Wiki Is CPB worth it?

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Katiemiles1

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Hello, I have a CPC-A and I am in my second year of coding. The people in my billing department have told me that the CPB is not worth getting if you can get a biller position because you learn what you need to know over time dealing with specific payers. However, I already assist billing with resubmissions and appeals for multiple payers. About 25% of my position. I want to learn the whole process of the Revenue cycle to increase Remote job opportunities. Please let me know if anyone has faced this as well and how you determined what was right for you.
 
Certifications do worth it because they validate your knowledge. you will learn what you need to know over time for any position. just look at employers point of view. one has CPC, the other has CPC, and CPB. Who will likely getting the interview?
 
The CPB isn't worth it if you already have your CPC. The knowledge you've gained from studying toward earning the CPC cannot be learned on the job, whereas billing can totally be learned on the job using your coding knowledge as a solid foundation.
 
Personally I don't think the CPB certification is worth it as I don't believe many employers are aware of it, because of that, I don't know that one would get a billing job due to the certification. Experience would likely trump certification. I think the course material could be helpful to learn basic billing terminology and procedures but I agree that on the job training is most effective and that having a CPC certification and coding experience can be a tremendous advantage when it comes to billing. It provides a really good foundation. If your employer is willing to pay for the course and cost of certification for the CPB it wouldn't hurt to do it but if it was me, I wouldn't spend my money. I spent 6 years doing billing and coding and I suggested the CPB course to my supervisor for our patient account specialists. She declined saying she didn't see the need for it.

Many AAPC chapters host virtual meetings regarding the revenue cycle and billing so that would be a free or inexpensive way to learn. Also, I encourage you to review job posting for remote positions that you are interested in, even if you are not ready for that yet. This will help you understand what these employers are looking for and if the CPB or other certifications are in demand.
 
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I have both and in my opinion, it has made all the difference. When I worked for a billing company, when I got the second certification I received a raise, and now that I have my own company, having both certifications and letting my clients know I have both has landed me more than a few accounts.

Both my coding and billing instructors always said billing is not coding and coding is not billing.
 
All of these are valid points above. I think it just depends on your goals and definitely depends on the specific employer and type you are working for. I got it after obtaining three or four others because I felt it demonstrated my expertise in the RCM and billing side of things. I was performing billing, AR and other RCM functions long before I was coding and before I obtained my CPC, COSC, and CSFAC but I felt the CPB was worth it. My employer at the time agreed and had employee benefits which helped reimburse for the exam and books. Many employers know and understand the value of having certified individuals on their teams.

I would recommend working on getting the A removed from the CPC before going for a CPB though.
 
A couple of comments on this:
The CPB isn't intended to teach you how to be a biller - if you haven't worked in Rev Cycle in the past, I don't recommend you sit for the credentialing test. Having the CPB shows that you have experience, understand the concepts and can do the work. Same as you don't get a CPC to learn how to code.
The CPC wasn't widely acknowledged at first. It was all about the CCS. I got my CPC in 2004 and nobody knew was a CPC was but then the distinction was made that CCS was inpatient, CPC outpatient/physician based and it started to gain recognition. I believe the same will happen with the CPB given enough time. It's still a fairly new credential in the big picture.
And my last thought...
Consider why you want the credential. Don't get a credential because you think it will stand in for lack of experience. Having a CPC, COC, CPB, etc says "I'm an expert at this thing" and if you don't have the practical work experience to back it up, you're going to be disappointed in the outcome I think. My credentials reflect my experience and work history and I obtained them specifically for that reason.
 
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