Wiki CPC vs COSC

b_rodgers

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Hello all! I'm looking for some insight. I've been working for an orthopedic surgeons office as a billing and coding specialist for just over two years now. I started here just after college, so it's my only "real world" experience in coding. I want to get certified now that I've got some experience under my belt. But, I'm curious to see what everyone's opinion is based off of that information, as to whether I should sit for the CPC exam or go ahead with the COSC?
Any insight/advice would be greatly appreciated!
 
You have to get CPC first.

After getting your CPC, you will be able to sit for the COSC which is a "Specialty" certification. But you have to get your CPC first as far as I know. If AAPC allows you to sit for the COSC without getting your CPC first, you could do that. I would check with the AAPC first though.
 
Go for COSC first! I did just that in 2009, because Orthopedic coding and billing is what I was doing all day! I then did my CPC 6 weeks later, and passed both with good results, first round. You do not need to do CPC first! Doing COSC first, gave me the confidence of how this exam thing works. I would not do it any other way.
 
CPC vs. COSC

It's important to have a good grasp of Anatomy/Physiology and Medical Terminology for all body systems, and my recommendation would be to start with those courses and take the CPC first. Even after working in Orthopaedics for over 25 years, I found these courses to be invaluable. I learned so much from them, and they gave me a solid foundation on which to build my coding career. In Orthopaedics, you come across many disease processes from diabetes to cancer, vascular diseases, and more. You need to understand the coding guidelines first for the disease processes and how they relate to the Orthopaedic injury. It's so much more than bones, muscles, and tendons! You will be cheating yourself to go straight for the COSC.
 
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