Do you have questions about how to get certified or recertify? Read our FAQs for answers.
Be sure to read the Candidate Handbook as you prepare for your exam.
What credentialing exams does AHCC offer?
AHCC offers the following exams:
- Home Care Coding Specialist – Diagnosis (HCS-D)
- Home Care Coding Specialist – Hospice (HCS-H)
- Home Care Clinical Specialist – OASIS (HCS-O)
To learn more about which exam is right for you and to find the candidate handbook with important details about each exam, visit About BMSC Credentials.
How do I register for an exam?
You must take and pass an exam in order to obtain an AHCC credential. There are 2 ways to take an exam through BMSC: at a computer-based testing center OR by remote proctor.
To take your exam at a Prometric computer-based testing center or with a remote proctor:
Register for your exam online.
Once you register, you will receive a confirmation email with details about scheduling your exam with our testing partner, Prometric.
Note: Before registering for remote testing, please make certain your system is compatible with the testing application before you register. Visit https://rpcandidate.prometric.com/ to perform a system readiness check. If your system is NOT compatible with the testing application at your remote location, you will need to register or change your scheduled exam to a computer-based testing center. Fees may apply to changing and rescheduling your exam. Visit https://ahcc.decisionhealth.com/fees for more information.
Important: If you are considering remote testing, be sure your testing environment is ready. Read more here.
How long is the exam?
- The HCS-D certification exam is 3.5 hours long and contains 90 questions.
- The HCS-O certification exam is 3 hours long and contains 90 questions.
- The HCS-H certification exam is 3 hours long and contains 90 questions.
What’s the passing score for my exam?
- The passing score for the HCS-D exam is 76%.
- The passing score for the HCS-O exam is 76%.
- The passing score for the HCS-H exam is 75%.
What should I expect when taking an AHCC exam ?
When taking any AHCC exam, whether at a testing center or by remote proctor, please take note of the following important information:
- You should arrive at least 30 minutes before your exam is scheduled to begin. If you are taking the exam by remote proctor, make sure to perform a system check and download the ProProctor Application before test day.
- You will be required to present one valid, government-issued photo ID with a signature (such as a driver’s license or passport). If you are testing outside of your country of citizenship, you must present a valid passport. If you are testing within your country of citizenship, you must present either a valid passport, driver’s license, national ID or military ID. The identification document must be in Latin characters and contain your photograph and signature. Temporary IDs of any kind are NOT acceptable. You will NOT be allowed to test without a current government-issued photo ID with a signature. Your name on the ID must match your exam registration with AHCC. If it is different or has changed, please contact customer service at 1- 800-650-6787 to have this updated at least ten (10) business days before your scheduled exam. You will not be allowed to test if the name does not match.
- Only AHCC authorized resources are allowed in the testing room.
Allowed materials
HCS-D Exam:
- Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual, 2024. Available for purchase in the DecisionHealth online store.
- Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual, 2023.
- Any other vendor’s ICD-10 coding manual (2023 or 2024 Edition).
Note: AHCC recommends a current code year, 2024, coding manual be used when taking the 2024 HCS-D exam.
In addition to the above referenced coding manual, for the HCS-D exam, you may take the FY2024 official guidelines provided here into the testing room. Please note, only the watermarked guidelines provided through this link will be allowed into the testing room as an additional resource.
Electronic code look-up systems are NOT allowed in the testing room. A hard copy coding manual is the only allowed resource.
The hard copy coding manual may have alphabetic and tabular section dividers (A through Z) that are affixed. You may have annotations written on the coding manual pages including the notes pages at the back of the manual but they must be free of any notes containing coding rules and guidelines from other reference materials (for example, AHA’s Coding Clinic, Home Health ICD-10-CM Coding Answers, and similar materials).
Not Allowed:
- Post-It notes
- Loose papers or any other papers attached by any means
The testing center staff or exam proctor reserves the right to deny code books that contain excessive writing and information that may give the candidate an unfair advantage.
HCS-H Exam:
- Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual, 2024. Available for purchase in the DecisionHealth online store.
- Complete Home Health ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding Manual, 2023.
- Any other vendor’s ICD-10 coding manual (2023 or 2024 Edition).
Note: AHCC recommends a current code year, 2024, coding manual be used when taking the 2024 HCS-H exam.
In addition to the above referenced coding manual, for the HCS-H exam, you may take the FY2024 official guidelines provided here into the testing room. Please note, only the watermarked guidelines provided through this link will be allowed into the testing room as an additional resource.
Electronic code look-up systems are NOT allowed in the testing room. A hard copy coding manual is the only allowed resource.
The hard copy coding manual may have alphabetic and tabular section dividers (A through Z) that are affixed. You may have annotations written on the coding manual pages including the notes pages at the back of the manual but they must be free of any notes containing coding rules and guidelines from other reference materials (for example, AHA’s Coding Clinic, Home Health ICD-10-CM Coding Answers, and similar materials).
Not Allowed:
- Post-It notes
- Loose papers or any other papers attached by any means
The testing center staff or exam proctor reserves the right to deny code books that contain excessive writing and information that may give the candidate an unfair advantage.
HCS-O Exam:
Note: The HCS-O exam is updated each year in January to cover changes in OASIS guidance from the past year.
You may take only the following manuals into the testing room:
- OASIS Assessment form
- Chapter 3 of OASIS Guidance Manual
- NPIAP Pressure Injury Stages
- Static OASIS Q&As
- CMS Quarterly Q&As
The above materials are available for purchase as a complete binder entitled: The OASIS Form Companion. The candidate may supplement this guide with the published quarterly Q&As. Version year 2023 or 2024 is acceptable. See the DecisionHealth online store for details.
In lieu of purchasing the above resources, you may download the materials from various regulatory sites or purchase materials from any other vendor; however, the materials MUST be clearly labeled and bound in ONE binder. If the proctor at a live event or a computer based testing center cannot clearly identify the allowable resources, you will NOT be allowed to take the resources into the testing room.
Or, the candidate may bring the INSTANT OASIS Answers Book PDQ or OASIS: Access at your Fingertips. Version year 2023 or 2024 is acceptable.
What is AHCC’s confidentiality policy?
AHCC has adopted policies and procedures to protect the confidentiality of exam candidates. AHCC staff members will not discuss pending applications with anyone but the candidate and will not discuss a candidate’s scores by telephone or by fax. AHCC will discuss pending applications and score results by:
- US mail upon a signed request by the candidate.
- Via email from the candidate if there is a match between the email address on the communication and the email address on the candidates record.
AHCC will not release exam results to educational institutions or employers unless authorized by the candidate in writing.
What Happens After the Exam?
Successful candidates receive:
- An acknowledgement of the credential earned with the date of your certification, suitable for framing, and a BMSC lapel pin to wear proudly as a credential holder (via USPS within 6 weeks of taking the exam).*
- A listing in the Directory of Certified Credential Holders.
Unsuccessful Candidates receive:
- Score report identifying how you performed in each competency area. Candidates taking the exam at a testing center or by remote proctor will receive the score report immediately upon exam completion.
- Instructions how to register to retake the exam.
For more information about how the exams are scored, refer to your candidate handbook.
AHCC is responsible for the validity and integrity of the scores reported. Occasionally, computer malfunctions or candidate misconduct may cause a score report to be suspect. AHCC reserves the right to void or withhold examination results if, upon investigation, violation of AHCC’s regulations is discovered. Candidates are expected to fully cooperate with any investigation.
In order to protect the integrity of the examination, AHCC cannot release a candidate’s specific answers to questions on any certification examination, nor will AHCC discuss rationale for specific correct answers to examination questions.
* Certificate and pin mailed to US addresses only. Printable certificate available in the CEU Tracker.
How can I retake my exam?
Candidates can retake any AHCC certification exam within 90 days of their initial or previous certification exam for $99 in the U.S. or by remote proctor, $199 at international computer-based testing centers, per attempt.
To retake your AHCC HCS-D, HCS-O, OR HCS-H exam, log in to the CEU Tracker and click on “Retake Now.” If you are unable to log into the CEU Tracker, contact customer service at 1- 800-650-6787 .
