For Immediate Release
Contact:
Donald A. Balasa, JD, MBA
AAMA Executive Director and Legal Counsel
800/228-2262
Victory for Credentialed Medical Assistants in CMS Ruling
CHICAGO—September 25, 2012—On August 23, 2012, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule on Stage 2 of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. The CMS decided that credentialed medical assistants—including CMAs (AAMA)—would be permitted to enter medication orders into the computerized provider order entry (CPOE) system.
Previously, only licensed health care professionals were allowed to perform this function. After considering multiple options, which included language allowing “anyone, including those commonly referred to as scribes” or “any licensed, certified, or appropriately credentialed health care professional” to enter orders, the CMS decided to use the more limited description of including credentialed medical assistants.
This decision impacts CMAs (AAMA) in a number of ways:
- Recognized in federal law.By specifically mentioning credentialed medical assistants—as opposed to all medical assistants—in the high-profile EHR Incentive Program, the CMS provides a powerful argument against licensure as the only method of ensuring competence in health care professionals.
- Distinguished from “credentialed healthcare professionals.”The switch from “credentialed healthcare professionals”—which the CMS deemed overly broad and generic—to “credentialed medical assistants” helps do away with the inaccurate view of medical assistants as general outpatient health care workers with no specific administrative or clinical training.
- Able to act on clinical support interventions.In describing the knowledge and competence required to enter orders into the CPOE system, the CMS presents a case for why credentialed medical assistants are the only medical assistants who can be trusted to execute correct and accurate entry.
- Distinguished from “in-house” medical assistants.The CMS explicitly states that medical assisting credentials “would have to be obtained from an organization other than the employing organization.” This adds weight to the importance of the CMA (AAMA) credential as a standard for well-trained medical assistants.
All CMAs (AAMA) must have current status to use the credential, including for qualifying to enter orders for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program.
Employers can verify employees’ CMA (AAMA) certification status by visiting the AAMA website ( or calling the AAMA national office at 800/228-2262.
About the AAMA
The mission of the American Association of Medical Assistants is to provide the medical assistant professional with education, certification, credential acknowledgment, networking opportunities, scope-of-practice protection, and advocacy for quality patient-centered health care.
About the CMA (AAMA)
The CMA (AAMA) credential is awarded to candidates who pass the CMA (AAMA) Certification/Recertification Examination. The National Board of Medical Examiners—responsible for many national examinations for physicians—serves as test consultant for the exam.
The CMA (AAMA) credential must be recertifed every 60 months by the continuing education or re-examination method in order to use the CMA (AAMA) credential.
The CMA (AAMA) is the only medical assisting certification that requires graduation from a postsecondary medical assisting program accredited by an accrediting body recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Only graduates of medical assisting programs accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES) are eligible to take the CMA (AAMA) Certification Examination.
For more information, visit or call the AAMA directly at 800/228-2262.