Code of ethics & discipline
Binding on every CFPO holder from the date of issue. A credential that cannot be revoked is a certificate wearing a badge.
What a holder agrees to.
- I
Represent the credential accurately. A CFPO holder does not describe CFPO as a license, a government accreditation, or an endorsement by any federal agency or contractor.
- II
Submit only truthful documentation to any payer or program, and decline to prepare, submit or endorse a record known to be inaccurate — regardless of who instructs it.
- III
Protect health information. Handle protected health information only within systems authorized for it, and never transmit it through channels not covered by an appropriate agreement.
- IV
Decline compensation structures that pay per referral, per patient, or as a share of what a payer approves.
- V
Disclose conflicts of interest to the party relying on your work, before the work is relied upon.
- VI
Report to CIFPO any disciplinary action, program exclusion or license action taken against you within thirty days.
- VII
Practice within your competence, and say plainly when a question falls outside it.
Enforcement
CIFPO may suspend or revoke a credential for a substantiated breach of the code, for a material false statement in an application or recertification, for disclosure of examination content, or for conduct that would have made the holder ineligible had it been known. Revocation is recorded in the public registry with its effective date.
Due process
A holder subject to a proposed action is entitled to:
- Written notice stating the conduct at issue, the canon or policy it is alleged to breach, and the action proposed.
- Thirty days to respond in writing, with any evidence the holder wishes considered. The credential remains current during that period unless CIFPO finds an immediate risk to patients, payers or the public and imposes an interim suspension, which is itself noticed in writing.
- A decision by members of the standards panel who were not involved in the original finding, issued in writing with reasons.
- An appeal within 30 days to a different panel member, or to the governing board once seated, whose decision is final.
Sanctions
- Reprimand — a written finding kept on file; not shown in the registry.
- Suspension — the credential shows as Suspended for a stated period, after which it is restored if the holder meets any conditions set.
- Revocation — the credential is withdrawn and shown as Revoked. A revoked holder may not re-apply for three years, and then only under the experience pathway.
Report a suspected misuse or breach
Anyone may report a person presenting a credential they do not hold, a holder in breach of the code, or a misuse of the CIFPO name. Reports may be anonymous. CIFPO acknowledges every identified report within five business days, investigates each one, and tells an identified reporter the outcome in general terms. Retaliation against a reporter by a holder is itself a breach.