Recertification & continuing education
Two years, twenty hours, no exceptions. Federal payer rules change on contract cycles and enforcement dates, not on a decade.
A credential that never expires would be asserting something it cannot know. CFPO is renewed every two years on evidence of continuing education and a fresh ethics attestation.
Two years
Measured from the date of issue. Holders receive notice at 120, 60 and 14 days before expiry, and may submit recertification any time in the final 180 days.
20 continuing education hours
At least twelve must address federal payer programs directly. Hours may be earned from any provider, including employers, professional associations and conferences.
Ethics reaffirmation
Each cycle the holder reaffirms the code of ethics and discloses any disciplinary action, exclusion or license action taken against them since the last cycle.
What counts
One continuing education hour is 50 minutes of instruction. Activities count when they are on topic and can be evidenced.
| Activity | Counts toward | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Courses, webinars and workshops on VA Community Care, TRICARE or CHAMPVA operations, from any provider | Federal payer hours | Certificate or attendance record with date, provider and hours |
| Provider education published by VA, the Defense Health Agency, or a VA or TRICARE contractor | Federal payer hours | Completion record or dated attendance confirmation |
| Employer-delivered training on federal payer programs | Federal payer hours | Employer letter stating topic, date and hours |
| Coding, credentialing, enrollment, revenue-cycle, privacy and compliance education (AAPC, AHIMA, NAMSS, HFMA and others) | General hours (up to 8) | Certificate or CEU record |
| Teaching a federal payer topic, or serving as a CIFPO item writer or reviewer | Federal payer hours (up to 6 per cycle) | Program record, or CIFPO's service letter |
| Publishing a practitioner article on a federal payer topic | Federal payer hours (up to 4 per cycle) | The published article |
Hours are counted once. A single activity cannot be claimed as both federal payer and general hours. Hours earned before the credential's issue date do not carry into the first cycle; hours earned in the final 180 days of a cycle may be assigned to either cycle, not both.
How to submit
- Keep the evidence for every activity as it is completed. CIFPO audits one in ten recertifications at random and asks for the underlying records.
- In the final 180 days of the cycle, submit the form below with the log of activities and the recertification fee of $150.
- Reaffirm the code of ethics and disclose any action taken against you since the last cycle.
- CIFPO confirms renewal within 10 business days and updates the registry expiry date. The renewed cycle runs two years from the original expiry date, not from the date of submission, so early submission loses nothing.
Lapse and reinstatement
A credential not renewed by its expiry date shows as Expired in the registry the next day. Within twelve months of expiry the holder may reinstate by submitting the full twenty hours and the reinstatement fee of $225. Beyond twelve months, the credential cannot be reinstated; the former holder may apply for the examination again under either pathway.