How to Verify a Medical Billing and Coding Certification

Quick answer

Verify directly with the certifying organization. For AAPC credentials (CPC, COC, CRC, CPMA, etc.), use the AAPC Member Verification portal at aapc.com. For AHIMA credentials (CCS, RHIA, RHIT, CCA, etc.), use the AHIMA Credential Verification tool at ahima.org. Neither credential is state-regulated — verification must be done with the issuing organization.

AAPC credentials and verification

The American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) is the largest certifying organization for medical coders in the U.S. AAPC credentials are recognized across physician practices, outpatient facilities, and managed care. Key AAPC certifications include:

Credential	Full Name	Focus
CPC	Certified Professional Coder	Outpatient/physician office coding; the most common AAPC credential
COC	Certified Outpatient Coder	Facility-based outpatient coding (hospital outpatient departments)
CRC	Certified Risk Adjustment Coder	Risk adjustment coding for Medicare Advantage and managed care
CPMA	Certified Professional Medical Auditor	Medical documentation and coding audits; compliance roles
CPC-A	Certified Professional Coder — Apprentice	CPC exam passed but less than 2 years of experience; entry-level status

Verify AAPC credentials at: aapc.com → Find a Member or Verify a Credential (search by name or member ID). The portal shows credential status, credential type, and whether continuing education requirements for the current cycle are satisfied.

AHIMA credentials and verification

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) certifies health information management professionals. AHIMA credentials are most common in hospital inpatient coding, health information management, and HIM leadership roles.

Credential	Full Name	Focus
RHIA	Registered Health Information Administrator	HIM management; requires an accredited HIM bachelor's degree
RHIT	Registered Health Information Technician	HIM technical roles; requires an accredited HIM associate degree
CCS	Certified Coding Specialist	Hospital inpatient coding; the gold standard for facility-based coders
CCS-P	Certified Coding Specialist — Physician-Based	Physician office coding (AHIMA's counterpart to AAPC's CPC)
CCA	Certified Coding Associate	Entry-level AHIMA coding credential

Verify AHIMA credentials at: ahima.org → Credential Verification (search by name). The portal confirms credential status and type. RHIA and RHIT require graduation from a CAHIIM-accredited program — credential verification implicitly confirms the educational requirement was met.

CPC-A vs. CPC: why the distinction matters

The AAPC CPC-A (Apprentice) designation is a common source of misrepresentation in hiring. A CPC-A has passed the CPC exam but has not yet met the two-year experience requirement. CPC-A coders have the same knowledge as CPCs but have less real-world coding experience.

Some candidates present as CPC when they are actually CPC-A. The AAPC verification portal shows the exact designation including the “-A” suffix. Always check the verified record, not just the credential on a resume.

Continuing education and credential renewal

Both AAPC and AHIMA credentials require ongoing continuing education (CEUs) for renewal:

AAPC: 36 CEUs per 2-year certification period; credentials expire if CEUs are not completed. The verification portal shows whether the current cycle's CEUs are satisfied.
AHIMA: 30 CEUs every 2 years for CCS, CCS-P, CCA; 30 CEUs every 2 years for RHIA/RHIT. AHIMA credentials also expire if not renewed.

Red flags in coding credential verification

Common misrepresentation patterns to watch for:

CPC presented without the “-A” apprentice designation when the candidate actually holds CPC-A
Credential not found in the AAPC or AHIMA verification portal (may indicate a fraudulent or third-party certificate)
Expired credential presented as current — verify the renewal/expiration date, not just whether it was ever earned
Credentials from unrecognized organizations not affiliated with AAPC, AHIMA, or other major healthcare coding bodies

Verification checklist

1. Collect the credential name, issuing organization (AAPC or AHIMA), and member/credential ID number
2. For AAPC credentials: verify at aapc.com — confirm exact credential type (watch for CPC vs. CPC-A distinction)
3. For AHIMA credentials: verify at ahima.org — confirm credential type and active status
4. Confirm the credential is Active, not expired, and CEU requirements are current
5. For RHIA/RHIT candidates, confirm graduation from a CAHIIM-accredited HIM program
6. Set renewal reminder — most coding credentials renew every 2 years

Verify health information management program accreditation

RHIA and RHIT candidates must have graduated from CAHIIM-accredited programs. Use VerifyED to confirm that a candidate's health information management program was properly accredited before accepting their credentials.

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