Since the code sets for each coding book are updated every year, it’s essential for coders to have the current year’s books/manuals to ensure accurate performance. Reporting wrong codes can lead to denied claim submissions and substantial penalization. It’s clearly very important to get an education on the annual code set updates and to obtain new code books every year.
CPT & HCPCS don’t change until Jan 1st, so you will start seeing those being advertised around mid-October and November each year.
BHAT® (pronounced ‘bat’) stands for “Bubble, Highlight and Annotate Technique“. This is a proprietary system, which is used in connection with our educational services, created by Laureen Jandroep in 1999 that uses bubbling, highlighting and annotation techniques to help students quickly find key answers in their manuals during the open book CPC® exams.
Instead of flipping back and forth between pages where the guidelines are, the answers are right next to the codes when a student takes the board exam. Students have stated the BHAT® system gave them the confidence they needed to pass the exam. Another plus: the BHAT® system helps coders in their day to day coding work after the exam as well!
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Make sure you add these new ICD-10-CM codes for 2021.
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Regarding ICD and HCPCS, the AAPC allows any vendor manual during testing.
All AAPC exams are based on the current calendar year’s code sets, so we strongly suggest you use the current year’s books. The previous calendar year’s books may be used on an exam, but you would be at obvious disadvantage doing so. The upcoming year’s books are not allowed for exam use. The exams are updated every January for the new code sets. Examinees using their second attempt in the next calendar year will not be permitted to take the previous year's exam.
No materials (other than tab dividers) may be inserted, taped, pasted, glued, or stapled in the manuals.
When do new versions of Manuals come out?
ICD changes yearly on Oct 1st and new ICD-10 manuals are available 1-2 months ahead of that date.CPT & HCPCS don’t change until Jan 1st, so you will start seeing those being advertised around mid-October and November each year.
What Is BHAT®?
Instead of flipping back and forth between pages where the guidelines are, the answers are right next to the codes when a student takes the board exam. Students have stated the BHAT® system gave them the confidence they needed to pass the exam. Another plus: the BHAT® system helps coders in their day to day coding work after the exam as well!
BHAT™ Formerly Bubble, Highlight & Annotate Technique by Laureen Jandroep
BHAT™ aka Bubbling and Highlighting is a Proprietary System Created by Laureen Jandroep in 1999 to Help Medical Coders Mark Up Their Manuals
www.cco.us
Make sure you add these new ICD-10-CM codes for 2021.
Recommended Textbooks, Manuals & FAQ
Listing of Textbooks, Workbooks and Manuals students will need for our full Courses and Review Blitzes. Book FAQs also included.
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Which Vendor do I use if I'm testing with the AAPC?
If you’re testing for the AAPC exam, you will need the AMA CPT Version during testing. They will not allow any other vendor. Only Professional no Expert.Regarding ICD and HCPCS, the AAPC allows any vendor manual during testing.
What year’s books should I use?
Since the code sets for each coding book are updated every year, it’s essential for coders to have the current year’s books/manuals to ensure accurate performance. Reporting wrong codes can lead to denied claim submissions and substantial penalization. It’s clearly very important to get an education on the annual code set updates and to obtain new code books every year.All AAPC exams are based on the current calendar year’s code sets, so we strongly suggest you use the current year’s books. The previous calendar year’s books may be used on an exam, but you would be at obvious disadvantage doing so. The upcoming year’s books are not allowed for exam use. The exams are updated every January for the new code sets. Examinees using their second attempt in the next calendar year will not be permitted to take the previous year's exam.
What is allowed in our books?
Handwritten notes are acceptable in the coding books only if they pertain to daily coding activities. Questions from the Study Guides, Practice Exams or the Exam itself are prohibited. Tabs may be inserted, taped, pasted, glued, or stapled in the manuals so long as the obvious intent of the tab is to earmark a page with words or numbers, not supplement information in the book. Altering, whiting out, painting, or printing over any pages within the code books (e.g., marketing pages, table of contents, reference pages, etc.) to supplement information is prohibited.No materials (other than tab dividers) may be inserted, taped, pasted, glued, or stapled in the manuals.
