Certified Professional Coder CPC Final
Exam Practice Official Practice Exam
Actual Exam 2026/2027 with Detailed
Rationales | Complete Exam-Style Questions
| Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
══════════════════════════════════════
SECTION 1: CPT CODING (SURGERY, E/M, ANESTHESIA) Q1 – Q10
══════════════════════════════════════
Question 1 of 50
A 55-year-old established patient presents for follow-up of uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes,
hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The provider reviews recent home glucose logs, adjusts the
patient's insulin regimen, adds a new antihypertensive medication, orders a comprehensive
metabolic panel, and documents a total office time of 35 minutes. The medical decision
making is moderate.
A. 99212
B. 99214 ✓ CORRECT
C. 99213
D. 99215
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The encounter qualifies for 99214 because the documented total time of 35
minutes falls within the 30–39 minute range and the moderate complexity MDM involving
multiple chronic conditions with prescription drug management supports this level. 99213 is
incorrect because the time documented exceeds the 20–29 minute threshold and the
management of three chronic illnesses exceeds straightforward medical decision making.
When time is used as the controlling factor for E/M level, every minute of the documented
total time must account for face-to-face and non-face-to-face activities on the date of
service.
Question 2 of 50
A dermatologist excises a 2.5 cm benign lesion from the patient's back along with a 1.5 cm
margin of normal tissue on each side to ensure clear borders. The wound is closed in layers.
,A. 11402
B. 11404
C. 11406
D. 11422 ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The excised diameter is 5.5 cm, calculated by adding the lesion size (2.5 cm) plus
both margins (1.5 cm + 1.5 cm), which places the service in the 5.1–8.0 cm range for benign
lesion excision on the trunk using code 11422. 11406 is a common error because coders
sometimes forget to include both margins and only add the lesion plus one margin, yielding
4.0 cm. Accurate measurement of the excised diameter is the defining factor for
integumentary excision codes, not the lesion size alone.
Question 3 of 50
A 68-year-old male with severe COPD requiring home oxygen therapy undergoes an open
inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia. The anesthesiologist documents that the
patient's pulmonary condition significantly increases anesthesia risk but is not
life-threatening.
A. P3 ✓ CORRECT
B. P1
C. P4
D. P2
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Physical status modifier P3 is reported when a patient has severe systemic
disease that substantially limits activity but is not incapacitating or life-threatening, which
matches severe COPD on home oxygen. P4 is tempting because severe COPD sounds
serious, but P4 is reserved for incapacitating or life-threatening conditions such as unstable
angina or sepsis. Accurate anesthesia physical status modifiers directly impact base unit
valuation and risk stratification on the claim.
Question 4 of 50
A 42-year-old patient with symptomatic cholelithiasis and recurrent biliary colic undergoes a
laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiography. The operative report
describes four trocar placements, laparoscopic removal of the gallbladder, and fluoroscopic
imaging of the biliary tree.
A. 47600
B. 47605
C. 47562 ✓ CORRECT
D. 47563
, Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Code 47562 describes a laparoscopic cholecystectomy without cholangiography,
but because the intraoperative cholangiography was performed, the correct code is 47563.
Wait, let me reconsider. Actually 47563 is laparoscopic cholecystectomy with
cholangiography. So 47563 is correct. Let me fix this.
Actually, I need to be careful. Let me check: 47562 is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. 47563 is
laparoscopic cholecystectomy with cholangiography. So if cholangiography was performed,
47563 is correct. But I had C as 47562. Let me adjust the question or the answer.
Let me change the question to say "without cholangiography" or adjust the choices. To keep
my answer distribution, I'll change the scenario to no cholangiography.
Revised Q4: A 42-year-old patient with symptomatic cholelithiasis undergoes a laparoscopic
cholecystectomy. The operative report describes four trocar placements and laparoscopic
removal of the gallbladder without intraoperative cholangiography.
A. 47600
B. 47605
C. 47562 ✓ CORRECT
D. 47563
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Code 47562 reports a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which matches the
minimally invasive approach described in the operative report. 47600 is tempting because it
describes a cholecystectomy, but it is an open approach and does not match the
laparoscopic technique documented. The approach documented in the operative report
always governs CPT code selection, and open and laparoscopic codes are never
interchangeable.
Question 5 of 50
A 28-year-old patient sustains a 4.5 cm laceration to the cheek in a bicycle accident. The
wound extends through the subcutaneous tissue and requires layered closure with 4-0 Vicryl
and 5-0 nylon sutures.
A. 12051
B. 12052 ✓ CORRECT
C. 12041
D. 13151
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Code 12052 reports an intermediate repair of a 2.6–5.0 cm laceration to the face,
ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membranes, which matches the layered cheek closure
Exam Practice Official Practice Exam
Actual Exam 2026/2027 with Detailed
Rationales | Complete Exam-Style Questions
| Pass Guaranteed – A+ Graded
══════════════════════════════════════
SECTION 1: CPT CODING (SURGERY, E/M, ANESTHESIA) Q1 – Q10
══════════════════════════════════════
Question 1 of 50
A 55-year-old established patient presents for follow-up of uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes,
hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. The provider reviews recent home glucose logs, adjusts the
patient's insulin regimen, adds a new antihypertensive medication, orders a comprehensive
metabolic panel, and documents a total office time of 35 minutes. The medical decision
making is moderate.
A. 99212
B. 99214 ✓ CORRECT
C. 99213
D. 99215
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The encounter qualifies for 99214 because the documented total time of 35
minutes falls within the 30–39 minute range and the moderate complexity MDM involving
multiple chronic conditions with prescription drug management supports this level. 99213 is
incorrect because the time documented exceeds the 20–29 minute threshold and the
management of three chronic illnesses exceeds straightforward medical decision making.
When time is used as the controlling factor for E/M level, every minute of the documented
total time must account for face-to-face and non-face-to-face activities on the date of
service.
Question 2 of 50
A dermatologist excises a 2.5 cm benign lesion from the patient's back along with a 1.5 cm
margin of normal tissue on each side to ensure clear borders. The wound is closed in layers.
,A. 11402
B. 11404
C. 11406
D. 11422 ✓ CORRECT
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The excised diameter is 5.5 cm, calculated by adding the lesion size (2.5 cm) plus
both margins (1.5 cm + 1.5 cm), which places the service in the 5.1–8.0 cm range for benign
lesion excision on the trunk using code 11422. 11406 is a common error because coders
sometimes forget to include both margins and only add the lesion plus one margin, yielding
4.0 cm. Accurate measurement of the excised diameter is the defining factor for
integumentary excision codes, not the lesion size alone.
Question 3 of 50
A 68-year-old male with severe COPD requiring home oxygen therapy undergoes an open
inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia. The anesthesiologist documents that the
patient's pulmonary condition significantly increases anesthesia risk but is not
life-threatening.
A. P3 ✓ CORRECT
B. P1
C. P4
D. P2
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Physical status modifier P3 is reported when a patient has severe systemic
disease that substantially limits activity but is not incapacitating or life-threatening, which
matches severe COPD on home oxygen. P4 is tempting because severe COPD sounds
serious, but P4 is reserved for incapacitating or life-threatening conditions such as unstable
angina or sepsis. Accurate anesthesia physical status modifiers directly impact base unit
valuation and risk stratification on the claim.
Question 4 of 50
A 42-year-old patient with symptomatic cholelithiasis and recurrent biliary colic undergoes a
laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiography. The operative report
describes four trocar placements, laparoscopic removal of the gallbladder, and fluoroscopic
imaging of the biliary tree.
A. 47600
B. 47605
C. 47562 ✓ CORRECT
D. 47563
, Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Code 47562 describes a laparoscopic cholecystectomy without cholangiography,
but because the intraoperative cholangiography was performed, the correct code is 47563.
Wait, let me reconsider. Actually 47563 is laparoscopic cholecystectomy with
cholangiography. So 47563 is correct. Let me fix this.
Actually, I need to be careful. Let me check: 47562 is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. 47563 is
laparoscopic cholecystectomy with cholangiography. So if cholangiography was performed,
47563 is correct. But I had C as 47562. Let me adjust the question or the answer.
Let me change the question to say "without cholangiography" or adjust the choices. To keep
my answer distribution, I'll change the scenario to no cholangiography.
Revised Q4: A 42-year-old patient with symptomatic cholelithiasis undergoes a laparoscopic
cholecystectomy. The operative report describes four trocar placements and laparoscopic
removal of the gallbladder without intraoperative cholangiography.
A. 47600
B. 47605
C. 47562 ✓ CORRECT
D. 47563
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Code 47562 reports a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which matches the
minimally invasive approach described in the operative report. 47600 is tempting because it
describes a cholecystectomy, but it is an open approach and does not match the
laparoscopic technique documented. The approach documented in the operative report
always governs CPT code selection, and open and laparoscopic codes are never
interchangeable.
Question 5 of 50
A 28-year-old patient sustains a 4.5 cm laceration to the cheek in a bicycle accident. The
wound extends through the subcutaneous tissue and requires layered closure with 4-0 Vicryl
and 5-0 nylon sutures.
A. 12051
B. 12052 ✓ CORRECT
C. 12041
D. 13151
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Code 12052 reports an intermediate repair of a 2.6–5.0 cm laceration to the face,
ears, eyelids, nose, lips, or mucous membranes, which matches the layered cheek closure
