Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS) Exam
Encyclopedia
Certified Medical Reimbursement Specialist (CMRS) is a voluntary national credential
that was created specifically for the medical billing professional. The American Medical Billing Association
(AMBA) has been providing this industry certification
and designation for nearly a decade.
The CMRS designation is awarded by the Certifying Board of the American Medical Billing Association (CBAMBA) after an exam. Although there is no state or federal requirement for a medical billing professional to become certified to practice medical billing, the goal is to provide a professional certification
that upholds a high ethical standard of knowledge that recognizes the competency of a certificant.
The AMBA offers a CMRS Study Guide
. Purchasing the guide is optional but recommended because 80% of the exam is taken from the study guide.
A small portion (5%) of the answers to the CMRS exam can be found in the book Understanding Health Insurance. There are 150 sample questions from the exam in the Workbook
, and the answers are in the Instructor's Manual (both sold separately).
Credential
A credential is an attestation of qualification, competence, or authority issued to an individual by a third party with a relevant or de facto authority or assumed competence to do so....
that was created specifically for the medical billing professional. The American Medical Billing Association
American Medical Billing Association
The American Medical Billing Association , located in South Central Oklahoma, was founded in September, 1998, by Cyndee and Larry Weston, who are providers of billing and consulting services to doctors and other health care providers....
(AMBA) has been providing this industry certification
Certification
Certification refers to the confirmation of certain characteristics of an object, person, or organization. This confirmation is often, but not always, provided by some form of external review, education, assessment, or audit...
and designation for nearly a decade.
The CMRS designation is awarded by the Certifying Board of the American Medical Billing Association (CBAMBA) after an exam. Although there is no state or federal requirement for a medical billing professional to become certified to practice medical billing, the goal is to provide a professional certification
Professional certification
Professional certification, trade certification, or professional designation, often called simply certification or qualification, is a designation earned by a person to assure qualification to perform a job or task...
that upholds a high ethical standard of knowledge that recognizes the competency of a certificant.
Composition of the exam
The exam is composed of 16 sections:- Medical TerminologyMedical terminologyMedical terminology is a vocabulary for accurately describing the human body and associated components, conditions, processes and process in a science-based manner. Some examples are: R.I.C.E., trapezius, and latissimus dorsi. It is to be used in the medical and nursing fields...
- AnatomyAnatomyAnatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
& Physiology - Information TechnologyInformation technologyInformation technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
- Web & Information Technology
- ICD-9-CM Coding
- CPT-4 Coding
- Clearinghouses
- CMS 1500
- InsuranceHealth insuranceHealth insurance is insurance against the risk of incurring medical expenses among individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health care expenses among a targeted group, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to ensure that money is...
- Insurance Carriers
- Acronyms
- Compliance
- FraudFraudIn criminal law, a fraud is an intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual; the related adjective is fraudulent. The specific legal definition varies by legal jurisdiction. Fraud is a crime, and also a civil law violation...
& Abuse - Managed CareManaged care...intended to reduce unnecessary health care costs through a variety of mechanisms, including: economic incentives for physicians and patients to select less costly forms of care; programs for reviewing the medical necessity of specific services; increased beneficiary cost sharing; controls on...
- General
- Case Study
Rules and requirements
- To take the exam and keep the CMRS credential up to date one has to be a member of the AMBA.
- In most instances, exam enrollment will be granted the same day the exam is purchased.
- One has a 45 day period to complete the exam once enrolled.
- One must score 85% or higher overall to pass the exam.
- Upon passing the exam, one is awarded the CMRS designation and mailed a certificate suitable for framing.
- One is required to earn 15 continuing education unitContinuing education unitA Continuing Education Unit is a measure used in continuing education programs, particularly those required in a licensed profession in order for the professional to maintain the license. Examples of people who need CEUs include interior designers/interior architects, lighting designers,...
s (CEUs) each year to maintain the CMRS certification along with a membership in AMBA. Fifty percent of the annual CEUs must come through the association.
Exam textbooks
The current year's HCPCS, CPT-4, and ICD-9 Code Books are needed to take the exam.The AMBA offers a CMRS Study Guide
Study guide
Study guides can be broad based to facilitate learning in a number of areas, or be resources that foster comprehension of literature, research topics, history, and other subjects....
. Purchasing the guide is optional but recommended because 80% of the exam is taken from the study guide.
A small portion (5%) of the answers to the CMRS exam can be found in the book Understanding Health Insurance. There are 150 sample questions from the exam in the Workbook
Workbook
Workbook is the title of Bob Mould's first solo album after leaving Hüsker Dü. The album is primarily acoustic and has a strong folk influence - very different from much of his group's heavier music. The single "See a Little Light" was a hit on the US Modern Rock chart...
, and the answers are in the Instructor's Manual (both sold separately).