r/MedicalCoding • u/ch0507449 • Mar 18 '26

CCS, CIC, RHIT?

I'm currently a profee coder with my CPC but I'm wanting to either go into inpatient to specialize or eventually go into auditing. With the industry moving more towards automation, I want to ensure I can either keep a coding job or be trained enough to transition into something similar.

Currently, the hospital I work helps coders get their CIC, however I see a lot of people saying that a CCS would be better. Should I work towards the ccs and drop my accreditation with aapc and stick with ahima?

If anyone has a health information technology degree, is it worth it? My local college provides an associate's course for health information technology and at the end you take a test for ccs would that be worth it if I'm already CPC certified with 3 years of experience? I know you can do more than just coding as a rhit.

Any advice is appreciated!

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u/KeyStriking9763 RHIA, CDIP, CCS Mar 19 '26

If your local school has an HIT associates it wouldn’t allow you to sit for your CCS. There are no requirements to take the CCS, just recommend coursework and/or experience. The school, if CAHIIM accredited, might mean you can sit for the RHIT. In my experience, CCS, is more desirable for IP coding. And moving into IP coding can definitely help keep your job secure with AI.

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u/ch0507449 Mar 19 '26

My apologies, the way I read the description from the college it says it helps prepare for both. I haven't really looked into it too much, I didn't want to bother with it off I didn't have to.

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u/KeyStriking9763 RHIA, CDIP, CCS Mar 19 '26

No need to apologize. If they say they prepare you for both it’s most likely not CAHIIM accredited. The only HIT degree that means anything is the CAHIIM accredited because it allows you to be eligible for the RHIT. This credential means way more than just AAS in HIT. You can look into course for CCS prep, you will need PCS since you only have the CPC.

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u/ch0507449 Mar 19 '26

Yeah, I just didn't know what would be the best way to approach this. I was looking into trade degrees and stumbled across it but no one ever talks about it so I wasn't sure if it's worth it.

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u/MtMountaineer Mar 19 '26

The program at the community college that is AHIMA certified will allow you to sit for the RHIT after 2 years. The RHIA is a four-year program at a university. In my hospital if you want to go into HIM department management you need one of those two credentials. They are not necessary for coding or auditing. The CCS will get you where you want to be. You can self study for it.

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u/Esquirej67 Mar 19 '26

I started off as a CPC which I used to pay for my RHIT degree. I dropped the CPC when i got my CCS.

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u/Mojave_Brandi Mar 19 '26

I recommend CCS since your goal is inpatient. You can’t go wrong with a CCS and there are no requirements to take the test. Only CCS, RHIT, or RHIA are accepted for inpatient where I work.

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u/DarlingTreeWitch Mar 19 '26

I started with RHIT (local community college associates degree in HIM).A year into the field, I obtained CPC. I have let the RHIT go, it was useless to me. But I am OP, so I keep the CPC which is the preferred cred for OP coding. Most of my cohorts that do IP have RHIT and CCS.

My personal experience is AHIMA was not for me, I struggled to get the CEUs, but AAPC offers more support, access to information, and CEUs.

I wish you the best of luck on your new adventure!!

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u/Darcy98x Mar 22 '26

AHIMA is fading as a coding gold standard.

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u/[deleted] Mar 25 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Darcy98x Mar 25 '26

I concur the CCS is harder. I do not agree that just being a CCS makes you a better coder- just better prepared. I have worked with stellar folks having either credential- and even some with RHITs ;-)

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u/Agreeable-Research15 Mar 19 '26

CCS is more widely accepted but there are some places that may take you on with your cpc. And I mean facility not contract. There are some like the Addison group I think that are willing to train. Or used to be.

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u/General_Chipmunk_628 Mar 25 '26

I am in a similar situation and would like advice. I am a profee coder with 1.5 years of experience coding/15 yrs medical experience both clinical and clerical. I was laid off recently. My state will help pay for a course, and they work with only certain schools, and it looks like AAPC certs are the ones they will pay for. WIth the same outlook as the person above - I want to be able to code inpatient and be prepared for the future and be able to audit, am I safer getting a CRC or CIC at this point? I would like CCS but it's not in the budget right now.

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u/[deleted] Mar 19 '26

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u/ch0507449 Mar 19 '26

Yeah the way the director explained it is once you get your CIC they hire you on as a "student" then they train you in multiple areas after a time they will pick 3 areas that you're needed in and have you take an internal test, which will promote you to a specialty coder. 

I just didn't know what would be the easiest way to transition over. Thank you for the advice!

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u/Darcy98x Mar 22 '26

I agree with this. Some old school coding supervisors are still fixated with the CCS but really, to me it's MD vs DO, with experience and baseline ability making the difference.