Criteria for Maintaining CCE Certification
At the end of the 2-year certification period, NCQA Certified Content Experts (CCE) have the option to renew and maintain their PCMH CCE credential. To strengthen their knowledge base during their certification period, CCEs must complete required training as outlined and select other continuing education events or tasks.
Training Requirements
A total of 30 Continuing Education Unit (CEU) points (8 required continuing education points and 22 other continuing education/task points) are required. Additional educational activities are offered throughout the year and may be eligible for credit. Review NCQA Education and Training offerings.
Educational Credits
90 days before the certification expiration date, CCEs will have access to renew their credential through My.NCQA once they meet the minimum requirement of 30 CEU points. NCQA maintains a record of credits earned through education programs in the “My CEC” section of the site.
If an active CCE wants to repeat a course in the same certification cycle, credits count only once.
- Credit calculations for live courses are based on the event date.
- Credit calculations for on-demand courses are based on the course purchase date, not on the completion or certificate download date.
Upon certification renewal, all credits earned during the previous certification period will expire and credit accrual will begin for the next certification period.
CCE Responsibilities
NCQA recommends that CCEs maintain a record of their continuing education and self-reported credits earned through practice or state initiative support. At certification renewal, CCEs are asked to update their demographic information, upload credits earned through practice support or state initiatives, attest to their maintenance of certification (MOC) record and pay a renewal fee of $195.
Additional Details
NCQA reserves the right to collect practice support and state initiative information to verify CEU activities. If audited, CCEs must provide evidence of activities within 30 days of receiving the audit notice. Individuals selected for audit will receive a letter with detailed audit instructions. Failure to provide evidence will result in loss of certification.
Active CCEs are not authorized to retake the CEC exam to renew their credential. NCQA reserves the right to collect information and verify CEU activities.
At the time of a NCQA PCMH Recognition Program update (e.g., PCMH 2017) all current PCMH CCEs must take a live course or online module by a specified date to maintain a current knowledge base of the PCMH program and retain certification. PCMH CCEs who do not meet this requirement by the specified deadline will be subject to suspension and/or possible revocation of their certification.
Required CCE Continuing Education
CCEs must earn at least 8 required continuing education unit points (“credits”) during their two-year certification period. Each NCQA education course outlines the type of continuing education credit offered in the course description and indicates if credits are required or elective (“other”).
All webinars offer required credits. Courses on this page are offered live and are archived for on-demand viewing. CCEs may participate in either the live or on-demand offering to earn credit.
Find additional courses offering both required and elective credits on NCQA’s website.
Once CCEs earn 8 required credits during a certification period, any other required credits earned during the same period count toward the remaining 22 elective credits needed to reach the minimum of 30.
Other CCE Continuing Education
CCEs must earn at least 22 elective continuing education credits during their two-year certification period. CCEs may earn elective points through NCQA education courses or by participating in CEC tasks. Each NCQA education course outlines the type of continuing education credit offered in the course description and indicates if credits for CCEs are required or elective.
Once CCEs earn 8 required credits during a certification period, any other required credits earned during the same period count toward the remaining 22 elective credits needed to reach the minimum of 30.
Find courses offering both required and elective credits on NCQA’s website.
CCE Tasks
CCEs may earn MOC credits through the following additional tasks.
Provide direct support to a practice pursuing NCQA PCMH Recognition, Patient-Centered Specialty Practice Recognition, Patient-Centered Connected Care Recognition, Behavioral Health Distinction, Diabetes Recognition or Heart/Stroke Recognition, either as a new applicant or program renewal.
- CCEs will be asked to list the name of the practice and the Recognition achieved.
- Documentation of support to a practice may include a letter on practice letterhead stating services provided and/or a copy of a service agreement or contract with a practice.
- CCEs may share points if they work as a team to assist practices.
- MOC credit is prioritized for CCEs assisting practices that earn NCQA PCMH Recognition; however, a CCE may receive credit for assisting a practice that does not earn Recognition or has not received a Recognition decision by the certification expiration date. (This will require the CCE to explain why the practice did not earn Recognition. If audited, the CCE must provide supporting documentation.)
Credits Awarded
| Single Site Support | Multi-Site Support |
|---|---|
Serve as course facilitator for an onsite training or as faculty for an NCQA training, seminar or Digital Community blog (by invitation only and at the discretion of NCQA; may not apply to all CCEs).
- Credits awarded: 3 for faculty
- Credits awarded: 2 for course facilitators
Serve as NCQA Evaluator for an NCQA Recognition program (by invitation only and at the discretion of NCQA; may not apply to all CCEs).
- CCEs will be asked to list practices (and multi-site practices, if applicable) for completed check-ins and list each geographic practice site that was part of the multi-site review.
- Additional RP Evaluator Credit may be offered for required Evaluator trainings.
- Credits awarded: 1 per Virtual Review
Serve on the PCMH Advisory Committee (by invitation only and at the discretion of NCQA; may not apply to all CCEs).
- Credits awarded: 3
Participate in the creation, development and/or implementation of statewide initiatives.
CCEs will be asked to describe the project scope and identify the state and their role and responsibilities in the initiative. (CCEs receive credit per overall initiatives, not per task or role in the initiative.)
- Credits awarded: 3 per initiative
Partner in Quality (PIQ). You may claim PIQ credit if your organization is an NCQA Partner in Quality and you provide practice resources as part of your work.
- Credits awarded: 3
We’re ready to help