Aapc Cpc Ch 8 Exam Questions With Verified Answers Latest Update 2026

AAPC CPC CH 8 EXAM QUESTIONS WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS LATEST UPDATE 2026 What information is required to accurately code osteoarthritis in ICD-10-CM? - Answers Whether the osteoarthritis is primary, secondary, post-traumatic, the site and laterality. Rationale: To accurately code osteoarthritis in ICD-10-CM, the documentation needs to include whether the arthritis is primary, secondary, post-traumatic, the site and laterality (right/left). What is the acromion? - Answers Extension of the scapula Rationale: The acromion is an extension of the scapula that meets the clavicle at the shoulder to form the acromioclavicular joint. Most of the codes in ICD-10-CM Chapter 13 Diseases of the Musculoskeletal System and Connective Tissue have site and laterality designations. According to ICD-10-CM guidelines what is considered the site? - Answers The site may be the bone, joint or muscle involved. Rationale: According to ICD-10-CM guideline I.C.13.a., the site may be the bone, joint or muscle involved. A patient has a greenstick fracture of the right radial shaft. It is treated by surgically placing a bone plate on the distal radial shaft. What ICD-10-CM code is reported? - Answers S52.311A Rationale: A greenstick fracture occurs when the bone does not break completely through, and the bone does not protrude through the skin; this is a closed fracture. The treatment to fix the fracture is an open approach to expose the bone to insert the plate across the fracture site; however, the fracture care treatment is not considered when coding for the diagnosis. In the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index look for Fracture, traumatic/radius/shaft/greenstick S52.31-. In ICD-10-CM codes are specific for laterality (left, right) and the episode of care. Check the Tabular List and seven characters are needed to complete the code. Right radial shaft is indicated in the question and because the encounter is being treated surgically, this meets the definition of initial encounter or active treatment (See ICD-10-CM guideline I.C.19.a.). The complete code is S52.311A. What is segmental instrumentation? - Answers A spinal fixation device attached at each end of a rod and at additional bony attachment Rationale: Segmental instrumentation of the spine is a procedure used to repair a spinal defect where the fixation device is attached in at least three places: at each end of the construct (rod) and at least one additional interposed bony attachment. A patient presented with a closed, displaced supracondylar fracture of the left elbow. After conscious sedation, the left upper extremity was draped and closed reduction was performed, achieving anatomical reduction of the fracture. The elbow was then prepped and with the use of fluoroscopic guidance, two K-wires were directed crossing the fracture site and piercing the medial cortex of the left distal humerus. Stable reduction was obtained, with full flexion and extension. K-wires were bent and cut at a 90-degree angle. Telfa padding and splint were applied. What CPT® code(s) is/are reported? - Answers 24538-LT Rationale: This is a supracondylar fracture of the elbow repaired by percutaneous fixation. In the CPT® Index look for Fracture/Humerus/Supracondylar/Percutaneous Fixation and you are referred to 24538. Modifier LT is appended to indicate the procedure is performed on the left side. The application of the first cast or splint is included in the fracture codes. See the guidelines before Application of Casts and Strapping in your CPT® codebook. Fluoroscopy guidance 76000, is listed as a separate procedure; therefore, is included in the procedure. A 27 year-old presents with right-sided thoracic myofascial pain. A 25-gauge 1.5-inch needle on a 10 cc controlled syringe with 0.25% bupivacaine was used. After negative aspiration, 2 cc were injected into each trigger point. A total of four trigger points were injected. A total of 8 cc of bupivacaine was used on the rhomboid major, rhomboid minor, and levator scapular muscles. What CPT® code(s) is/are reported for this procedure? - Answers 20553 Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for Injection/Trigger Point(s)/Three or More Muscles. You are referred to 20553. Review the code to verify accuracy. 20553 covers the three muscles (rhomboid major, rhomboid minor and scapular muscles) with a total of four (multiple) trigger point injections. Codes for trigger point injections are determined by the number of muscles injected not the number of injections administered. A 49 year-old female presented with chronic deQuervain's disease and has been unresponsive to physical therapy, bracing or cortisone injection. She has opted for more definitive treatment. After induction of anesthesia, the patient's left arm was prepared and draped in the normal sterile fashion. Local anesthetic was injected using a combination 2% lidocaine and 0.25% Marcaine. A transverse incision was made over the central area of the first dorsal compartment. The subcutaneous tissues were gently spread to protect the neural and venous structures. The retractors were placed. The fascial sheath of the first dorsal compartment was then incised and opened carefully. The underlying thumb abductor and extensor tendons were identified. The tissues were dissected and the extensor retinaculum of the first extensor compartment was incised. The fibrotic tissue was incised and the tendons gently released. The tendons were fre - Answers 25000-LT Rationale: The report states that the extensor retinaculum of the first extensor compartment was incised. Look in the CPT® Index for Incision/Wrist/Tendon Sheath . Code 25000 shows deQuervain's disease in the description. Code 25001 refers to the flexor tendon sheath and this involved the extensor tendon making 25000 correct. Note this was an incision, not excision of the tendon of the extensor tendon sheath. Modifier LT is appended to indicate the procedure is performed on the left side. A 63 year-old man presents with a neck mass to be excised. The neck mass was palpated and an incision was then made and carried down through the dermis with electrocautery. The subcutaneous tissue of the skin was opened encountering an organized mass with a benign appearance of a lipoma. Using careful blunt and sharp dissection, the mass measuring 5 cm was completely excised around its entire circumference leaving the capsule intact. The mass was removed from its posterior attachments using electrocautery. What CPT® code is reported for this procedure? - Answers 21552 Rationale: In the CPT® Index, look for Neck/Tumor/Excision. You are referred to . Review the codes to choose the appropriate service. 21552 is the correct code to report the excision of a 5 cm mass where the surgeon incised the subcutaneous tissue to remove the mass. Codes 11426 and 11626 are reported for removal of a benign or malignant lesion, not an internal mass. An 85 year-old has developed a lump in her right groin. An incision over the lesion was made and tissue was dissected through the skin and subcutaneous tissue going deep through the femoral fascia. Sharp dissection of the mass was performed, freeing it from surrounding structures. The 3 cm mass was isolated and excised. The incision was closed, the area was cleaned and dried, and a dressing applied. What CPT® code is reported? - Answers 27048 Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for Excision/Tumor/Pelvis. You are referred to 27043, 27045, 27047, 27048, 27049 and 27059. Review the codes to choose the appropriate service. 27048 is the correct code to report the removal of the 3 cm mass below the fascia. A 42 year-old with chronic right trochanteric bursitis is scheduled to receive an injection at the Pain Clinic. A 22-gauge spinal needle is introduced into the trochanteric bursa, and a total volume of 8 cc of normal saline and 40 mg of Kenalog is injected. What are the CPT® codes? - Answers 20610-RT, J3301 x 4 Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for Injection/Bursa. You are referred to 20600-20611. Review the codes to choose appropriate service. 20610 is the correct code because the injection was given in the trochanteric bursa (hip, a major joint) without ultrasound guidance for drug therapy. In the HCPCS Level II codebook look in the Table of Drugs and Biologicals for Kenalog and you see Kenalog -10 and Kenalog-40, which both refer you to See Triamcinolone Acetonide. Triamcinolone Acetonide leads to several codes J3300, J3301, and J3302. J3301 10 mg lists Kenalog in the notes below the code. Report 4 units for 40 mg of Kenalog. What ICD-10-CM code is used to report effusion of the right ankle joint? - Answers M25.471 Rationale: Look in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index for Effusion/joint/ankle and you are referred to M25.47-. In the Tabular List, code M25.47- requires the application of a 6thcharacter to specify the location (foot or ankle) and laterality. Report M25.471 for effusion of the right ankle. A 14 year-old status post injury over one year ago to her left wrist presented with recurrent wrist pain. The patient was taken to the operating room and placed under general anesthesia. She was placed in wrist traction. The radiocarpal joint was entered endoscopically through sharp skin incisions and blunt dissection into the joint. There was found to be mild synovitis in the dorsal ulnar aspect of the wrist. This was debrided arthroscopically with a shaver. There was a peripheral tear of the triangular fibrocartilage. This area was shaved to promote healing. Using outside-in technique, a PDS suture was placed across the TFCC and into the capsule. There was synovitis within the midcarpal joint, but there was no articular injury. All instruments were removed and the wounds were closed with interrupted nylon sutures. What CPT® code(s) is /are reported? - Answers 29846-LT