The CHC exam—Certified in Healthcare Compliance—is the primary credential for healthcare compliance professionals in the United States. Offered by the Health Care Compliance Association (HCCA) in partnership with the Compliance Certification Board (CCB), it validates expertise across the full spectrum of healthcare compliance work: regulatory knowledge, program development, investigations, privacy, billing integrity, and ethics. If you're in healthcare compliance and you don't yet have your CHC, this guide is your starting point.
Earning the CHC demonstrates that you understand the compliance frameworks that govern how healthcare organizations operate—from HIPAA and HITECH privacy requirements to False Claims Act exposure, anti-kickback statute (AKS) interpretations, and the OIG's seven elements of an effective compliance program. These aren't abstract legal concepts in the real world of healthcare; they're the daily operating parameters of compliance work. The exam tests whether you know them at a level that demonstrates genuine professional competence.
The CHC exam consists of 100 multiple-choice questions administered in a 3-hour session via computer at Prometric testing centers (or remotely). Passing score is set by CCB using a modified Angoff method—it reflects what a minimally competent certified compliance professional should know, not a fixed percentage. Generally, candidates need to answer approximately 65–70% of questions correctly to pass, though this varies slightly by exam version.
The exam is available year-round on a rolling basis, which gives you flexibility in timing your test date around your preparation readiness.
The CHC exam is organized into eight content domains. CCB publishes the exam blueprint, which shows the approximate weight of each domain:
The CHC exam rewards candidates who understand the practical application of compliance concepts, not just those who can recite regulatory text. Here's how to structure an effective preparation plan:
The Office of Inspector General's seven elements of an effective compliance program are foundational to healthcare compliance—and heavily tested on the CHC. Know all seven cold: (1) written policies and procedures, (2) compliance officer and committee, (3) training and education, (4) effective lines of communication, (5) internal monitoring and auditing, (6) response to detected problems and corrective action, (7) well-publicized disciplinary standards. Understand not just what they are but how they interact and what their practical implementation looks like in a healthcare organization.
Four statutes dominate the CHC regulatory domain:
The billing and coding domain (15% of the exam) trips up compliance professionals who don't have a billing or coding background. You don't need to be a certified coder, but you do need to understand the compliance risks in billing: upcoding, unbundling, billing for services not rendered, medically unnecessary services, and common fraud schemes the OIG has identified in work plans. The CHC Healthcare Billing and Coding Compliance practice set covers these scenarios.
CHC questions about investigations often describe a scenario (an employee reports a potential compliance issue; an external audit flags a billing discrepancy) and ask you to identify the correct next step. Know the investigation process: initial assessment, interim actions while the investigation is pending, documentation standards, legal privilege issues, voluntary disclosure pathways, and how to handle government inquiries. These are judgment questions—they test whether you make the right call in a realistic situation.
HCCA publishes resources specifically aligned with the CHC exam, including study guides and practice question sets. Their publications reflect the exam's content domains and question style more accurately than generic compliance textbooks. If your organization has HCCA membership, check whether you have access to their exam prep resources at a reduced cost.
To sit for the CHC exam, you need:
The CCB evaluates applications based on self-reported experience documentation. Keep employment records that document your compliance-specific responsibilities, and track your compliance CE hours—you'll need this documentation when you apply.
The CHC exam uses a multiple-choice format with questions covering all major domains. Most versions allow 2-3 hours for completion.
Questions test both knowledge recall and application skills. A score of 70-75% is typically required to pass.
Start early: Begin studying 4-8 weeks before your exam date.
Practice tests: Take at least 3 full-length practice exams.
Focus areas: Spend extra time on topics where you score below 70%.
Review method: After each practice test, review every incorrect answer with the explanation.
Before the exam: Get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy meal, and arrive 30 minutes early.
During the exam: Read each question carefully, eliminate obvious wrong answers, flag difficult questions for review, and manage your time.
After the exam: Results are typically available within 1-4 weeks depending on the testing organization.
The CHC exam is administered at Prometric testing centers or via remote proctoring. Remote testing has become more widely available and is worth considering if traveling to a testing center is inconvenient. For remote testing, you'll need a quiet room, a reliable internet connection, and a clean workspace—Prometric's proctors conduct a room scan before the exam begins.
On-site, bring two valid forms of ID—your primary ID must be government-issued with a photo. You cannot bring your own reference materials; the exam is closed-book. Scratch paper is provided. The testing interface is straightforward, and you can flag questions to review before submitting. Most candidates finish with time to spare.
The CHC credential is increasingly expected for senior compliance roles in hospital systems, health plans, physician groups, and healthcare vendors. According to HCCA's annual compensation surveys, CHC-certified professionals consistently earn more than non-certified peers in comparable roles. The credential also signals professional commitment to employers—it's a measurable indicator of expertise that distinguishes you from candidates without it.
After passing, use your certification period productively. The two-year CE requirement keeps your knowledge current in a regulatory environment that changes regularly—new OIG work plan priorities, updated safe harbors, HHS enforcement actions, and emerging areas like telehealth compliance create ongoing learning opportunities. Active engagement with HCCA's educational programming is the most efficient way to stay current and accumulate CE simultaneously.
The CHC Regulatory Compliance practice questions and CHC Billing and Coding Compliance practice sets are the best places to benchmark your exam readiness before scheduling your test date. Work through them honestly under timed conditions—if you're consistently scoring above 70% across domains, you're likely ready.