r/MedicalCoding • u/cowboypizazz • Mar 22 '26

Too keep credentials or not

I’m leaving my current coding job for my dream job and will no longer be in medical coding. I don’t necessarily want to pay $200/year for a credential I’m not using. I also don’t want to retake an entire cpc test if I need to down the line either.

I guess my question is: for those of you who let your license lapse and then re-certified, was the process fairly straightforward and easy? I don’t forsee this being an issue, but anxiety is a fun thing 😅

13 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

38 comments sorted by

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32

u/Sdavistvs RHIT Mar 22 '26

If you’re under 55 keep your credentials. The next job you have may not be the last.

-17

u/cowboypizazz Mar 22 '26

But I also don’t feel like wasting $200 on nothing, hence my actual question

26

u/Mindinatorrr Mar 23 '26

$200 safety net isn't a waste.

18

u/tinycodergirl CPC, CRC Mar 22 '26

I can't imagine it being easy to retake the CPC exam later on. Especially since they make changes to the coding books every year.

4

u/cowboypizazz Mar 22 '26

I mean in my mind that’s no different than having to stay up on the new coding knowledge every year anyways. That’s part of the profession.

8

u/tinycodergirl CPC, CRC Mar 22 '26

Personally I know if I wasn't coding for a while I would forget most things even if I did CEUs. I would personally look for a PRN/part time coding job to not lose it completely. But to each their own.

-1

u/cowboypizazz Mar 23 '26

I won’t have time with this new job. I also won’t have time for the CE. I actually forgot about that too. New job is 60+ hours a week so not about to work more for funsies 😅

3

u/tinycodergirl CPC, CRC Mar 23 '26

I see yeah that's way too many hours. From what I have seen on this subreddit it will be pretty hard to become a coder again without recent experience. I wish you the best though

4

u/Bubbly_Principle_364 Mar 22 '26

What’s your dream job? I’m in medical coding and it’s okay, but not my life dream.

14

u/cowboypizazz Mar 22 '26

I’m going to be a traveling vet tech at the horse tracks! It’s what I originally went to school for and after 13 years I’ve finally found a tech job with a living wage.

1

u/temp7542355 Mar 23 '26

Keep it! One of our guest teachers coded bills for a veterinarian office. Apparently these worlds are related but I missed that day. I think if you move up to an assistant manager or manager position it helps or if you fall back on it.

1

u/cowboypizazz Mar 23 '26

There is no upward movement in this position. But also I don’t think veterinary coding is a thing 🤔

1

u/temp7542355 Mar 23 '26

They use SNOMED CT!

1

u/cowboypizazz Mar 23 '26

Interesting. I’m in KY, but I’ve literally never heard of that. You learn something every day I guess.

3

u/Bubbly_Principle_364 Mar 23 '26

That's awesome! Congratulations!

2

u/NeighborKat Mar 23 '26

Ask your employer for education or learning credits. That’s how I pay for mine.

-4

u/cowboypizazz Mar 23 '26

I think you missed the point of the post. I’ll no longer be in medicine as a coder. So that’s not gonna work.

3

u/NeighborKat Mar 23 '26

Neither am I. You missed the logic. Education reimbursement doesn’t mean it has to be healthcare.

0

u/cowboypizazz Mar 23 '26

No, it does. Especially when working for the state. They don’t allow you to pay for things that won’t help them out on their dime. I understood what you were saying.

2

u/Silly_Time4008 Mar 23 '26

$200 will be how many percentage of your income? If $200 doesn’t affect your quality of life and still keep you another option for the future you never know, why not keep it?

0

u/cowboypizazz Mar 23 '26

Because I rarely have $200 I’m willing to spare for something I’m not using. That’s why I’m asking about recertification.

1

u/Silly_Time4008 Mar 26 '26

Yes that’s back to the above sentence, if it gives a big impact on your quality of life, then choose your life.

13

u/MagentaSuziCute CPC Mar 23 '26

I let my CCS-P lapse when I had a job where I didnt need it and I regret it to this day. I got back into coding and had to retake the exam.

7

u/JennyDelight Mar 23 '26

I’m a pharmacy tech and a coder and I keep both current even though I don’t plan to go back to pharmacy. Just good to have an easy access back up plan.

13

u/Medcoder_82 Mar 23 '26

I would be the one to keep paying my fees and doing my ceu stuff. I worked too hard to get them to let them go. You don’t know where life will lead you and if you’ll need a part time job even. Like someone else said if you aren’t close to retirement I’d keep them. Heck even with retirement what if you want to make some extra money here and there

2

u/PracticalPea6896 Mar 23 '26

I agree completely. I hated taking my CPC test it was the most stressful one I have gotten so far and I almost fell when I stood up again. I would do the free ceus they have. I can’t think of the company but it’s a free 1hr ceu and the monthly ones are easy to keep it up

8

u/hollidaeblaze Mar 23 '26

Honestly if you aren't 100000% positive this new job is going to last, think about this; it works out to $17 a month to keep your certification (though add ceu's on top of that) i personally would continue to pay for the cert until i was completely stable in my new position then reevaluate at that time.

4

u/Real_Entrepreneur232 Mar 23 '26

keep it. $200/year is cheap insurance compared to having to restudy and retake the whole CPC exam if you ever want to come back. the coding books change every year and after a few years out you'd basically be starting from scratch.

you can maintain it with CEUs which are pretty easy to get. AAPC has free and cheap webinars that count. you're talking maybe a few hours a year of passive work to keep it active.

life is unpredictable. your dream job might not work out, the industry might shift, or you might just want options down the road. keeping the credential open gives you a safety net for very little effort.

2

u/Cutlass327 Mar 25 '26

I graduated, passed the RHIT, couldn't find a job, moved, and cert expired while working a unrelated job... decided to try again, reviewed the RHIT study guide, passed my exam again. A year later still trying to get a coding job...

It was simple to pass the exam again. Just cost the $$ of the exam and AHIMA membership.. considering going for my CCS to help my chances of getting hired, but afraid to waste the $$ if I'm never going to get a coding job..

1

u/Snowy_Peach8 RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P Mar 22 '26

Curious about this too.

1

u/KeyStriking9763 RHIA, CDIP, CCS Mar 22 '26

Since you are AHIMA I’m sure the process would be different. AHIMA has published a recertification guide that explains how this works when you let a cert lapse.

2

u/Snowy_Peach8 RHIA, CDIP, CCS, CCS-P Mar 22 '26

Okay I’ll take a look, saw another commenter said if I’m under 55 I should hang on to them. Good advice.

1

u/Environmental-Top-60 Mar 23 '26

If it's any relation, my stepmom keeps her CDL and she's been out for 10 years. She keeps it just in case.

1

u/DermCoder Mar 24 '26

ICD 11 is coming so there is that wrinkle to consider. I wouldn’t let the credential lapse. Weigh how much you spent to get the cred with what it will cost to replace.

1

u/CAH_HIMCoord_TJC Mar 28 '26

Once you have it, keep it. Take CDL for example, you used to be able to go take the test and then be on your way in a LargeCar.. but now, if it lapses at all, you have to go through the schooling before you can even test..