This page is for medical services professionals preparing for the NAMSS certification exam, which is taken by computer at a test center or with live remote proctoring. It gives you free practice sets by topic, three worked questions with full explanations, a study plan, and plain answers on fees, scoring, format and retakes.
The CMSM has 175 questions, takes about 4 hours and costs $425[1][2] (National Association Medical Staff Services, verified Oct 26, 2026).
Numbers in brackets link to the official sources listed under Sources & last verified. Dates that have passed are removed automatically.
| Item | Detail | Source · Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Number of questions | 175 multiple-choice questions in two parts[1] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Time limit | 4 hours[1] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Passing score | Scaled score of 450[2] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Exam fee | $425 for NAMSS members / $575 for non-members[2] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Retake policy | Up to 2 attempts within a 12-month period; 1-year waiting period after a second failure[2] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Validity | 3 years[2] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Delivery | Computer-based testing at test centers or via live remote proctoring (Meazure Learning)[3] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Eligibility | Employed 12 consecutive months in medical services within last 24 months, plus 5 years of experience within past 8 years[4] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Score release | 6 to 8 weeks after the testing window closes[2] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | January 20, 2027 (Spring 2027 window)[3] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Registration opens | November 9, 2026 (Spring 2027 window)[3] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
| Testing window | March 3 – April 7, 2027[3] | National Association Medical Staff Services · Oct 26, 2026 |
According to National Association Medical Staff Services, “The CPMSM exam consists of 175 multiple-choice items. Both exams are divided into two parts with a scheduled 15-minute break between parts 1 and 2.”[1]
This certification is offered by the National Association Medical Staff Services (NAMSS). On the official site the exam is listed as the CPMSM exam, and that is the designation you may use after passing. It is computer-based and delivered at test centers or through live remote proctoring arranged by Meazure Learning.
The exam has 175 multiple-choice questions, divided into parts with a scheduled 15-minute break between them. You have 4 hours in total. The passing score is a scaled score of 450. Score reports come by email through the Meazure Learning portal 6 to 8 weeks after the testing window closes.
To apply, you must be currently employed in medical services for at least 12 consecutive months within the last 24 months, and have 5 years of experience within the past 8 years. The fee is $425 for NAMSS members and $575 for non-members.
You may take the exam up to 2 times within a 12-month period. After a second failure there is a 1-year waiting period before you can reapply. Certification is valid for 3 years.
For the Spring 2027 window, applications open November 9, 2026 and close January 20, 2027. Testing runs March 3 – April 7, 2027. Fees, dates and rules can change, so check the current NAMSS candidate handbook before you apply.
The content areas below are copied from the official CMSM content outline published by National Association Medical Staff Services. The right-hand column shows which of our practice sets covers it.
| Official content area | Practice on this site |
|---|---|
| Credentialing, Privileging, and Enrollment[6] | CMSM Documentation Standards Practise what records must be collected, verified and kept on file before a provider is approved to practise or is enrolled with a payer. |
| Ongoing Monitoring and Compliance[6] | CMSM Regulatory Compliance Practise how rules and standards are applied after approval, including what to monitor and how to respond when a requirement is not met. |
| Operations Management[6] | CMSM Healthcare Administration Practise the day-to-day workflows, process decisions and payer-related tasks that keep a medical services office running. |
| Organizational Management[6] | CMSM Leadership and Human Resources Practise staffing, leadership and governance questions, including how responsibilities are shared across a healthcare organization. |
Prepare for the CMSM - Certified Medical Services Manager exam with our free practice test modules. Each quiz covers key topics to help you pass on your first try.
These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.
Question: Under the US healthcare system, which document details the payment made by an insurer to a provider, including adjustments and denied line items?
Answer: B. Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
Explanation:
The correct answer is the Explanation of Benefits (EOB). The insurer produces it after processing a claim, and it shows what was paid, what was adjusted and which line items were denied.
A superbill is wrong because the provider creates it to list services and codes before a claim is sent; it says nothing about payment. An encounter form is also a provider-side record of the visit. An Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN) is wrong because it warns a patient, before a service, that coverage may be refused; it does not report how a claim was paid.
Rule to remember: documents that come from the provider describe what was done, and documents that come from the insurer describe what was decided and paid. Ask who issued the document and at what point in the billing process.
Question: A patient with a multiple chronic is struggling to manage their care. What would be the best approach for care coordination?
Answer: A. Assigning the patient a care coordinator
Explanation:
Assigning a care coordinator is correct. A person who acts as the central contact helps the patient keep specialists, medications and appointments connected, which reduces confusion and the burden on the patient.
Providing multiple specialists without a primary contact is wrong because it leaves the patient to connect everything alone, which is the problem described. Focusing on one condition at a time is wrong because chronic conditions affect each other, so treatment for one can change the plan for another. Avoiding input from family or caregivers is wrong because they often hold information that matters and help carry out the plan.
Rule to remember: for complex, multi-condition cases, pick the answer that adds a single point of coordination and involves the whole care team, including the patient's support people.
Question: Which term describes the process by which a patient must obtain permission from their insurance plan before receiving certain services?
Answer: C. Prior authorization
Explanation:
Prior authorization is correct. It is approval from the insurance plan that must be obtained before certain services or medications are provided, so the payer agrees in advance that the service is covered.
Concurrent review is wrong because it evaluates care while the patient is already receiving it, such as during a stay. Retrospective review is wrong because it looks at care after it has been delivered. Claims adjudication is wrong because it is how the insurer processes and decides a claim after it is submitted, not a permission step beforehand.
Rule to remember: match the review type to its timing. Before the service is prior authorization, during the service is concurrent review, and after the service is retrospective review or adjudication.
Start with the official NAMSS material: read the content outline and the current candidate handbook so you know what the exam covers and how it is run. Then take one of our practice sets for each content area, without notes, to see where you stand.
Keep a short log of every question you miss. For each one, write down the rule behind the right answer in your own words, not just the correct letter. Questions about timing, such as what happens before, during or after a service, are easy to mix up, so note those patterns.
Our questions are written by us with AI tools and are not real exam questions. Use them to build understanding, and treat the NAMSS sources as the authority.
The exam has 175 multiple-choice questions, divided into parts with a scheduled 15-minute break between them. You have 4 hours in total to complete the parts. The official exam page lists it as the CPMSM exam.
The passing score is a scaled score of 450. A scaled score is not a simple count of correct answers, so do not read it as a percentage. Score reports are emailed through the Meazure Learning portal 6 to 8 weeks after the testing window closes.
The examination fee is $425 for NAMSS members and $575 for non-members. Check the current NAMSS candidate handbook before you apply, because fees can change between testing windows.
You must be currently employed in medical services for at least 12 consecutive months within the last 24 months. You also need 5 years of experience within the past 8 years. Confirm the details on the official NAMSS certification page.
Applications open November 9, 2026 and close January 20, 2027. Testing runs March 3 – April 7, 2027. You can test at a center or with live remote proctoring through Meazure Learning.
You may take the exam up to 2 times within a 12-month period. If you do not pass on the second attempt, there is a 1-year waiting period before you can reapply. Certification, once earned, is valid for 3 years.
How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.