Complete Guide on Medical Assistant Credentialing Requirements
March 26, 2025
INDUSTRY INSIGHT
Consider a busy medical office with sick patients waiting for care. Everyone is anxious to see a provider as quickly as possible. The last thing this practice needs is an unfilled position. But that’s precisely what they’ll face if they can’t promptly verify the credentials of a new medical assistant (MA) who will be helping to ease the burden of patient care. A streamlined health care credentialing workflow is essential to ensure that new hires are verified quickly and efficiently, preventing staffing shortages and maintaining high-quality patient care.
MAs play an integral role in every healthcare facility. However, they must be appropriately credentialed to ensure quality care and patient safety. Let’s look at the medical assistant credentialing requirements to help you make sense of this process and allow your healthcare services with credentialing.
Azulity’s provider credentialing services take the stress out of verifying the credentials of medical assistants and other allied health professionals. Our solution automates the credentialing workflow so you can quickly and easily verify new hires’ qualifications and avoid costly patient care delays.
Importance of Credentialing for Medical Assistants
Building Trust and Credibility for Medical Assistants Through Credentialing
Credentialed medical assistants earn the trust of both patients and healthcare providers. Everyone can breathe easier knowing these qualified professionals have the skills and knowledge to perform their duties safely and accurately. Those who operate without supervision can also bring peace of mind to patients and the entire care team.
More Job Opportunities for Medical Assistants Who Are Credentialed
While some employers hire medical assistants without certification, others prefer or require credentialed applicants. Medical assistant credentialing can be a factor for employers looking for qualified candidates to join their team, especially in well-established facilities or specialized fields.
Better Pay and Opportunities for Advancement for Credentialed Medical Assistants
Medical assistants with credentials generally earn better salaries than those without certification. The qualifications give medical assistants an edge over the competition, making them more eligible for promotions, specialized roles, and increased wages.
Improved Patient Care through Medical Assistant Credentialing
Credentialed medical assistants are better equipped to handle complex medical and administrative tasks. Crediting to rigorous training and certification standards makes credentialed assistants more proficient, leading to higher patient satisfaction and safety.
Medical Assistant Credentialing Requirements
Pick the Right Medical Assistant Credential for Your Career Goals
Before getting certified, choosing the type of certification that will be best for helping you meet your career goals is crucial.
Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) Certification Requirements
The Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) is a certification the National Healthcareer Association offers. This certification focuses more on the clinical skills required for medical assisting and less on the administrative skills.
It is best for those who prefer to work alongside the physician, helping with procedures and taking measurements. To be eligible for the CCMA exam, you must complete a medical assistant training program or have one year of medical assisting experience. The CCMA exam costs $155. You can attempt the test thrice yearly and wait 30 days between each attempt.
Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) Certification Requirements
The American Association of Medical Assistants offers the Certified Medical Assistant (CMA) certification. It is the most widely recognized certification for medical assistants and covers administrative and clinical education and training. To be eligible for the CMA exam, you must complete a certification program accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools. These can be done online, through a technical school, or a degree program.
The CMA exam consists of 200 multiple-choice questions, and you have 160 minutes to complete the exam. The questions cover infection control, healthcare information management, healthcare delivery, and patient safety. The CMA exam costs $125 to take. You are allowed three attempts to pass before you must repeat your medical assistant course.
Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) Certification Requirements
The American Medical Technologists offer the Registered Medical Assistant (RMA) certification. While not as widely recognized, the content of the RMA certification exam is very similar to the CMA certification exam. The RMA certification can be earned in several different ways. The following pathways can be taken to become eligible for your RMA exam:
Graduate from an accredited medical assisting program
Graduate from a US Armed Forces medical assisting program
Have 3 years of experience as a medical assistant in the past 7 years
Work as a medical assistant instructor for 5 years
Work as a medical assistant instructor for 1 year but have 3 years of work experience in a related healthcare field The RMA exam consists of 200 multiple-choice sections.
Topics covered include general medical assistant knowledge, administrative medical assisting, and clinical medical assisting. The RMA exam costs $120. If you need to re-take the RMA exam, you must pay a $90 retake fee and wait 45 days to try again. The RMA exam can be attempted 4 times; after that, you will have to try for a different certification.
Medical Assistant Certification Renewal Requirements
So you’ve earned your medical assistant certification, but do you have to renew it and ensure it doesn’t expire? Yes, you do have to renew your medical assistant certification. To maintain your certification, you may take some continuing education courses or re-apply to keep your certificate.
Certification renewal is essential because it helps ensure that certified medical assistants remain current on their skills and that crucial things like infection control and safety procedures are not forgotten. Here are the renewal requirements for each type of medical assistant certification:
CCMA
The CCMA certification must be renewed every two years, or it will expire. To renew, you must complete 10 CE credits, pay a $179 fee, and submit your renewal request to the NHA.
CMA
A CMA certification is valid for 60 months and can be maintained by completing continuing education courses or retaking the exam. To re-certify by continuing education, you must earn 60 continuing education points through the AAMA, apply online to complete your recertification, and pay a $65 (members of AAMA) or $130 (non-member) renewal fee. If you decide to re-certify by retaking the exam, you must pay $125 (members of AAMA) or $250 (non-members).
RMA
To maintain your RMA certification, you must pay an annual fee of $75. In addition, you must earn 30 CCP points every three years. This can be done by maintaining employment as a medical assistant or completing continuing education courses.
How to Get Medical Assistant Credentialing in 5 Steps
Step 1: Use Azulity to Start Your Medical Assistant Credentialing Process
Azulity focuses on healthcare master data management and provider credentialing services. The company brings proven expertise in implementing healthcare data solutions and credentialing across the US. Azulity’s comprehensive platform consistently synchronizes patient, provider, location, and claims data across all systems and departments.
Key features include healthcare MDM, provider MDM, reference data management, credentialing, and provider enrollment. Azulity serves healthcare technology leaders – from CIOs and CDOs to VPs of data platforms and credentialing – helping them eliminate the costly problems of fragmented data systems. Book a call to learn more about Azulity’s healthcare master data management services today!
Step 2: Finish An Accredited Medical Assisting Program
Medical assistants must complete an accredited program that covers essential topics such as medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, clinical procedures, and patient communication.
Step 3: Obtain Certification
After completing an accredited program, medical assistants must obtain certification from a recognized credentialing organization, such as the AAMA. The certification exam covers anatomy, physiology, medical terminology, pharmacology, and administrative procedures.
Step 4: Maintain Certification
Medical assistants must maintain their certification by completing CEUs regularly. CEUs are designed to keep medical assistants up-to-date with the latest developments in the healthcare industry and ensure they provide the best possible care to their patients.
Step 5: Obtain Licensure or Registration
In some states, medical assistants must obtain licensure or registration to practice. The requirements for licensure or registration vary by state, but they typically involve completing an accredited program, passing a certification exam, and meeting other state-specific requirements.
Regulations for Medical Assistant Credentialing
Understanding CLIA and its Role in Medical Assistant Credentialing
The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) are federal regulations that aim to ensure the quality of laboratory testing. Medical assistants often handle laboratory tasks, such as collecting samples and performing basic tests. CLIA sets specific qualifications and competency requirements for those working in laboratories. Even though CLIA does not explicitly mandate credentialing for medical assistants, it requires healthcare facilities to employ competent individuals, leading employers to favor credentialed medical assistants.
Airing Out OSHA Regulations in Medical Assistant Credentialing
OSHA’s primary concern is workplace safety, especially in high-risk, healthcare settings. Medical assistants are exposed to biohazards, chemicals, and infectious diseases. Credentialing confirms a medical assistant’s knowledge of safety practices, infection control, and proper handling of medical equipment, making it an essential criterion for many healthcare facilities.
State-Specific Medical Assistant Licensure and Certification Requirements
While some states have specific regulations for credentialing medical assistants, others do not. However, the growing complexity and high standards within the healthcare industry have pushed states to adopt or recommend credentialing as a mandatory practice. States like Washington and Arizona require certification for medical assistants to perform specific advanced duties. In these states, medical assistants without certification are limited to basic tasks, such as clerical work and assisting with exams. This has led many nationwide healthcare facilities to prefer or require credentialing, even in states that aren’t technically mandated.
The Role of Healthcare Facility Accreditation Agencies in Medical Assistant Credentialing
Agencies such as The Joint Commission (TJC) and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) establish rigorous standards for healthcare facilities. These agencies evaluate healthcare providers on many factors, including the competence and qualifications of their staff. To meet these standards, facilities prefer hiring credentialed medical assistants to demonstrate their commitment to excellence and patient safety. Healthcare organizations accredited by TJC or NCQA are often held to a higher standard, and hiring credentialed medical assistants helps them meet compliance and quality requirements. This indirectly makes credentialing almost mandatory, as uncredentialed staff may result in non-compliance during accreditation reviews.
The Impact of CMS Regulations on Medical Assistant Credentialing
CMS, a federal agency that manages programs like Medicare and Medicaid, requires healthcare facilities to follow specific compliance rules. Although CMS does not mandate credentialing directly, healthcare providers must ensure that all staff involved in patient care meet competency standards. Medical assistants who lack appropriate credentials may be restricted from specific tasks under CMS guidelines, so many facilities seek credentialed staff to ensure full compliance.
Azulity specializes in healthcare master data management and provider credentialing services, bringing proven expertise in implementing healthcare data solutions and credentialing across the US. Our comprehensive platform ensures consistent patient, provider, location, and claims data synchronization across all systems and departments.
Key features include healthcare MDM, provider MDM, reference data management, credentialing, and provider enrollment. We serve healthcare technology leaders – from CIOs and CDOs to VPs of data platforms and credentialing – helping them eliminate the costly problems of fragmented data systems. Book a call to learn more about our healthcare master data management services today!
Book a Call to Learn More About Our Provider Credentialing Services
Medical assistants fulfill various responsibilities that improve patient flow and assist with the smooth operation of healthcare facilities. Credentialing helps verify that medical assistants possess the qualifications, skills, and experience to perform these tasks safely and efficiently. The process ensures that medical assistants have the appropriate education, training, and certifications to perform their duties and helps protect patient safety. The specific medical assistant credentialing requirements vary by facility, state, and the medical assistant’s role. For example, a surgical facility may require different credentials for a medical assistant than those needed for a physician’s office.
