1. Statement issued by a board or association verifying that a person meets professional standards. 2. Hospital certification means that a hospital has passed a survey done by a state government agency. Although it is similar, it is not the same as being accredited. Certification is usually applied to individuals and accreditation to hospital facilities. Note that Medicare only covers care in hospitals that are certified or accredited. See accreditation. 3. Approval by an insurance payer’s case manager to continue a patient’s care for a certain number of days or visits. 4. In home health plan certification, the physician receives, reviews, adjusts treatment, documents the plan in coordination with the care of the home health agency, and then bills for this service. For subsequent plan adjustment, see home health plan recertification.

Attestation by the patient’s attending physician on admission and at stated intervals of the need for hospitalization and continued stay in the facility.

Certification awarded to a person after appropriate training and passing a certification examination administered by the Alliance of Claims Assistance Professionals, Inc.

Individual who has obtained appropriate training, met experience prerequisites, and passed a national certification examination administered by a professional coding association.

Title received by a person after appropriate training and successfully passing a national certification examination administered by the American Health Information Management Association for hospital-based coding.

Title received by a person after appropriate training and passing a certification examination administered by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) for physician-based coding.

Document used to guarantee insurance benefits.

Certification awarded to an individual who has successfully completed the CHC program. CHCs have a broad knowledge of the field of health care financing, act as consultants to purchasers of employee benefit packages, and are administrators of employee health care benefit programs.

Certification program developed by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association in 1978. It consists of a series of comprehensive examinations that test an individual’s knowledge of health care financing such as health care economics, pricing, underwriting, financing, marketing, and selling. Besides passing each of the examinations, the individual must complete 2 weeks of residency training.