8.2. Annual Fee Policy

The American Board of Ophthalmology establishes fees for Continuing Certification annually based on contract agreements with testing vendors and the overall cost of administering the program. Fees cover the 10-year cost of recertification for all ABO-administered activities along with two printed certificates suitable for framing.

Annual fees are assessed on the first day of each calendar year and must be paid in full prior to accessing Continuing Certification activities. A downloadable invoice for each year’s fee is located on your Status Page and a receipt for payment will be emailed to you upon successful completion of your online transaction. Fees paid to the ABO for Continuing Certification will not be refunded if you choose not to complete the remainder of your 10-year cycle.

Diplomates in active duty United States military service may request a 50% refund on all fees.

ABO fees are not tax deductible as charitable contributions; however, they may be deductible under other provisions of the Internal Revenue Code. Please consult your tax preparer for advice

Current Fees
The ABO Continuing Certification program costs each diplomate $225 per year.

• The Quarterly Questions program
• Improvement in Medical Practice activities
• Printed Certificates: 2 are included; extra copies may be ordered at $30 per certificate

Value of Certification
The CME value of the ABO Continuing Certification is worth double the cost of participation. With the option to claim up to 80 CME credits over 10 years for successful completion of the Quarterly Questions program, and the average cost of a CME credit being about $50 per hour, this makes the ABO’s 80 credits worth approximately $4,000.

Additionally, the ABO provides easy-to-use tools to share your certification status with patients:

• Personalized Continuing Certification Participation Web Badge: Download a personalized web badge for your practice website or social media profiles. Each badge links directly to the ABO verification page for your certification status.
• Public Search Profile Page: The search information provided through the Verify a Physician search tool details the American Board of Ophthalmology certification history for each ophthalmologist. You have the option to create a detailed diplomate information page for patients to view, which includes information about your training, practice location, and office contact information.