CMRS
Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist
Purpose of the CMRS Exam
The purpose of this certification is to promote ethical and professional medical billing through certification of qualified individuals by formally recognizing proficiency demonstrated by having passed the CMRS exam, encouraging continued professional and personal best development and providing a national standard assessment based on industry knowledge.
About our Exam
Our CMRS exam is a voluntary, credential for the medical billing professional. The CMRS designation is awarded by the Certifying Board of the American Medical Billing Association
(CBAMBA). Although there is no state or Federal requirement of a medical billing
professional to become certified to practice medical billing, it is our goal to
provide a professional certification exam that upholds a high ethical standard
of knowledge that recognizes the competency of a certificant.
Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialists (CMRS) are skilled in facilitating the claims paying process from the time a service is rendered by a health care provider until the balance is paid. The CMRS is knowledgeable in ICD9, CPT4 and HCPCS Coding, Medical Terminology, Insurance claims and billing, appeals and denials, fraud and abuse, HIPAA, OIG Compliance, information and web technology, reimbursement, and much more. CMRS Billers play a critical role in a health care provider's daily business operations.
Certification provides knowledge and credibility to the biller and to potential health care providers as well as employers. It demonstrates your commitment and dedication in providing the highest standards possible in Claims Management and Medical Billing. Certification presents solid confirmation of your desire to offer qualified services in an industry that is complex and demands specialized training. Certification provides verification of competency and assurance of continued education
to maintain the credential. CMRS testing is provided on a national level.
Our idea of an exam meant that it would need to be thorough, complete and most
of all -- credible. We wanted it to be reflective and representative of our
industry, resulting in 16 sections ranging from Medical Terminology to
Compliance, requiring over 700 answers with a cut score of 85% accuracy to pass and earn the CMRS
(Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist) credential designation.
The CMRS Exam is divided into 16 Sections:
Medical Terminology
Anatomy and Physiology
Information Technology
Web and Information Technology
ICD-9-CM Coding
CPT-4 Coding
Clearinghouses
CMS 1500
Insurance
Insurance Carriers
Acronyms
Compliance
Fraud and Abuse
Managed Care
General
Case Study
The CMRS Exam is taken online through our secure Learning Management System.
You'll have 45 days access to complete the exam. Each section can be reviewed
before submission. Upon submission, a grade for that section will be provided.
Once you have completed the exam, your final score is available immediately.
CMRS Certifications are mailed upon completion and arrive in about 3 to 5
business days and are valid for one year from the date you complete the exam.
Each year, you will be required to submit 15 continuing education units (CEUs)
in order to extend your credential for another year. A current certificate is
sent each year.
Two free retakes are allowed with a mandatory 30 day
waiting period between retakes (but not more than 60 days).
Schools and teaching facilities that would like to make our exam available to their students can
be set to easily administer the exam from our secure management system.
Contact Us for more information.
Study materials are available through
the AMBA in e-Book format that will assist you in taking the exam. The study materials are priced at $199 and are available through
our online
store. The Study Guide follows the exam layout listed above.
In
order to take the exam, you must be a member of AMBA and you will be required to
maintain an annual membership to AMBA as well as maintaining the required 15
(CEUs) You should have experience in billing or have a good foundation of
knowledge in medical billing
to successfully pass the exam. You are required to have a high school diploma or
the equivalent.
Recommended optional resources for taking the exam:
The CMRS Study Guide is available through the AMBA in e-Book format that will assist you in taking the exam. The study materials are priced at $199 and are available through our online store. The Study Guide follows the exam layout listed above and covers about 80% of the questions on the exam.
Understanding Health Insurance: A Guide to Billing and Reimbursement (Paperback) by Jo Ann C. Rowell, Michelle A. Green Step by step directions explaining health insurance in a very detailed manner. Real examples that allow one to understand how insurance works easily. This manual is used by schools nationwide in medical billing training classes. Additionally, 5% of the answers to the AMBA CMRS exam can be found in this book. Also pictured is the Workbook and the Instructor's Manual. There are 150 sample questions from the CMRS exam in the workbook. The answers are in the Instructor's Manual
Books You Will Need for the exam
You will need the current year's HCPCS, CPT4 and ICD9 Code Books.
80% of the exam material can be found in the CMRS Study Guide
5% of the exam material can be found in "Understanding Health Insurance"
15% of the exam material can be found in the 2009 ICD-9-CM, CPT, and HCPCS
You will be required to earn 15
continuing education units
(CEUs) each year to maintain your CMRS Certification along with a membership
to AMBA. Fifty
percent of your annual CEUs must come through the Association.
If you have a product you would like to
submit to AMBA for prior CEU approval consideration or know of one please let us know.
To apply for the CMRS Exam, complete the Registration Form and mail or fax it to our office along with your payment
CEU Submission Form (PLEASE DO NOT FAX IF MORE THAN 10 PAGES)
CMRS Rules and CEU Requirements
