Certifications

Frequently Asked Questions

Click a link below to jump to that section

Certification vs. Certificate

Medical Billing / Coding Certification

BPI Building Analyst (BA) Certification

RESNET Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Rater Certification

NABCEP PV Installer Certification

Certification vs. Certificate

What's The Difference?:

Certifications (i.e. becoming "Certified") are earned from or through a professional society and, in general, must be renewed periodically, or may only be valid for a specific period of time.  Most Certificate Programs rely on a one-time fee that is related to an assessment of the student's progress in their educational program rather than a true certification exam.  Don’t be misled by claims of a training program that will make you a "Certified (insert course name here)" without first ensuring that you will sit for one of the professional association sponsored exams.

Certification:

Certification (i.e. becoming "Certified") in a specific skill set requires validation of those skills (usually through written and/or field exams) by a third party certifying agency, such as a professional association.  These certifying agencies develop regional or national standards that qualify individuals to be given the status of "Certified (insert skill here)".  As a part of the renewal process for the continued validity of an individual's certification, it is common for the individual to have to show evidence of continued learning — often termed continuing education units (CEUs).

Certificate:

Certificates are provided through a certificate program where the learning event(s) and the assessment(s) are both developed and administered by the Certificate issuer, and there is an essential link between them. That is, the learning event(s) are designed to help participants achieve learning outcomes and the assessment is designed to evaluate the learners' attainment of those intended learning outcomes. In contrast to a Certification, Certificates do not have ongoing maintenance or renewal requirements nor may anyone claim that they are "Certified" after only receiving a Certificate from a school without sitting for an exam from a third party (NEASI, BPI, RESNET, NABCEP, etc.).

Medical Billing / Coding Certification

Download as PDF

 

American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC)

Certified Professional Coder (CPC®)

CPC Exam Cost: $300 (must be a member of AAPC)

The CPC® Exam

The CPC® examination consists of questions regarding the correct application of CPT®, HCPCS Level II procedure and supply codes and ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes used for billing professional medical services to insurance companies. It is designed to evaluate a physician practice coder’s knowledge of the following:

Approved Manuals for Use During Examination

In addition, any officially published errata update sheets for these manuals may be used. No other manuals are allowed. Examinees may use current calendar year and/or previous year code books. However, it is strongly suggested that only current manuals be used. Questions on the CPC®, CPC-P® and CPC-H® tests do not require the use of any other outside material.

Individuals with a solid understanding of coding fundamentals, anatomy and terminology should be able to answer each examination question through application of the CPT®, ICD-9-CM or HCPCS Level II manuals or through careful reasoning.

Approved Exam Manuals/Exam Instructions

Non-Approved Manuals for Use During Examination

Due to the advantages of additional information and/or ease of use, the following books cannot be used during the exam:

Medical Coding Certification Requirements

1.        We recommend having an associate’s degree.

2.        Pay examination fee at the time of application submission.

3.        Maintain current membership with the AAPC.

a.        New members must submit membership payment with examination application.

b.        Renewing members must have a current membership at the time of submission and when exam results are released.

4.        Effective January 2010 all exams will be reported with exact scores and will report the top three areas of weakness

The CPC® examination consists of questions regarding the correct application of CPT®, HCPCS Level II procedure and supply codes and ICD-9-CM diagnosis codes used for billing professional medical services to insurance companies.

A CPC® must have at least two years medical coding experience (member's with an apprentice designation are not required to have two years medical coding experience.) Membership is required to be renewed annually and 36 Continuing Education Units (CEU's) must be submitted every two years for verification and authentication of expertise.

 

American Medical Billing Association (AMBA)

Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS)

CMRS Exam Cost: $325 (must be a member of AMBA)

The CMRS designation is awarded by the Certifying Board of the American Medical Billing Association (CBAMBA). Although there is no state or Federal requirement of a medical billing professional to become certified to practice medical billing, it is our goal to provide a professional certification exam that upholds a high ethical standard of knowledge that recognizes the competency of a certificant.

Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialists (CMRS) are skilled in facilitating the claims paying process from the time a service is rendered by a health care provider until the balance is paid. The CMRS is knowledgeable in ICD9, CPT4 and HCPCS Coding, Medical Terminology, Insurance claims and billing, appeals and denials, fraud and abuse, HIPAA, OIG Compliance, information and web technology, reimbursement, and much more.

 

American Health Information Management Association's (AHIMA)

Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)

CCS Exam Cost: Non-Member $399 (Member $299)

CCS exam candidates must have earned a high school diploma from a United States high school or have an equivalent educational background.

Although not required, it is strongly recommended that candidates have at least three years of on-the-job experience in:

·         Hospital-based inpatient coding for multiple case types (for example, circulatory, pregnancy, neoplasms, genitourinary, musculoskeletal, respiratory, and endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases, and immunity disorders), hospital-based Ambulatory/Outpatient Care coding for multiple case types (for example, eye, musculoskeletal, integumentary, ENT, injury and poisoning, cardiac catheter, interventional radiology, and pain management) AND completed coursework in anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacology, or demonstrated proficiency in these areas

Building Performance Institute (BPI)

Building Analyst (BA)

Download as PDF

Q: Who can become a BPI Building Analyst?

A: BPI has not established any pre-requisites for becoming a Building Analyst.  While anyone is capable of learning the skills and obtaining information required to successfully pass the written and field exams, having experience (especially as a licensed contractor) in home repair, construction, or even HVAC will provide the candidate with a better chance for success in completing BPI Building Analyst certification.

 

Q: What is needed to become a certified Building Analyst?

A: The following is the minimum requirements to become a certified Building Analyst:

 

Q: Does someone need to sign up for a training course to become a certified Building Analyst?

A: While not a requirement for certification, it is highly advisable to attend a Building Analyst training course prior to attempting the written and field exams.  Be sure when researching a training course to ask if the instructors are BPI Building Analyst certified trainers and if the course includes proctoring of both the written and field exams.

 

Q: Once certified, how long does that certification last?

A: The Building Analyst certification must be renewed once every three years.

Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET)

Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Rater

Download as PDF

Q: Who can become a HERS Rater?

A: RESNET has not established any pre-requisites for becoming a HERS Rater.  While anyone is capable of learning the skills and obtaining information required to successfully pass the written exam, having experience (especially as a licensed contractor) in home repair, construction, or even HVAC will provide the rater candidate with a better chance for success in completing HERS Rater certification.

 

Q: What is needed to become a certified HERS Rater?

A: The following is the minimum requirements to become a certified HERS Rater:

 

Q: Does someone need to sign up for a training course to become a certified HERS Rater?

A: While not a requirement for certification, it is highly advisable to attend a HERS Rater training course prior to attempting the written exam and performance rating activities.  Be sure when researching a training course to ask if the instructors are RESNET certified rater trainers and if the course includes the online exam and the first 2 rating performance activities (the final 3 are supervised by the HERS Provider) that are required to become certified as a HERS Rater.

 

Q: What does it cost to become a HERS Rater?

A: While the online written exam fee is only $50, the rater candidate must also sign up with a HERS Provider who will supervise the HERS Rater’s ongoing performance for an annual fee.  A list of HERS Providers can be found at www.resnet.us and the rater candidate can contact them to find out their fees.

 

Q: Once certified, how long does that certification last?

A: The HERS Rater certification must be renewed once every three years and requires a minimum of 18 Continuing Education Units (CEU) plus the proctored online written exam ($50) for each re-certification.

** AVi does not offer the RESNET HERS Course at this time

North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)

PV Installer Certification

Download as PDF

Download the NABCEP Candidate Information Handbook from www.nabcep.org for detailed and current information

Q: What are the requirements to become NABCEP PV Installer Certified?

A: Successfully achieving NABCEP PV Installer certification requires a combination of training, experience, and testing.  The NABCEP Board and PV Technical Committee identified five different entry tracks for solar PV installer certification. These can also be found in the NABCEP Candidate Information Handbook.  To qualify to sit for the NABCEP PV Installer Certification examination, the candidate must demonstrate that he/she meets at least one of the following minimum entry requirement tracks:

a) Experience installing PV systems occurring at some point in the two (2) years prior to submitting an application for the exam in addition to the completion of 40 hours cumulative of training (find the definition of experience and training below or in Sections 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 in the Candidate Information Handbook); OR

b) Be an existing licensed contractor in good standing in solar or electrical construction-related areas with experience installing PV systems occurring at some point in the two (2) years prior to submitting an application for the exam in addition to the completion of 40 hours cumulative of training (find the definition of experience and training below or in Sections 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 in the Candidate Information Handbook); OR

c) Four (4) years of electrical construction-related experience working for a licensed contractor, including experience installing PV systems occurring at some point in the two (2) years prior to submitting an application for the exam in addition to the completion of 40 hours cumulative of training (find the definition of experience and training below or in Sections 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 in the Candidate Information Handbook); OR

d) Three (3) years experience in a U.S. Dept. of Labor-approved electrical construction trade apprentice program, including experience installing PV systems occurring at some point in the two (2) years prior to submitting an application for the exam in addition to the completion of 40 hours cumulative of training (find the definition of experience and training below or in Sections 3.2.2 and 3.2.3 in the Candidate Information Handbook); OR

e) Two (2)-year electrical construction-related, or electrical engineering technology, or renewable energy technology/technician degree from an educational institution or four (4)-year construction-related or engineering degree from an educational institution, including experience installing PV systems occurring at some point in the two (2) years prior to submitting an application for the exam (find the definition of experience below or in Sections 3.2.3 in the Candidate Information Handbook);

 

Q: What does it cost to become NABCEP PV Installer Certified?

A: NABCEP Fee Schedule: (see www.nabcep.org for current fees)

Application Fee:                                                                                                 $100

First time fee to sit for the any NABCEP certification exam:                                 $300

Re-examination fee:                                                                                            $200

Recertification Fee (every three years):                                                                $300

 

Q: Once certified, how long does the NABCEP PV Installer certification last?

A: Three (3) years.

 

Q: How do I maintain my NABCEP PV Installer certification?

A:  (see www.nabcep.org for detailed recertification requirements)

Installation Requirements - To maintain certification, the certified installer must document the completion of three (3) Qualifying PV Systems over the course of the three-year certification period.

Continuing Education Requirements - In addition to the Installation Requirements detailed above, certificants must accrue a minimum number of eighteen (18) contact hours of continuing education during each recertification cycle, which is a three (3) year period.