Credentials: How do they measure up?  

First, what exactly is a credential? According to Random House Webster's Dictionary a credential is defined as "evidence of entitlement to rights, privileges, or the like".

In regards to the Medical Coding field there's quite a few credentials to choose from such as, the CPC, CCS-P, CMC, and the CMSCS.  There is no Federal or state agency that regulates or endorses medical coding certifications, however, in 2004 CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) published a manual recognizing the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA), the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC), and the Practice Management Institute (PMI) as examples of coding certification programs that could be utilized to fulfill its coding certification requirement of Medicare Contractors¹.

Private practice physicians are not required by the government to have certified ...