for exam
Our live remote proctored exam requires a closed room free from distraction with window coverings, a reliable, high-speed internet connection, a computer, and an external webcam that can be positioned to show your face, hands, keyboard, and the area around the keyboard (about 10 inches).
Exams taken at a testing center do not require any special equipment from the test-taker.
Experience requirements
Training requires a high-level knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, and pathophysiology. If you don’t have medical experience or working knowledge of these subjects, we offer prerequisite courses to prepare you for certification training. Learn more.
The certification exam will test your understanding of the proper application of CPT® procedure codes, HCPCS Level II procedure and supply codes, and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes.
Approved code books
AMA's CPT® Professional Edition (current year)
ICD-10-CM (current year), any publisher
HCPCS Level II (current year), any publisher
Current year books are highly recommended as code sets are updated annually. You may choose to utilize books from the preceding year, the current year, or a combination of both; however, only one copy of each book is allowed.
Any officially published updates (errata) for the above code books may also be used.
Maintaining your certification
To maintain your dual credentials, you must maintain your AAPC annual membership, and earn 40 continuing education units (CEUs) every two years.
Pricing
Both exams need to be scheduled and purchased separately. The cost for each certification exam is the same, and each exam voucher includes two attempts:
$499 each for 2 attempts ($998 total for both exams)
80% of AAPC students pass on the first attempt.
Students who train with AAPC are three times more likely to pass the certification exam.
What students are saying
Testimonial
It hasn't even been a year since I passed my exam and I've had 3 remote job offers, with no experience.
Lamontica Alexander
Testimonial
It's worth it I swear. Invest into it and it will reward you!
Joe Delgado
Testimonial
As a stay at home mom and homeschooling two kids, it was a challenge; but if I can do, so can you all.
Nilayana Sterling
Testimonial
I took the online AAPC course. It was full of useful information and I passed my test the first time.
Danielle Ledford
Competencies proven with CPC and CPB credentials include:
CPC
Expertise in medical record review to abstract information required to support accurate coding.
Ability to identify documentation deficiencies and properly query providers for proper code capture. Expertise in assigning accurate CPT, HCPCS Level II, and ICD-10-CM medical codes for diagnoses and procedures.
Proficiency across a wide range of services, including evaluation and management, anesthesia, surgery, radiology, pathology, and medicine.
A sound knowledge of medical coding guidelines and regulations including compliance and reimbursement – allowing a CPC to better handle issues such as medical necessity, claims denials, bundling issues, and charge capture.
CPB
Proven knowledge of how to submit claims compliant with government regulations and private payer policies.
Ability to follow up on claim statuses, resolve claim denials, submit appeals, post payments and adjustments, and manage collections.
In-depth knowledge of health insurance, including managed care, commercial payers, Medicare, Medigap, Medicaid, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, TRICARE/CHAMPUS, workers’ compensation, and third-party payers (automobile, liability, etc.).
A wide array of working knowledge of reimbursement and collections.
Working knowledge of claims and billing, including appeals, denials, claims tracking and follow-up, timely filing, demographics, superbill/encounter forms, retention of records, balance billing, telephone courtesy, electronic claim submission, clean claims, and auditing the billing process.
About the CPC exam
The CPC exam is a test of medical coding proficiency consisting of 100 multiple-choice questions that assess 17 areas of knowledge. Most questions present a coding scenario to test proper application of CPT® procedure codes, HCPCS Level II supply codes, and ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes.
About the CPB exam
The CPB exam contains 135 multiple-choice questions. Examinees are given four hours to finish the exam. Most questions present a scenario to test proper application of billing regulations, collections practices, HIPAA rules, compliance best practices, and procedure/diagnosis codes.
For both exams, whether taken online or in-person, you must complete the CPC exam within four hours and answer 70% of the questions correctly to pass.