aaham certification programs presented by: kimberly scribner, crce-i & cac amy weber, crcp-i...

AAHAM Certification Programs

Presented By:Kimberly Scribner, CRCE-I & CACAmy Weber, CRCP-I & CPCKaren Moore, CRCE-I

Annual Institute September 15, 2015

Certifications Certifications

AAHAM certification options include:

Certified Revenue Cycle Executive (CRCE)Certified Revenue Cycle Professional (CRCP)Certified Revenue Integrity Professional (CRIP)Certified Revenue Cycle Specialist (CRCS)Certified Compliance Technician (CCT)

Certifications Certifications

CRCE◦ Senior and Executive Leaders

CRCP◦ Supervisors and Managers

CRCS◦ Revenue Cycle Team Members

CCT◦ Compliance Competency

CRIP◦ Charge Master Management

Exam InformationAll exams held 4 times per year

◦February, May, August, NovemberAll exams are taken on line- require

proctorChapter coordinates exam

dates/proctors

Certification CRCE I/PCertification CRCE I/P Eligibility- Membership in AAHAM, Minimum 4 years

experience in healthcare related field or 2 year Associate degree

Cost- $299 Full Exam $50 per Retake Section 8 Hour On-Line Exam 4 Sections

◦ Patient Access/Front Desk, Billing, Credit Collections, Revenue Cycle Management

◦ Multiple Choice, T/F, F/B, Short Answer, Essay, Quantitative Questions

Grading-Notification within 90 days- 70% on all sections Must pass 2 sections to qualify for re-take within 18

months of initial exam date Maintaining Certification: National Member in good

standing & 40 CEUs w/in 2 years of certification- 20 obtained from AAHAM Related Educational Programs

Certification CRCP I/PCertification CRCP I/P Eligibility- Membership in AAHAM, Minimum 2 years

experience in healthcare related field or 2 year Associate degree

Cost- $199 Full Exam $50 per Retake Section 4 Hour On-Line Exam 4 Sections

◦ Patient Access/Front Desk , Billing, Credit Collections, Revenue Cycle Management

◦ Multiple Choice, True/False Grading-Immediate Results-70% All Sections Must pass 2 sections to qualify for re-take within 12

months of initial exam date Maintaining Certification: National Member in good

standing & 30 CEUs w/in 2 years of certification- 15 obtained from AAHAM Related Educational Programs

Certification CRCS I/PCertification CRCS I/PEligibility- Membership in AAHAM encouraged, 1 Year

Employment in Revenue CycleCost- $100 Full Exam $50 per Retake Section2 Hour On-Line Exam3 Sections

◦ Patient Access/Front Desk , Billing, Credit Collections,

◦ Multiple Choice, Grading-Immediate Results-70% All Sections

Must pass 2 sections to qualify for re-take within 12 months of initial exam date

Maintaining Certification: Option 1- Retake and pass exam every 3 years. Option 2- National Member in good standing & 30 CEUs w/in 2 years of certification- 15 obtained from AAHAM Related Educational Programs

Certification CCTCertification CCTEligibility-Membership in AAHAM encouraged, 1

Year Compliance ExperienceCost- $10090 Minute On-Line Exam4 Areas of Focus-Multiple Choice

◦ 7 Elements of Compliance Plan◦ Agencies that oversee healthcare compliance◦ Knowledge of the OIG Recommendations◦ Non-Compliance Penalties

Results- Immediate70% If 70% not achieved. Must retake entire

examMaintaining Certification - Must be re-taken

every 3 years

Certification CRIPCertification CRIPEligibility- National AAHAM MemberCost- $199 Retakes $50 per section4 Hour On-Line Exam4 Areas of Focus-Multiple Choice True/False

◦ Overall Review of Charge Capture◦ Ancillary Services◦ Surgical Services Procedures ◦ Recurring Outpatients and Clinical Services

Results- Immediate70% Must Pass 2 of the 4 sections to be eligible

to re-take the remaining sections w/in 12 Months. Maintaining Certification -Maintaining Certification:

National Member in good standing & 30 CEUs w/in 2 years of certification- 15 obtained from AAHAM Related Educational Programs

Resourceswww.mdaaham.com

◦Link to National Website◦Schedule for Webinars

www.aaham.org◦Registration◦FAQ’s◦Costs◦Study Resources◦Eligibility◦Recertification

Certification BenefitsCertification Benefits

Individual◦Increased Earnings Potential◦Competitive Advantage◦Recognition-Opportunities for Growth

Employer◦Increased Competency of Staff◦Promote Ongoing Training/Education◦Develop Career Ladders

THE THE   C R C EC R C E  EXAMEXAM  

FOUR SECTIONSFOUR SECTIONS

EACH SECTION EACH SECTION FORMATFORMAT

True/False…………2 points each

  Multiple Choice…...5 points each

  Short Answer……...15 points each

  Essay……………….20 points each

  Quantitative………..15 points each (but may have several answers)

 Each section has a 2-hour maximum completion time; the full exam has an

eight hour time limit.

You must score a minimum of 70% per section to become certified.

You can `bank’ two or three sections and re-take only those sections that you did not pass.

Preparing for the ExamPreparing for the ExamThe preparation for the CRCE

exams can be an overwhelming process. The following slides will assist you in creating a plan to make the most out of the time you have dedicated to prepare.

Purchase the Study Purchase the Study MaterialsMaterialsEnsure that you have a copy of

the CRCE Study Manual. They are available for purchase online at www.aaham.org under Certification -> CRCE.

Purchase a Practice Exam. This is a great tool when used in conjunction with a study plan – it will help you to gauge the effectiveness of your studying.

Study Guide Loaner Study Guide Loaner ProgramProgram Maryland AAHAM is proud to be able to offer loaner study

guides for the upcoming CRCE, CRCP and CRCS exams for MD AAHAM members.

The loaner program is for MD AAHAM members only. The study guides will be on loan to MD AAHAM for six (6)

weeks. The study guides are expensive to purchase, so this is a great opportunity to utilize the study guide for free!

The loaner program is on a first come, first serve basis so be sure to act fast!

See the following link for a full description of the program and forms:

http://www.mdaaham.com/crcecrcpcrcs-certification/

Block Time on Your Block Time on Your CalendarCalendarBlocking time on your calendar puts

accountability on you and keeps your schedule clear. Reading the study guide takes time and digesting the material may require reading it multiple times.

Ensure that you block time for each section. Many test takers find that they study least on the area in which they are most comfortable. The items you think you know best have the highest likelihood to stump you!

Keep Your Study Area Keep Your Study Area QuietQuietStudy time has the best results

when done in a quiet area. Distractions such as family and work take away from the effectiveness of your study session. If there is no quiet place in the house, consider visiting a local library.

Use the Study GuideUse the Study GuideIt sounds simple, but take time to read

through the study guide. There are items in the guide that you

may find need to be explored further through your own research. If you are researching on your own, ensure that your sources are creditable.

Highlight/Underline and Tag concepts in the book (highlight/underline key concepts to reference back to & tag/flag items that you need to further study).

Take Notes/Make Flash Take Notes/Make Flash CardsCards Find out how you learn best and then follow these

steps for success: ◦ Auditory – Find a partner to quiz you, quiz yourself,

or use a software application ◦ Kinesthetic – Write notes as you study and take

notes from your highlighted study manual (writing notes can further your absorption of the material).

◦ Visual – Make flash cards for each key concept

Going through the concepts is important the final week before the exam. Flashcards are an easy way to review all sections

Gather Support – Join a Study Gather Support – Join a Study Group!Group!Identify a study buddy, join a study group

or form your own! The benefits of a study partner or group is the psychological support and accountability to keep you on track.

If there are others in your organization, considering making arrangements to meet up with them after studying each section. It may also be useful to find someone who has recently taken the exam as they will have further insight on key topics.

Study Partners/Groups Study Partners/Groups (continued)- (continued)- Check with your organization as many offer study

sessions (this can be a good way to connect with others in our industry who have successfully taken the exam).

If you want to form your own study group, follow these tips for success:◦ The first thing that your group should have is a

“study plan” (this should include an outline of study topics).

◦ Next you will want to determine a study schedule (more/less study time may be needed depending on the topic and current exposure/lack of to the information). A study schedule should take from six to twelve weeks, depending on the group/individual needs.

This will be on the Test! This will be on the Test! Answering in Paragraph Answering in Paragraph FormFormPart of the test will require a

response/responses in “Paragraph Form”. Correct paragraph form includes: a topic sentence, three “showing examples” and a conclusion (no paragraph should be less than five sentences).

To be fully prepared, set aside time in your study schedule to practice answering questions in correct paragraph form.

Brush up on your grammar and spelling to ensure that your paragraphs are polished and professional (because it counts)!

Practicing Formulas Practicing Formulas Exam is on online- practice the

formulas in Word. Harder than you think to “show

your work” on line. Even if the answer is incorrect –

points are awarded for showing your work

Formatting Your Answers Formatting Your Answers Make it easy on the Grader

◦Label the sections of your answers to match the questions.

◦Key words in questions to determine format of answers: List Define Discuss Advantages-Disadvantages / Pros-Cons

◦Number the items

Formatting Your Answers -Formatting Your Answers -ExampleExampleQuestion:

◦Define DME and list at least five items considered DME

Answer:Definition:

Items1.2.3.4.5.

Study TipsStudy Tips Make daily study a priority Avoid cramming Spend more time on your weak areas Pick a time to study when you are most alert (research

shows that the morning and early evening are best) Stick to the study schedule Keep breaks short (3-5 minutes is adequate) Study one topic at a time The next day review what you learned the day before Make outlines and map out what you have learned and

develop questions from your outline Reading out loud helps reinforce the material Tape record important items you want to remember (or

have difficulty remembering) and listen to them to and from work

Preparing for Test DayPreparing for Test DayGet a good nights sleep Eat a light, healthy breakfast During the test, take the time to

read each question carefully (especially true/false and multiple choice)

Take a deep breath, relax and do your best!

Exam Day RemindersExam Day RemindersThe exam is written from the typical DRG perspective

(this is not a Maryland focused exam) - this information will help you to better understand the material.

If a question asks you to list five items to an answer and you know seven- be sure to list all seven. This increases your chances of getting full credit (in case one of your items are wrong).

Pay special attention to the questions and be sure to provide all the information asked for to receive full credit. Take note as well in case answers with no information is required (don’t use extra time to provide detailed information unless it is asked for).

If you do not know an answer in its entirety, answer as much as you can to receive as much credit as possible.

Sample Questions-Sample Questions-FormatsFormats

TRUE / FALSE

 The medical record department is the only

hospital department that has to worry about controlling record confidentiality. T/F

PHI Stands for Protected Health Information. T/F

Sample Questions-Sample Questions-FormatsFormats

Multiple Choice The Statue of Limitations is expiring. What

can be done to extend the statute?A. Obtain a written “promise to pay”B. Obtain a partial payment on the principle

amountC. Obtain a judgmentD. All of the above

Sample Questions-Sample Questions-FormatsFormats

Multiple Choice How many weeks of leave within a 12 month

period are employees entitled to under FMLA?

A. 6 WeeksB. 25 WeeksC. 12 WeeksD. 18 Weeks

Sample Questions-Sample Questions-FormatsFormats

Fill in the Blank

 Correspondence regarding collections must

be retained for 7 years.

The Truth in Lending Act is also known as Regulation Z.

Sample Questions-Sample Questions-FormatsFormats

Short Answer

 Define Cash Forecasting

◦ Cash Forecasting is the projection of cash flow for the future based on historical trends and/or anticipated changes.

Define late charges◦ Charges posted after the bill has dropped

Sample Questions-Sample Questions-FormatsFormats

Essay

 Define DME and list five items that could be considered DME.

Definition:

Durable Medical Equipment is covered under part B as a medical or other health service and is equipment that can withstand repeated use, is primarily customarily used to serve a medical purpose, generally is not useful to a person in the absence of an illness or injury and is appropriate for use in a home.

Items

1.) Crutches 4.) Canes

2.) Hospital Bed 5.) Dialysis Equipment

3.) Oxygen Tanks 6.) Walker

Sample Questions-Sample Questions-FormatsFormats

Quantitative

  Based on the information below, which agency is MOST Effective:

Show all work and calculations.

Agency Net Referred $ Collected %Collected Fee%

A 500,000 70,000 14% 25%

B 350,000 56,000 16% 30%

C 425,000 85,000 20% 35%

A Final MessageA Final Message

Contact InformationContact Information

Kimberly Scribner, CRCE-I, CACDirector Revenue Cycle & Financial Clearance Howard County General Hospital State of MD Certified Application CounselorPhone (410) 740-7742Fax (410) 720-8106klinebe1@jhmi.edu

Contact InformationContact Information

Amy Weber, CRCP-I & CPCDirector Non-Governmental Follow-up and AppealsMedStar Health Phone (410)933-2791amy.weber@medstar.net.

Contact InformationContact Information

Karen Moore, CRCE-ISenior IT Project Management ConsultantUnited Health Group-Optum 360Phone (410) 754-3293 W

(410) 310-4409 Ckmoore@caremedic.com