ACA Credentialing Program Offers Professional Development to First- and Third-Party Healthcare Collectors

MINNEAPOLIS – Crowded malls, frowning youngsters and the reemergence of yellow buses at the end of the block can mean only one thing: The back-to-school season is upon us. Many professionals look back fondly to those simpler days when an “afternoon meeting” was a game of four-square at recess. This fall, ACA International invites professionals in the healthcare collection field to also look forward by making their back-to-school season an opportunity for career development. The new Healthcare Collection Specialist (HCS) program developed earlier this year by Campus ACA™ offers unprecedented opportunity for professionals in both the first- and third-party sides of healthcare receivables management.

The new HCS designation features some important changes from the Certified Healthcare Collection Specialist program which it replaces, making it a more valuable career enhancement.

The HCS program features greater focus on the intricacies of the healthcare field. In addition to examining the laws and regulations specific to the collection of healthcare accounts, the program has been broadened to make participants experts on the entire lifecycle of healthcare receivables. The HCS program is equally valuable to first-party collection agents and staff such as patient account managers and collection specialists working in-house for a healthcare provider office.

Professionals who complete the HCS program will achieve a life-long designation requiring no renewal. While the HCS credential does not expire, the certificate will display the date of completion. As new regulations are imposed or techniques change, the course will be updated and ACA encourages specialists to stay current with industry changes. By switching the format to a lifelong designation that does not require continuing renewal through ongoing professional development units, ACA recognizes that the professional’s ultimate goal is not a certificate, but a strong education that gives him or her the tools needed for collection success.

With the HCS exam in a new electronic format, individuals will no longer have to wait for specific in-person testing dates. The online exam allows participants to complete the program at their convenience from their own homes or offices, and gives the added benefit of immediate exam results.

The HCS program builds on the foundation of ACA’s general collector credentialing programs. Participants must first complete either the Professional Collection Specialist (PCS) or Creditor Collection Specialist (CCS) designation which demonstrates expertise of fundamental collection knowledge.

For more information on the Healthcare Collection Specialist program visit www.acainternational.org/campusaca and click on the Professional Development link, or contact Campus ACA at (952) 928-8000, ext. 215 or campusaca@acainternational.org.

ACA International, the Association of Credit and Collection Professionals, is the comprehensive, knowledge-based resource for success in the credit and collection industry. Founded in 1939, ACA brings together more than 5,500 members worldwide, including third-party collection agencies, attorneys, creditors and vendor affiliates. The association establishes ethical standards, produces a wide variety of products, services and publications, and articulates the value of the credit and collection industry to businesses, policymakers and consumers. For more information about ACA International, visit http://www.acainternational.org.