NHA CBCS – CPT and HCPCS Coding Practice Test
Exam Questions and Answers with Rationales
2026/2027 Update
CPT Coding Fundamentals
1. Which code set is primarily used to report physician and other
professional procedures and services?
A. ICD-10-CM
B. CPT
C. ICD-10-PCS
D. MS-DRG
Answer: B
Rationale: CPT describes medical, surgical, and diagnostic services and
procedures performed by healthcare professionals.
2. What does CPT stand for?
A. Clinical Procedure Terminology
B. Current Procedural Terminology
C. Common Patient Treatment
D. Clinical Payment Terminology
Answer: B
Rationale: CPT means Current Procedural Terminology.
3. Which organization maintains CPT?
A. CMS
B. AMA
,C. CDC
D. FDA
Answer: B
Rationale: The American Medical Association maintains the CPT code
set.
4. How many main CPT code categories are there?
A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Six
Answer: C
Rationale: CPT has five main categories: Category I, Category II,
Category III, PLA codes, and Proprietary Laboratory Analyses.
**5. Category I CPT codes generally consist of:
A. Four digits
B. Five digits
C. Five characters beginning with a letter
D. Two letters and three numbers
Answer: B
Rationale: Category I CPT codes are five-digit numeric codes.
**6. Category II CPT codes are primarily used for:
,A. Surgical procedures
B. Performance measurement
C. Durable medical equipment
D. Diagnosis coding
Answer: B
Rationale: Category II codes support performance measurement and
quality reporting.
**7. Category III CPT codes are used primarily to report:
A. Emerging technologies and procedures
B. Diagnoses
C. Prescription drugs only
D. Patient demographics
Answer: A
Rationale: Category III codes identify emerging technologies,
procedures, and services.
**8. Which CPT category is temporary and intended for emerging
technology?
A. Category I
B. Category II
C. Category III
D. ICD category
Answer: C
Rationale: Category III codes are temporary codes for emerging
technologies, services, and procedures.
, **9. What is the purpose of CPT instructional notes?
A. Provide coding guidance
B. Establish patient eligibility
C. Determine diagnosis
D. Replace documentation
Answer: A
Rationale: CPT contains instructions such as parenthetical notes and
guidelines that assist with proper code selection.
**10. A CPT code should be selected primarily from:
A. The procedure actually documented
B. The diagnosis with the highest reimbursement
C. The patient's insurance plan
D. The physician's specialty alone
Answer: A
Rationale: CPT coding is based on the service or procedure
documented as performed.
**11. What is the first step when selecting a CPT code?
A. Review the medical documentation
B. Select the highest-paying code
C. Check the patient's age
D. Assign an ICD-10-CM code
Answer: A
Exam Questions and Answers with Rationales
2026/2027 Update
CPT Coding Fundamentals
1. Which code set is primarily used to report physician and other
professional procedures and services?
A. ICD-10-CM
B. CPT
C. ICD-10-PCS
D. MS-DRG
Answer: B
Rationale: CPT describes medical, surgical, and diagnostic services and
procedures performed by healthcare professionals.
2. What does CPT stand for?
A. Clinical Procedure Terminology
B. Current Procedural Terminology
C. Common Patient Treatment
D. Clinical Payment Terminology
Answer: B
Rationale: CPT means Current Procedural Terminology.
3. Which organization maintains CPT?
A. CMS
B. AMA
,C. CDC
D. FDA
Answer: B
Rationale: The American Medical Association maintains the CPT code
set.
4. How many main CPT code categories are there?
A. Three
B. Four
C. Five
D. Six
Answer: C
Rationale: CPT has five main categories: Category I, Category II,
Category III, PLA codes, and Proprietary Laboratory Analyses.
**5. Category I CPT codes generally consist of:
A. Four digits
B. Five digits
C. Five characters beginning with a letter
D. Two letters and three numbers
Answer: B
Rationale: Category I CPT codes are five-digit numeric codes.
**6. Category II CPT codes are primarily used for:
,A. Surgical procedures
B. Performance measurement
C. Durable medical equipment
D. Diagnosis coding
Answer: B
Rationale: Category II codes support performance measurement and
quality reporting.
**7. Category III CPT codes are used primarily to report:
A. Emerging technologies and procedures
B. Diagnoses
C. Prescription drugs only
D. Patient demographics
Answer: A
Rationale: Category III codes identify emerging technologies,
procedures, and services.
**8. Which CPT category is temporary and intended for emerging
technology?
A. Category I
B. Category II
C. Category III
D. ICD category
Answer: C
Rationale: Category III codes are temporary codes for emerging
technologies, services, and procedures.
, **9. What is the purpose of CPT instructional notes?
A. Provide coding guidance
B. Establish patient eligibility
C. Determine diagnosis
D. Replace documentation
Answer: A
Rationale: CPT contains instructions such as parenthetical notes and
guidelines that assist with proper code selection.
**10. A CPT code should be selected primarily from:
A. The procedure actually documented
B. The diagnosis with the highest reimbursement
C. The patient's insurance plan
D. The physician's specialty alone
Answer: A
Rationale: CPT coding is based on the service or procedure
documented as performed.
**11. What is the first step when selecting a CPT code?
A. Review the medical documentation
B. Select the highest-paying code
C. Check the patient's age
D. Assign an ICD-10-CM code
Answer: A
