Qualifying Continuing Education Activities

CEUs must be earned within your recertification cycle and must be relevant to your specialty credential. To confirm your certification cycle, log in to the CEU Tracker on this website. Your certification cycle dates are listed above your CEU Tracker.

Calculation of CEUs

Calculation of CEUs is based upon clock hours. One (1) CEU is given for each 60 minutes of attendance or participation that is fixed in length. Fractional parts of an hour less than 45 minutes in duration will not be considered a full hour credit. For example, a program that is 2 1/2 hours long is equivalent to 2 CEUs. All educational activities sponsored by an organization or individual must offer CEUs for the educational activity. BMSC cannot approve CEUs for a non-AHCC event, if CEUs were not offered by the sponsoring organization or individual

CE Activities

Participation in educational programs on topics relevant to your specialty credential

• Educational portions of programs of other relevant professional associations: one (1) CEU for each 60 minutes of participation.
• Educational portions of programs sponsored by organizations or vendors on topics that maintain, update, or enlarge knowledge and skills relevant to the home health profession: one (1) CEU for each 60 minutes of participation.
• Telecommunications and webinars relevant to your specialty (coding, OASIS, or compliance): one (1) CEU for each 60 minutes of participation.
• Educational portions of home health meetings (national convention, state, local, or regional meetings): one (1) CEU for each 60 minutes of participation.

Publication and presentation of material relevant to your specialty Credential

Publication is the development of an original work, relevant to home health coding, hospice coding, OASIS completion, or home health compliance reproduced by written or electronic means for general dissemination to the public (unless required as part of work responsibilities; see non-qualifying section).

• Author of a textbook, workbook, or manual: twenty (20) CEUs.
• Editor of a textbook, workbook, or manual: ten (10) CEUs.
• Author of an article in a home health coding journal: five (5) CEUs.
• Author of a chapter in a textbook, workbook, or manual: ten (10) CEUs.
• AHCC course writing (for example, coding on-line library course): ten (10) CEUs.
• Author of an educational article in a local or state newsletter: two (2) CEUs.
• Review of book manuscripts prior to publication: one (1) CEU per chapter.
• Author of an original tool for the AHCC Tools library— one (1) CEU.
• Author of a post for the AHCC blog—one (1) CEU.

Presentation is the development of an original work delivered to an audience.

• Speaker at an educational program: one (1) CEU for each 15 minutes of podium time.
• Panel participant at an educational program: one (1) CEU for each 60 minutes of podium time.

Independent study activities relevant to the home health profession

• Enrollment in one or more AHCC independent study program modules (CEUs pre-determined by BMSC).
• Enrollment in study programs relevant to HCS-D/HCS-O/HCS-H/HCS-C core education content areas from organizations other than BMSC. The sponsoring organization must have offered CEUs for their event in order for AHCC to approve/endorse the CEUs. (AHCC prior approval required prior to recording CEUs into the CEU Tracker.)
• AHCC post-test offerings accompanying an Association of Home Health Coding and Compliance (AHCC) E-zine article or book published by DecisionHealth. (CEUs pre-determined by AHCC.)
• Advanced research (for example, reading and analyzing material above and beyond one’s knowledge of the subject matter) in a home health coding topic area to support activities associated with an expert panel, workgroup, or task force of BMSC or its affiliate: one (1) CEU per each year.

Item Writing

Item writing for AHCC’s certification exams (CEUs pre-determined by AHCC)

Other Activities

Substantive oversight and involvement : five (5) CEUs with a maximum of ten (10) CEUs allowed in each recertification cycle.

Substantive oversight and involvement includes, but is not limited to:

• Creating an ICD-10 CM training plan and schedule of activities.
• Providing direction and guidance of AHCC Study Guides. (CEUs pre-determined by AHCC.)
• Visiting AHCC exhibits at a national or state meeting: one (1) CEU per meeting.
• Participation in a AHCC volunteer leader conference or work group. (CEUs pre-determined by AHCC.)
• Participation as a volunteer reviewer for credential beta exam items. (CEUs pre-determined by AHCC.)
• Internet educational offerings relevant to AHCC core education content areas. (AHCC prior approval required.)
• Activities defined by the guidelines for approval of CE programs for state, local, and regional state home health associations.
• Exceptional events recognized by AHCC.

Non-Qualifying Continuing Education Activities

Examples of activities that do not qualify for CEUs are as follows. The list is illustrative and not intended to be all-inclusive.

• Responsibilities that fall within the normal parameters of an individual’s job description, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) staff meetings; (2) in-services; (3) preparation for and/or participation in accreditation and licensure surveys; (4) preparation of procedure, policy, or administrative manuals; (5) training home health coders; (6) participation in career day activities; (7) development of employee and staff training materials.
• Published materials and/or presentations developed as a direct part of an individual’s employment.
• Serving in a volunteer leadership role for BMSC or any other professional organization.
• Instructing or teaching a class within the normal parameters of an individual’s job description

Reporting your CEUs

To recertify, you will need to report your CEUs to your CEU Tracker and pay the recertification fee online.

When to Report

You may report your CEUs up to six (6) months prior to the expiration date of your certification cycle but no later than three (3) months following the expiration date of your current cycle or your certification will be placed in an inactive status during the 90 day grace period.

Fees (plus any applicable late fees):

• Annual recertification CEU requirements and self-assessment maintenance fee: $229.00
• Basic AHCC membership is complimentary when you recertify any one of your credentials. If you do not hold a credential, the basic AHCC membership fee is $99.

A 15% late fee will be assessed in addition to the recertification fee if recertification requirements are not fulfilled and payment is not accepted by the expiration date.