Congratulations on taking the first step toward earning a National Association of Healthcare Access Management (NAHAM) credential. NAHAM established the CHAA and CHAM programs to promote the highest standards of patient access services through the credentialing
of those working as patient access managers.
Use our Certification Manual to learn about certification, what certification
is right for you, how to apply and maintain your certification.
Test Windows and Application Deadlines
**Exam windows are open all month for testing.
Exam Eligibility
CHAA
CHAM
Job Title:
Associate-level individuals.
Manager-level or above individuals.
Professional Experience:
One (1) year in the healthcare or finance industry; OR
The successful completion of a NAHAM accredited college program in healthcare.
Two (2) years of management experience in the healthcare or finance industry.
Minimum Education:
High school diploma or GED equivalent plus 30 professional development contact hours earned within the previous two (2) years; OR
An associate degree (or higher) from an
accredited institution.
High school diploma or GED equivalent plus 90 professional development contact hours earned within the past three (3) years; OR
A four-year degree from an accredited
institution in healthcare, business, or related field.
Content Outline:
CHAA Exam content outline.
CHAM Exam content outline.
Application Requirements
CHAA
CHAM
Information of one (1) supervisor or course instructor/advisor. (Cannot be the same as your proctor.)
A qualified proctor for standard/in-person testing or selection of the remote proctoring option.
Information of one (1) supervisor or course instructor/advisor. (Cannot be the same as your proctor.)
A qualified proctor for standard/in-person testing or selection of the remote proctoring option.
Information of one (1) CHAM certified individual to serve as your CHAM Sponsor. Reach out to your regional delegate if you need a CHAM Sponsor.
Note: Proctors do NOT have the authority to change proctor information on behalf of candidates or move candidates into a new testing window – requests to switch testing windows must be made by the candidate through NAHAM.
Exam Fees
You may submit payment by credit card through your application in Certification Central, or you may mail a check with a copy of your invoice to the address below:
NAHAM
8634 Solution Center
Chicago, IL 60677
IMPORTANT: If you are paying by check, or would like to pay at a later date, please select “Pay by check” and
submit without payment. If your application is left “In Process” after the application deadline has passed, you will be unable to sit for the exam.
REFUND/RESCHEDULING POLICY: As stated in the Candidate Guide to Certification – Only in the case of personal illness, natural disaster, or death in the family during your assigned test window will a refund or exam reschedule
be issued. All other circumstances will be subject to the Exam Deferral policy. You must
contact NAHAM in writing within your assigned testing window in order for the Refund/Rescheduling policy to apply.
Standard/ In-person proctoring allows the candidate to test in-person at a suitable testing location, date, and time agreed upon by the proctor and the candidate. All proctors must work in the healthcare industry, be in a management role,
and cannot directly supervise any candidates taking the examination. If you do not have a proctor at your facility, you can have a qualified person become a NAHAM proctor. Note: Proctors do NOT have the authority to change proctor information on behalf of candidates or move candidates into a new testing window – requests to switch testing windows must be made by the candidate through NAHAM.
NAHAM’s Proctor Database can be used to find someone in your area. The NAHAM Proctor database is not a comprehensive list
of NAHAM proctors; these individuals have volunteered their information to prospective candidates. They are not required to proctor exams.
NAHAM offers a Remote Proctoring option
for those who wish to take the exam without a standard, in-person proctor. Candidates will receive a Notice to Schedule email from NAHAM to schedule their exams before the start of the testing window with our testing vendor, SMT. Please Note:
If you would like to switch your proctoring option after the application window has closed, please contact NAHAM. A $50 fee to switch your proctoring option will apply.
Selecting Your Proctoring Option
To participate in Remote or Standard proctoring, please follow these steps:
- Begin your CHAA or CHAM exam application in Certification Central.
- Open the Proctor Information Section of your application.
- Select Remote Proctoring or for Standard/In-Person Proctoring in the drop-down menu, then select the corresponding button for your selected proctoring method.
- Proceed with the other fields of your application.
Audit Information
When submitting your application for a NAHAM exam, it is important to note that you may be audited to verify your eligibility for the exam. As stated in the Candidate Guide to Certification, NAHAM randomly audits 10% of our applicants for each certification period for quality assurance purposes. If you are selected for audit, you will not receive your test material until all audit materials are uploaded and your application is submitted. Failure to provide this documentation by the requested date will exclude you from testing during this period and application fees will not be refunded.
NAHAM staff will contact you following a review of your documentation and prior to your testing date to confirm that you have met the eligibility requirements for the exam.
Acceptable Documentation for the CHAA
Eligibility Criteria
Examples of Acceptable Documentation
Experience
A) One (1) year in the healthcare or finance industry; OR
B) the successful completion of a NAHAM accredited college program in healthcare
A) Contact information for an employer (past or present)
B) Copy of certificate of completion or transcript from NAHAM accredited program
Education
A) High school diploma or GED equivalent plus 30 contact hours earned within the previous two (2) years; OR
B) An associate or bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution
A) Copy of High School Diploma or GED Certificate and 30 contact hours from an organization (either written out of a printed copy from Education/training dept.)
B) Copy of Degree or transcript
Acceptable Documentation for the CHAM
Eligibility Criteria
Examples of Acceptable Documentation
Experience
Two (2) Years Practical Experience in the Healthcare or Finance Industry
A) Contact information for an employer (past or present)
Education
A) High school diploma or GED equivalent plus 90 contact hours earned within the past three (3) years; OR
B) A four-year degree from an accredited institution in healthcare, business, or related field.
A) Copy of High School Diploma or GED Certificate and 30 contact hours from an organization (either written out of a printed copy from Education/training dept.)
B) Copy of Degree or transcript
Deferring an Exam
In order to change your examination testing window, you must request an exam deferral within your application prior to the end of the current testing window and pay the deferral fee. Candidates may defer to a future testing window within less than one year, (e.g. January to April; not January to next January), and candidates can only defer once before they need to completely re-apply for the exam.
Deferral Fees
Exam Retakes
If you do not pass the examination on your initial attempt, you must wait until the next test window to re-take the examination as you may only take the examination once per testing window. Candidates that do not pass the exam may re-apply and re-take the exam at a discounted rate in a subsequent testing window if the candidate paid the full exam price in their most recent attempt. (i.e., If the candidate does not pass their second attempt, they will be required to pay full price for the exam again on their third attempt, before receiving a second re-take discount.)
If you are eligible for a discounted retake, the system will automatically create a retake option within your existing application. Payment must be completed within the application by credit card or check prior to the application deadline.
Re-Take Fees
