CEU Information - Members

• CEUs for CMS-sponsored webinars and workshops are accepted by AAPC at a rate of one CEU per hour. These CEUs may come from CMS national or MAC offices. A certificate of attendance or completion with the CMS logo is necessary to show participation.
• If you have attended or are planning to attend one of CMS™ National Provider Conference Calls, you should be aware that CMS does not provide certificates of attendance for these calls. Instead, the AAPC will accept your emailed confirmation and call description as proof of participation.
• Medicare Learning Network offers several web-based programs for free. Complete the program and post test with a +70% accuracy and receive 0.5 to 2.0 CEU(s) for each. Details are on the CMS website: http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNProducts (click on the link to Web-Based Training (WBT) Courses under Related Links). Click here to access detailed information about AAPC credits earned.

• CEUs are accepted from programs sponsored by AHIMA national offices and the state or regional AHIMA branches. One hour of instruction is worth one CEU. We also honor CEUs from AHIMA for online self assessments. A certificate of attendance or completion is necessary to show participation.
• AAPC does not accept CEUs from other entities that offer “AHIMA approved” CEUs. These organizations must apply separately for AAPC CEUs and receive an AAPC index number and CEU value. For example: ABC Company sponsors a coding event and applies for CEUs through AHIMA. This event would also need AAPC approval in order to qualify for AAPC CEUs.

• AAPC will honor 1.0-for-1.0 CEUs for any live event offering CME credit or AMA PRA Category 1 credit. A certificate of attendance or completion listing the total CMEs possible for the offering is necessary to show participation. Physicians are advised to claim only the actual hours that they were present during the education. We ask that AAPC-certified members abide by this request also. One hour of instruction is worth one CEU.

• If a student currently holds an AAPC certification, AAPC will accept time spent in post-secondary education programs. This includes diploma and degree-granting programs that relate to health care, health care business, health care finance and health care management. Each CEU is earned based on transcripts showing the “clock hours” or “credit hours.” Clock hour CEUs are earned at the rate of 1 CEU per clock hour, and should be no less than 80 hours. Credit hours are earned at a rate of 10 CEUs per credit hour. In either case, the maximum number of CEUs that can be earned in this manner is 40 hours per year.

• CEUs are offered to people who are not employed/contracted with the publication (Healthcare Business Monthly) and who are not being paid for the work performed
• CEUs are awarded to authors of articles published in the Healthcare Business Monthly, regardless of general/specialty orientation

Our membership relies on authors of the Healthcare Business Monthly to be the most knowledgeable coders in their profession.

• To be considered as an author for Healthcare Business Monthly, submit the entire article, proofed and ready for publication, to AAPC
• Authors will be notified via email whether or not their articles are selected for publication
• Authors will be notified in which Healthcare Business Monthly issues their articles will be published
• Authors will receive a CEU certificate after the article is published

CEUs will be awarded according to a word count of the final polished article. Word count increments are as follows:

• 500 - 999 words = 0.5 CEU
• 1000 - 1999 words = 1 CEU
• 2000 words plus = 1.5 CEUs

No more than 1.5 CEUs can be awarded for a single article. Word count considers only your own curriculum, not links to source documents that can be accessed from the article.

• CEUs are awarded in 0.5 increments
• An article awarded 1.5 CEUs can be split equally between 3 authors
• An article earning 1 CEU can be split equally between 2 authors

NOTE: What will make your article stand out from the rest?

• Pick a topic in which you have expertise, appropriate specialties will be assigned to the education
• Narrow the topic so that you can cover it well in the space allowed. For example, instead of writing about “Coding Obstetrics” consider narrowing down the topic to “Ultrasound and Medical Necessity in Pregnancy.” That way, you can cover it thoroughly
• Remember our readers live across the country. Refrain from focusing on local coverage issues or concerns
• Read your Healthcare Business Monthly regularly so you know what’s already been covered and can get a feel for what sort of topics are selected.
• Keep your sentences short and use your spellcheck. Have a coworker review your work for clinical accuracy
• Cite your sources and quote experts in the field in your article to give it a professional edge

Coding/Billing

• CPT®
• ICD-9-CM (Vol. 1-3)
• ICD-10
• HCPCS
• Coding & Billing Policy & Procedure

Clinical

• Anatomy
• Physiology
• Medical Terminology
• Pharmacy
• Pathophysiology

Compliance

• Compliance Auditing
• Compliance Planning
• Self Reporting
• Compliance Training

Regulatory

• Medicare Regulations
• Medicaid Regulations
• OIG Work Plan
• MS Transmittals
• Teaching Regulations
• NCDs/LCDs

Data/Claims

• Data Management
• A/R Management
• Appeals
• Revenue Cycle

Insurer

• Payer Contract Negotiations

Professional Self Improvement

• Communication Skills
• Management Skills
• Time Management
• Stress Management
• Employee Issues
• OSHA
• Workers Compensation Benefits
• JCAHO

Noted Exception: As the topics under Curriculum B are core responsibilities of a practice management, these limitations are not enforced for the CPPM® certification.

For more details about current CEU guidelines for member requests please click here. Preapproval for CEUs submitted by members are for Professional Self Improvement (Curriculum B) CEUs only.

For commonly asked questions about member requested CEU applications and the approval process please click here. For members to apply for Curriculum B CEUs only click here.

For members to apply for Curriculum B CEUs only click here.

• Pre-approved specialty CEUs, can be applied to one specialty and one core credential concurrently.
• Specialty CEUs can be applied to core credentials (CPC, COC, CPC-P, CPB, CIC, CRC, CPMA, or CPCO); core CEUs cannot be applied to specialty credentials because they are not specialty approved.
  • Any pre-approved specialty CEUs can be applied to the CPC, COC, CPC-P, CIC, CRC or CPB.
  • Specialty CEUs applied to the CPMA or CPCO must be pre-approved for both the specialty and CPMA or CPCO credentials, respectively.
  • The member is still required to meet the 16 required CEUs relative to and pre-approved for the CPMA and CPCO credentials.
• Core CEUs cannot be applied to multiple core credentials.
• Specialty CEUs cannot be used simultaneously toward another specialty credential CEU requirement.
• There is a minimum requirement of 36 unique education hours spent for any combination of credentials held. Unique hours are actual education hours or "in your seat time."
• Total CEUs due (every 2 years) remain the same as in the current policy:
  • 36 CEUs for one core or specialty credential
  • 40 CEUs for two credentials (8 in specialty if one is specialty or 16 if one is CPMA, CIRCC or CPCO)
  • 44 CEUs for three credentials (8 in specialty if one is specialty or 16 if one is CIRCC, CPMA or CPCO)
  • 48 CEUs for four credentials (8 in specialty if one is specialty or 16 if one is CPMA, CIRCC or CPCO)
  • 52 CEUs for five or more credentials (8 in specialty if one is specialty or 16 if one is CPMA, CIRCC or CPCO)