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Recredentialing checklist: hospital reappointment and health plans
Credentialing happens once per hospital or health plan. Recredentialing comes back on a clock: hospitals reappoint about every two years, health plans recredential every three. What each cycle is, and what to have ready.
The cycles
| Cycle | How often | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital reappointment | Set by the medical staff bylaws. CMS recommends at least every 24 months unless state law sets a timeframe. | 42 CFR 482.22 says “periodically”; the 24 months is CMS guidance (State Operations Manual, A-0340) |
| Ongoing practice evaluation (OPPE) | Between reappointments, in Joint Commission hospitals; the data feeds reappointment | The Joint Commission |
| Health-plan recredentialing | Every 3 years | NCQA standards |
| Medicare revalidation | Every 5 years; respond within 60 days of the CMS notice | 42 CFR 424.515 |
| CAQH re-attestation | Every 120 days (180 in Illinois) | DataSpring |
What to have current
The hospital or plan runs its own checks, such as the National Practitioner Data Bank and exclusion lists. Your job is to have the documents current and ready.
Timing
Medical staff offices often send the reappointment packet months ahead. Start gathering 90 to 120 days before your reappointment date, and answer the packet as soon as it arrives: a late reply can let privileges lapse under the bylaws. Read your bylaws for the exact rule.
Common questions
How often is recredentialing?
Hospital reappointment is set by the medical staff bylaws, and CMS recommends at least every 24 months unless state law sets a timeframe. Health plans following NCQA standards recredential every 3 years. Medicare revalidation is every 5 years.
What is the difference between credentialing and recredentialing?
Credentialing is the first full review when you join a hospital or health plan. Recredentialing repeats the review on a cycle to confirm your licenses, certification, coverage and history are still in order.
Is OPPE part of reappointment?
In Joint Commission hospitals, ongoing professional practice evaluation runs between reappointments, and its data is used when the hospital decides on reappointment.
What do I need for hospital reappointment?
Current licenses, DEA and state registrations, board certification status, malpractice coverage and claims history, privileges held elsewhere, an updated CV, case numbers for your privileges, and the hospital’s own health items. See the checklist above.
The Interstate Medicine Ledger keeps your licenses, DEA and state registrations, board certification, malpractice, cards and CME in one record. When a packet arrives, the documents are already named and in order. For a medical staff office or group, the Roster shows every clinician’s dates on one list.
Related: Hospital privileging checklist · Credential renewal cycles · CAQH re-attestation · How to track clinician credentials
Sources
General guidance on recredentialing, checked against the sources above on October 19, 2026. Not legal or compliance advice. Your medical staff bylaws, accreditor, payer contracts and state law set the actual requirements.