Skill Assessment Quiz

Renewal

Once you’ve become certified, it's time to think about the maintenance process. Because BMSC's exams focus on skill-based testing, skill maintenance is built into a revolving process.

In the first year after your initial exam, you will need to maintain your credential by earning Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

There are three ways you can earn CEUs:

BMSC's Renewal Process

Specialty Coding Professional (SCP):

To maintain your certification as an Specialty Coding Professional, BMSC requires that you complete 10 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) during a renewal year. Your completed Application for Renewal with all required documentation of your continuing education efforts is due with payment of $69.00 to BMSC on or before the anniversary of your certification (your certification date listed on your certificate).

Advanced Coding Specialist (ACS):

To maintain your certification as an Advanced Coding Specialist, BMSC requires that you complete 12 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) during a renewal year. Your completed Application for Renewal with all required documentation of your continuing education efforts is due with payment of $89.00 to BMSC on or before the anniversary of your certification (your certification date listed on your certificate).

Certified Compliance Professional – Physician (CCP-P):

To maintain your certification as a Certified Compliance Professional - Physician, BMSC requires that you complete 10 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) during a renewal year. Your completed Application for Renewal with all required documentation of your continuing education efforts is due with payment of $69.00 to BMSC on or before the anniversary of your certification (your certification date listed on your certificate).

Home Care Coding Specialist – Diagnosis (HCS-D):

To maintain your certification as a Home Care Coding Specialist, BMSC requires that you complete 10 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) during a renewal year. Your completed Application for Renewal with all required documentation of your continuing education efforts is due with payment of $69.00 to BMSC on or before the anniversary of your certification (your certification date listed on your certificate).

Earning CEUs

There are three ways you can earn CEUs:

Educational Events (seminars, conferences, workshops, audioseminars, etc.)

A list of events (both live conferences and audio/web seminars) that have been pre-approved for CEUs can be found on the Events page.

PLEASE NOTE: Videos, audio CDs, online education and similar formats are considered to be events for purposes of CEU calculation and documentation requirements

General Coding Educational Events

BMSC awards 1 CEU per 2 educational hours attended

Relevant Specialty Educational Events

BMSC awards 1 CEU per 1 educational hour attended

BMSC will give additional weight to certain specialty education relevant to a coder's specific SCP or ACS credential. An orthopedic-certified Advanced Coding Specialist (ACS-OR), for example, who attends an orthopedic coding symposium will earn 1 CEU per 1 hour of advanced orthopedic coding education (Whereas all other ACS-certified specialties earn 1 CEU per 2 hours of education).

CEUs in this category are awarded for educational content only, not for social/networking events, meals or general sessions.

To submit pre-approved CEUs, simply include them in the Continuing Education Record portion of the Application for Certification Renewal. You only need to provide the activity date, name, format, indicate its pre-approval status and the number of earned CEUs. Please include a copy of your Certificate of Attendance with your Renewal Application.

To submit non-pre-approved CEUs, please include the following documentation for each event:

  • Copy of the course agenda, including course objectives and name of sponsoring organization
  • Name of presenter/s (include credentials, if applicable)
  • Number of hours dedicated to coding education
  • Copy of your certificate of attendance or completion

PLEASE NOTE: Do not submit CEUs to BMSC as you earn them. Your CEU application and supporting documentation should be sent together before your certification anniversary date.

CEU applications should be sent to:

Board of Medical Specialty Coding
Two Washingtonian Center
9737 Washingtonian Blvd., Suite 100
Gaithersburg, MD 20878

Publications - Physician

The following publications are pre-approved for Continuing Education Units (CEUs):

You can earn CEUs from publications in the following ways:

  • Review an article you’ve read in a BMSC-approved publication, and in writing, state what you’ve learned and how it will change the way you code and bill claims for your practice. Provide CPT, HCPCS and ICD-9 codes as appropriate. Include the name of publication, article title, and date of publication on your submission.
  • Review a scenario (for example, found in one of the Coding Pink Sheets) and describe, in writing, what you’ve learned from the coding scenario and how you can apply what you’ve learned to your practice. Provide codes as appropriate. Include the name of the publication, date of publication, page numbers of scenarios you are referencing on your submission.

BMSC awards 1 CEU per review or scenario.

If you would like to submit a scenario or article review from a publication that has not been pre-approved by BMSC, please include a copy of the title page of the publication and article/entry from which you've developed the submitted scenario.

Publications - Home Care

The following publications are pre-approved for Continuing Education Units (CEUs):

You can earn CEUs from publications in the following ways:

  • Review an article you’ve read in a BMSC-approved publication, and in writing, state what you’ve learned and how it will change the way you code and bill claims for your practice. Provide ICD-9 codes as appropriate. Include the name of publication, article title, and date of publication on your submission.
  • Review a scenario (for example, found in the back of each chapter in the Complete Home Health ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual) and describe, in writing, what you’ve learned from the coding scenario and how you can apply what you’ve learned to your practice. Provide ICD-9 codes as appropriate. Include the name of the publication, date of publication, chapter title and page numbers of scenarios/practice questions you are referencing on your submission.

BMSC awards 1 CEU per review or scenario. View a sample scenario

If you would like to submit a scenario or article review from a publication that has not been pre-approved by BMSC, please include a copy of the title page of the publication and article/entry from which you've developed the submitted scenario.

Teaching or Presenting

Developing, presenting and/or teaching relevant content will be approved for double-weighted CEU credit based on the event CEU rate on a case-by-case basis by BMSC. Please submit the following to BMSC to have your presentation approved for CEUs:

Please submit the following:

  • Resources used in the presentation
  • Brief synopsis of the educational event (date, timeframe, audience, etc.)

While BMSC does pre-approve CEUs for selected educational events and publications, pre-approval is not required for CEUs to qualify for renewal. CEUs earned from events not pre-approved require additional documentation to support you renewal.