Avoid Late Fees: CAA Guide to NCCAA CME Compliance

Step 1: Understand the NCCAA CME Requirements

To maintain certification, CAAs must complete and register 50 CME hours every two years. The current requirements and deadlines include:

• CAA Category I CME: At least 40 hours must be anesthesia CME. All 50 hours may be Category I.
• CAA Category II CME: Up to 10 hours may be general medicine or professional development CME. Category II cannot replace the required 40 Category I hours.
• June 1: Complete CME registration and payment by the standard deadline in the year registration is due.
• June 2 through August 31: Bring registration and all applicable fees up to date during the late period.
• September 1: The NCCAA states that a practitioner who has not properly registered CME and paid the applicable fees will be decertified.

Step 2: Plan Your CME Activities Early

Avoid a last-minute scramble by spreading your CME activities throughout the two-year cycle. A simple plan can help you stay aware of both your credit balance and registration deadline.

• Set milestones: Consider completing about half of the requirement during each year of the cycle.
• Review your totals regularly: Confirm how many Category I and Category II hours you have completed and what remains.
• Choose flexible options: Use self-paced courses when they better fit your work and personal schedule.
• Leave time for corrections: Finish early enough to resolve incomplete documentation or account questions before June 1.

Step 3: Organize Your Documentation

Organized records make it easier to enter activities accurately and respond if the NCCAA audits your CME submissions. The NCCAA recommends keeping the original records of CME credit earned.

• Save the certificate or supporting documentation for every activity.
• Confirm that your records support the activity title, date, location, sponsor organization, accrediting organization, and credits earned.
• Keep secure digital copies in a dedicated folder so records are easy to locate when entering activities.
• Retain the original documentation after registration in case of a future audit.

Step 4: Use the NCCAA Web Portal Consistently

The NCCAA web portal provides browser-based access for submitting and tracking CME credits. Use it throughout the cycle instead of waiting until the deadline.

• Enter activities as they are completed.
• Track your registered credits and review how many hours remain.
• Follow the portal’s current instructions for supporting documentation.
• Review activity details and credit amounts for accuracy before completing registration.

Step 5: Budget for the Registration Fee

Planning for the CME registration fee can help prevent an avoidable financial surprise.

• Standard registration: $295 when completed by the June 1 deadline.
• Late registration total: $895 after June 1. The NCCAA non-compliance guidance describes this as the $295 registration fee plus a $600 administrative fee.

Final Steps to Stay NCCAA Compliant

Staying compliant is more manageable when you understand the requirements, plan activities early, keep complete documentation, and review your NCCAA account before the deadline.

Requirements, fees, and portal instructions can change. Verify current information directly with the NCCAA before completing registration.