Exam Practice Questions And Correct
Answers (Verified Answers) Plus
Rationale 2026 Q&A| Instant Download
1. A healthcare fraud investigator reviewing billing patterns notices that
a provider consistently submits claims for complex procedures on
patients whose medical records only support minor office visits, and
these claims are frequently billed at the highest reimbursement tier
without supporting documentation. What is the most appropriate
initial investigative action?
A. Immediately refer the provider for criminal prosecution
B. Request a statistical reimbursement increase analysis from CMS
C. Conduct a targeted audit comparing medical records, billing codes,
and clinical justification for upcoding patterns
D. Suspend all payments to the provider permanently
,The most appropriate first step is to conduct a structured audit to verify
whether discrepancies between documentation and billing codes
constitute intentional upcoding or clerical error before escalating to
enforcement actions.
2. A Missouri healthcare fraud investigator identifies a pattern where a
clinic bills for services performed by licensed physicians, but evidence
suggests many services were actually performed by unlicensed
assistants without supervision. Which violation is most directly
implicated?
A. Beneficiary inducement violation
B. False representation of provider services and potential unlicensed
practice of medicine
C. Duplicate billing error only
D. Medicare secondary payer violation
Billing for physician services not actually performed by licensed physicians
may constitute false claims and unlicensed practice issues, both of which
are serious regulatory violations.
3. During a review of durable medical equipment claims, an investigator
finds that a supplier consistently bills for equipment upgrades that
were never requested or documented by patients. What is the
strongest indicator of fraudulent activity?
A. Slight variation in billing codes
, B. Missing patient signatures on delivery logs
C. Systematic pattern of non-requested upgrades lacking medical
necessity documentation
D. Occasional delayed claim submissions
A repeated pattern of unnecessary upgrades without patient request or
medical justification strongly suggests intentional fraud rather than
administrative error.
4. A hospital submits claims for inpatient admissions that appear to have
been routinely downgraded by external auditors to outpatient status
due to insufficient severity documentation. What is the primary
compliance concern?
A. Improper CPT coding only
B. Insurance eligibility mismatch
C. Misclassification of patient acuity leading to improper inpatient
reimbursement
D. Patient consent violations
Incorrect inpatient classification can lead to inflated reimbursement and
indicates potential systemic billing inaccuracies or fraud.
5. An investigator discovers that a provider is billing multiple insurers for
the same service rendered to a single patient on the same date. What
is this practice most accurately described as?
, A. Bundling violation
B. Fee splitting
C. Duplicate billing or potential double-dipping fraud
D. Capitation overpayment error
Billing multiple insurers for the same service is a classic form of duplicate
billing fraud.
6. A healthcare facility begins using a new electronic health record
system, after which billing errors increase significantly due to incorrect
code mapping. What is the most appropriate compliance response?
A. Immediate fraud referral
B. Criminal indictment
C. System audit and staff retraining on EHR coding integration
D. License revocation of billing staff
When errors correlate with system changes, the appropriate response is
corrective action and training rather than assuming fraud.
7. A provider is found to be offering free transportation and gift cards to
patients in exchange for agreeing to undergo unnecessary medical
testing. What legal concern is most relevant?
A. HIPAA disclosure violation only
B. Anti-kickback statute violation involving patient inducement