AAPC CPC FINAL STUDY GUIDE Questions with Correct Answers
(Grade A+)
Question 1: Which coding manuals do outpatient coders focus on learning?
A. CPT, HCPCS Level II and ICD-10-CM
B. CPT and ICD-10-CM
C. ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS
D. CPT, HCPCS Level II, ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS.
Answer: a. CPT, HCPCS Level II and ICD-10-CM
Question 2: In what year was HITECH enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act?
A. 2010
B. 2009
C. 2000
D. 2007.
Answer: b. 2009
Question 3: Voluntary compliance programs also provide benefits by not only helping to prevent
erroneous or ____, but also by showing that the provider practice is making additional good faith
efforts to submit claims appropriately.
A. Over utilized codes
B. Duplicative claims
C. Fraudulent claims
D. Mistaken principals.
Answer: c. Fraudulent claims
Question 4: Which CMS product describes whether specific medical items, services, treatment
procedures or technologies are considered medically necessary under Medicare?
A. Medicare Claims Processing Manual
B. National Coverage Determinations Manual
C. Relative Value Files
D. Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule.
Answer: b. National Coverage Determinations Manual
Page 1
,Question 5: Which condition results from an injury to the head? The symptoms include headache,
dizziness and vomiting.
A. Meningitis
B. Concussion
C. Epilepsy
D. Parkinson's disease.
Answer: b. Concussion
Question 6: In order, starting with the innermost layer, what are the four walls of the digestive tract?
A. Mucosa, submucosa, muscle, serosa
B. Serosa, mucosa, submucosa, muscle
C. Mucosa, submucosa, serosa, muscle
D. Muscle, submucosa, mucosa, serosa.
Answer: a. Mucosa, submucosa, muscle, serosa
Question 7: Which one of the following best describes psoriasis?
A. A chronic condition characterized by red, dry, elevated lesions, covered by silvery scales
B. An inflammatory condition characterized by redness pustular and vesicular lesions, crusts, and scales
C. An allergic reaction characterized by wheals and generally accompanied by pruritus
D. A contagious infection of skin generally caused by staphylococcus bacterium.
Answer: a. A chronic condition characterized by red, dry, elevated lesions, covered by silvery scales
Question 8: A form of milk produced the first few days after giving birth is:
A. Prolactin
B. Colostrum
C. Lactose
D. Chorion.
Answer: b. Colostrum
Question 9: A condition where the thyroid is overactive is called:
A. Thyrotoxicosis
B. Panhypopituitarism
C. Ketosis
D. Thyroiditis.
Answer: a. Thyrotoxicosis
Page 2
,Question 10: What do the instructions and conventions of the classification take precedence over?
A. CPT
B. Documentation
C. Official Coding Guidelines
D. Nothing. They are only used in the event of no other instruction.
Answer: c. Official Coding Guidelines
Question 11: What is the sequencing order when coding a sequela (late effect)?
A. They symptom is coded first followed by the residual condition and the late effect code
B. The cause of the late effect is coded first and the residual condition is coded second
C. The cause of the late effect is coded first; the residual condition is second followed by the symptoms
D. The residual condition is coded first, and the code(s)for the cause of the late effect are coded as secondary.
Answer: d. The residual condition is coded first, and the code(s)for the cause of the late effect are coded as
secondary
Question 12: Using the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index, which main term below has an instructional note
indicating another main term may also be referenced that may provide additional Alphabetic Index
entries that may be useful?
A. Diabetes
B. Fibrosarcoma
C. Appendicitis
D. Symptoms.
Answer: b. Fibrosarcoma
Question 13: A 50-year-old female presents to her provider with symptoms of insomnia and upset
stomach. The provider suspects she is premenopausal. She is diagnosed with impending menopause.
What diagnosis code(s) should be reported?
A. E28.319
B. G47.00, K30
C. N95.9, G47.00, K30
D. N95.9.
Answer: b. G47.00, K30 Rationale: ICD-10-CM guideline I.B.11 states to reference the ICD-10- CM
Alphabetic Index to determine if the condition has a subentry for impending or threatened and also
reference main term entries for Impending and Threatened. If the subterms are listed, assign the given code.
If the subterms are not listed, code the existing underlying condition(s) and not the condition described as
impending or threatened. Look in the Alphabetic Index for Impending. There is not a subterm for
menopause; therefore, the symptoms are coded. Look for Insomnia (organic) which directs the coder to
G47.00. Next, look for Upset/stomach which directs the coder to K30. Verify code selection in the Tabular
List.
Page 3
, Question 14: What is the ICD-10-CM code for a laceration on the left shoulder, subsequent encounter?
A. S51.009D
B. S46.001D
C. S51.801D
D. S41.012D.
Answer: d. S41.012D
Question 15: According to ICD-10-CM guidelines, when a patient is seen for management of anemia
due to malignancy, how is it reported?
A. Anemia is reported first, followed by the code for the malignancy
B. The malignancy is the only condition reported
C. Anemia is the only condition reported
D. The malignancy is reported first, followed by the code for the anemia.
Answer: d. The malignancy is reported first, followed by the code for the anemia
Question 16: A 23-year-old patient presents to the emergency department (ED) with a cut on his leg. He
is a confirmed AIDS patient as documented in the record. What ICD-10-CM codes should be reported?
A. S81.819a, Z71.7
B. S81.819a, Z11.4
C. S81.819A, B20
D. S819A, R75.
Answer: c. S81.819A, B20
Question 17: A 50-year-old patient has a mass removed from his chest. The surgeon sends it to
pathology. The pathology report indicates the mass is a benign tumor. What ICD-10-CM code is
reported?
A. D49.2
B. C49.3
C. C79.89
D. D36.7.
Answer: d. D36.7
Question 18: Mrs. Johnson is here today to receive an intercostal nerve block to mitigate the
debilitating pain of her malignancy. Her cancer has metastasized to her bones in her thoracic spine.
What ICD-10-CM codes are reported?
A. M54.6, C79.51, C80.1
B. C79.51, G89.3, M54.6, C80.1
C. G89.3, C79.51, C80.1
D. C79.51, G89.3, C80.1.
Answer: c. G89.3, C79.51, C80.1
Page 4
(Grade A+)
Question 1: Which coding manuals do outpatient coders focus on learning?
A. CPT, HCPCS Level II and ICD-10-CM
B. CPT and ICD-10-CM
C. ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS
D. CPT, HCPCS Level II, ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS.
Answer: a. CPT, HCPCS Level II and ICD-10-CM
Question 2: In what year was HITECH enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act?
A. 2010
B. 2009
C. 2000
D. 2007.
Answer: b. 2009
Question 3: Voluntary compliance programs also provide benefits by not only helping to prevent
erroneous or ____, but also by showing that the provider practice is making additional good faith
efforts to submit claims appropriately.
A. Over utilized codes
B. Duplicative claims
C. Fraudulent claims
D. Mistaken principals.
Answer: c. Fraudulent claims
Question 4: Which CMS product describes whether specific medical items, services, treatment
procedures or technologies are considered medically necessary under Medicare?
A. Medicare Claims Processing Manual
B. National Coverage Determinations Manual
C. Relative Value Files
D. Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Final Rule.
Answer: b. National Coverage Determinations Manual
Page 1
,Question 5: Which condition results from an injury to the head? The symptoms include headache,
dizziness and vomiting.
A. Meningitis
B. Concussion
C. Epilepsy
D. Parkinson's disease.
Answer: b. Concussion
Question 6: In order, starting with the innermost layer, what are the four walls of the digestive tract?
A. Mucosa, submucosa, muscle, serosa
B. Serosa, mucosa, submucosa, muscle
C. Mucosa, submucosa, serosa, muscle
D. Muscle, submucosa, mucosa, serosa.
Answer: a. Mucosa, submucosa, muscle, serosa
Question 7: Which one of the following best describes psoriasis?
A. A chronic condition characterized by red, dry, elevated lesions, covered by silvery scales
B. An inflammatory condition characterized by redness pustular and vesicular lesions, crusts, and scales
C. An allergic reaction characterized by wheals and generally accompanied by pruritus
D. A contagious infection of skin generally caused by staphylococcus bacterium.
Answer: a. A chronic condition characterized by red, dry, elevated lesions, covered by silvery scales
Question 8: A form of milk produced the first few days after giving birth is:
A. Prolactin
B. Colostrum
C. Lactose
D. Chorion.
Answer: b. Colostrum
Question 9: A condition where the thyroid is overactive is called:
A. Thyrotoxicosis
B. Panhypopituitarism
C. Ketosis
D. Thyroiditis.
Answer: a. Thyrotoxicosis
Page 2
,Question 10: What do the instructions and conventions of the classification take precedence over?
A. CPT
B. Documentation
C. Official Coding Guidelines
D. Nothing. They are only used in the event of no other instruction.
Answer: c. Official Coding Guidelines
Question 11: What is the sequencing order when coding a sequela (late effect)?
A. They symptom is coded first followed by the residual condition and the late effect code
B. The cause of the late effect is coded first and the residual condition is coded second
C. The cause of the late effect is coded first; the residual condition is second followed by the symptoms
D. The residual condition is coded first, and the code(s)for the cause of the late effect are coded as secondary.
Answer: d. The residual condition is coded first, and the code(s)for the cause of the late effect are coded as
secondary
Question 12: Using the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index, which main term below has an instructional note
indicating another main term may also be referenced that may provide additional Alphabetic Index
entries that may be useful?
A. Diabetes
B. Fibrosarcoma
C. Appendicitis
D. Symptoms.
Answer: b. Fibrosarcoma
Question 13: A 50-year-old female presents to her provider with symptoms of insomnia and upset
stomach. The provider suspects she is premenopausal. She is diagnosed with impending menopause.
What diagnosis code(s) should be reported?
A. E28.319
B. G47.00, K30
C. N95.9, G47.00, K30
D. N95.9.
Answer: b. G47.00, K30 Rationale: ICD-10-CM guideline I.B.11 states to reference the ICD-10- CM
Alphabetic Index to determine if the condition has a subentry for impending or threatened and also
reference main term entries for Impending and Threatened. If the subterms are listed, assign the given code.
If the subterms are not listed, code the existing underlying condition(s) and not the condition described as
impending or threatened. Look in the Alphabetic Index for Impending. There is not a subterm for
menopause; therefore, the symptoms are coded. Look for Insomnia (organic) which directs the coder to
G47.00. Next, look for Upset/stomach which directs the coder to K30. Verify code selection in the Tabular
List.
Page 3
, Question 14: What is the ICD-10-CM code for a laceration on the left shoulder, subsequent encounter?
A. S51.009D
B. S46.001D
C. S51.801D
D. S41.012D.
Answer: d. S41.012D
Question 15: According to ICD-10-CM guidelines, when a patient is seen for management of anemia
due to malignancy, how is it reported?
A. Anemia is reported first, followed by the code for the malignancy
B. The malignancy is the only condition reported
C. Anemia is the only condition reported
D. The malignancy is reported first, followed by the code for the anemia.
Answer: d. The malignancy is reported first, followed by the code for the anemia
Question 16: A 23-year-old patient presents to the emergency department (ED) with a cut on his leg. He
is a confirmed AIDS patient as documented in the record. What ICD-10-CM codes should be reported?
A. S81.819a, Z71.7
B. S81.819a, Z11.4
C. S81.819A, B20
D. S819A, R75.
Answer: c. S81.819A, B20
Question 17: A 50-year-old patient has a mass removed from his chest. The surgeon sends it to
pathology. The pathology report indicates the mass is a benign tumor. What ICD-10-CM code is
reported?
A. D49.2
B. C49.3
C. C79.89
D. D36.7.
Answer: d. D36.7
Question 18: Mrs. Johnson is here today to receive an intercostal nerve block to mitigate the
debilitating pain of her malignancy. Her cancer has metastasized to her bones in her thoracic spine.
What ICD-10-CM codes are reported?
A. M54.6, C79.51, C80.1
B. C79.51, G89.3, M54.6, C80.1
C. G89.3, C79.51, C80.1
D. C79.51, G89.3, C80.1.
Answer: c. G89.3, C79.51, C80.1
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