- ALHC requires two introductory courses plus ICA courses C1 through C4 - not a single exam.
- The C1 exam (Medical Aspects of Claims) has 75 questions, a 150-minute limit, and a 70% passing score.
- Enrollment includes one retake, and both attempts must be completed within 180 days.
- C1 is closed-book and delivered online through McCann Associates via the Adaptera platform.
What Is the ALHC Certification?
Associate, Life and Health Claims (ALHC) is a professional designation issued by the International Claim Association (ICA) for claims professionals in the life, health, and disability insurance space. Unlike a single-exam credential, ALHC is built from a sequence of courses that together verify a claims examiner's grasp of medical, legal, and contractual issues that shape how a claim is evaluated and paid.
Because "ALHC" is also used by other unrelated certifications, it's worth being precise: this article - and this site - covers the Associate, Life and Health Claims designation administered by ICA, and specifically the C1 course, Medical Aspects of Claims, which is one of the required building blocks. If you're still getting oriented, our overview of what ALHC is and our page on ALHC meaning walk through the basics in more depth.
How the ALHC Designation Is Structured
Earning ALHC isn't a matter of sitting for one test. Candidates must complete two introductory courses and then four ICA courses, C1 through C4. The introductory requirement can be satisfied one of two ways:
- LOMA 280 or 281, together with LOMA 290 or 291, or
- AHIP Parts A and B
Completion records from those outside programs are submitted directly to ICA for credit toward the designation. Once the introductory requirement is on file, candidates move into the four ICA courses - C1 through C4 - each with its own study material and exam. For a full breakdown of how these pieces fit together, see our ALHC requirements guide, and for the content areas covered across the designation, check the ALHC exam domains guide.
C1 - Medical Aspects of Claims
C1 is the course this site is built around. It focuses on the medical knowledge a claims examiner needs to evaluate life, health, and disability claims accurately - reading medical records, understanding disease processes and treatment patterns, and applying that knowledge to claims decisions.
- Interpreting clinical documentation submitted with a claim
- Recognizing how medical conditions affect eligibility and benefit determinations
- Applying medical terminology correctly within claims correspondence and file notes
Inside the C1 Exam: Medical Aspects of Claims
The C1 course-and-exam package is delivered entirely online by McCann Associates through the Adaptera platform. Here's what the exam itself looks like once you're ready to test:
- Format: 75 multiple-choice questions
- Time limit: 150 minutes
- Passing score: 70%
- Materials allowed: Closed book - no outside references or computer assistance
- Submission: Exiting the exam window submits it for scoring, so there's no pausing partway through
A key structural detail: you can't jump straight to the exam. The study materials must be completed first before the exam unlocks in the system. That sequencing matters for how you plan your time - you're not just cramming for a test date, you're working through a course that gates the exam behind completion. Our passing score breakdown and difficulty guide go deeper into what the 70% threshold and closed-book format mean in practice.
Key Takeaway
Because C1 is closed-book with a fixed 150-minute window and no pausing after you exit, treat the exam like a single uninterrupted sitting - clear your schedule and have no reference materials nearby, since none are permitted.
Registration, Fees, and Exam Mechanics
The C1 course-and-exam package is priced at US$325 for ICA members and US$550 for nonmembers. That single fee covers the study materials, the exam itself, and one retake opportunity. Both the initial attempt and the retake must be completed within 180 days of enrollment - after that window closes, access expires and must be repurchased.
A few mechanics worth planning around:
- ICA itself does not require proctoring for the C1 exam, though your employer may impose its own supervision requirements
- The 180-day clock starts at enrollment, not at your first exam attempt, so don't wait too long to begin the study materials
- Because the exam is closed-book with no computer assistance, there's no benefit to postponing study in hopes of looking things up mid-exam
For the full cost picture across the entire ALHC designation - not just C1 - see our ALHC certification cost breakdown. If you're mapping out when to enroll relative to other commitments, the ALHC exam dates guide covers scheduling considerations for the online, on-demand format.
| C1 Exam Detail | Specification |
|---|---|
| Question count | 75 multiple-choice questions |
| Time limit | 150 minutes |
| Passing score | 70% |
| Attempts included | Exam + 1 retake |
| Completion window | 180 days from enrollment |
| Member price | US$325 |
| Nonmember price | US$550 |
| Reference materials | Closed book, none permitted |
Who Pursues ALHC - and Why
ALHC candidates are typically working claims examiners, claims analysts, and claims supervisors at life, health, and disability insurance carriers who handle or oversee claims that require medical review. The C1 course specifically appeals to professionals whose day-to-day work involves reading medical records, coordinating with medical directors, or making eligibility determinations that hinge on clinical documentation.
Employers value the designation because it signals that a claims professional can move beyond surface-level claims processing into the more nuanced work of interpreting medical evidence within the bounds of a policy contract. If you're weighing whether the credential fits your career path, our ALHC jobs overview and ALHC salary guide look at the roles and compensation context around the designation, while our ROI analysis weighs the time and cost investment against career benefits.
Scheduling Your C1 Prep Around the Course Unlock
Because the exam only unlocks after you finish the study materials, your prep timeline naturally splits into two phases: working through the course content, then reviewing before the timed exam. A simple way to structure this within your 180-day window:
Work Through the C1 Study Materials
- Complete the assigned modules in order - the exam won't unlock until you're finished
- Keep brief notes on medical terminology and disease processes as you go, since you can't reference anything during the actual exam
Review and Self-Test
- Revisit weaker sections of the course material rather than rereading everything evenly
- Practice recalling medical concepts from memory, since the exam is closed-book with no computer assistance
Simulate Exam Conditions
- Set aside an uninterrupted 150-minute block that matches the real exam's time limit
- Confirm your testing environment meets any employer-imposed proctoring expectations, even though ICA itself doesn't require it
Spacing your review sessions rather than cramming the night before tends to help with retention of medical terminology specifically, since much of C1's content is vocabulary- and concept-heavy rather than procedural. For a more detailed week-by-week framework, our ALHC study guide lays out a fuller approach, and practicing under realistic timed conditions on our practice test platform can help you get comfortable with the 75-question, 150-minute format before it counts.
Where Candidates Lose Points
A few recurring issues show up for candidates working through C1:
- Skipping ahead in the study materials. Since the exam only unlocks after the course is complete, some candidates rush through modules without absorbing the medical terminology that the exam later tests.
- Underestimating the closed-book constraint. With no outside references or computer assistance allowed, candidates who plan to "look things up" during the exam are caught off guard.
- Letting the 180-day window slip. Because enrollment includes the exam plus one retake within 180 days, procrastinating on the first attempt leaves little room for a second try if needed - and expired access requires repurchasing the entire package.
- Treating C1 as the whole designation. C1 is one of four ICA courses required alongside two introductory courses; candidates sometimes underestimate the full scope of what ALHC requires.
Our ALHC cheat sheet condenses the must-know mechanics - fees, format, and deadlines - into a single quick-reference page, and the ALHC pass rate discussion puts the 70% passing threshold into broader context.
Key Takeaway
Enroll with your full 180-day window in mind: finish the study materials promptly so you have time in reserve for a retake if your first attempt falls short of the 70% passing score.
Frequently Asked Questions
ALHC is earned by completing two introductory courses (via LOMA 280/281 with 290/291, or AHIP Parts A and B) plus four ICA courses, C1 through C4. C1, Medical Aspects of Claims, is one piece of that larger sequence.
McCann Associates delivers the C1 course and exam online through the Adaptera platform on behalf of the International Claim Association (ICA), which grants the ALHC designation.
The C1 package costs US$325 for ICA members and US$550 for nonmembers. This fee covers the study materials, the exam, and one retake, all to be used within 180 days.
ICA does not require proctoring for the C1 exam, though individual employers may still require supervision depending on their internal policies.
Access to the C1 exam and retake expires after 180 days from enrollment. If you haven't completed both attempts by then, you'll need to repurchase the course-and-exam package to continue.
If you're ready to test your recall of medical terminology and claims concepts under realistic timing, you can practice with timed, exam-style questions on our ALHC practice test platform before committing to your official 150-minute attempt.