Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Exam Prep
(2026–2027)
Exam Questions With Verified Correct
Solutions |100% Guaranteed Pass |
Latest Version | Grade A+
,Diagnostic-related groups (DRGs) and ambulatory d. Prospective payment systems
patient classifications (APCs) are similar in that they are
both: ** Both are types of prospective payment systems (Casto and Forrestal 2015, 6).
a. Determined by HCPCS codes
b. Focused on hospital outpatients
c. Focused on hospital inpatients
d. Prospective payment systems
A patient is treated for esophageal varices with d. K74.60, I85.11
hemorrhage due to cirrhosis. The diagnostic codes that
would be assigned are: K74.60: Unspecified cirrhosis of liver
I85.01 Esophageal varices with bleeding I85.11:Secondary esophageal varices with bleeding
I85.11 Secondary esophageal varices with bleeding
K74.60 Unspecified cirrhosis of liver **The patient has cirrhosis of the liver with resulting bleeding esophageal varices.
Cirrhosis of liver is sequenced first followed by the code for the bleeding
esophageal varices (HHS 2017, Section I.A.13, 11).
Assign the code(s) for bronchoscopy with bilateral
transbronchial biopsy for each lobe of each lung.
31628 Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including
fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; with
transbronchial lung biopsy(s), single lobe
31629 Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including
fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; with
transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy(s), trachea, main
stem and/or lobar bronchus(i)
31632 Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including
fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; with
transbronchial lung biopsy(s), each additional lobe
−50 Bilateral procedure
Assign the code(s) for endoscopic sinusotomy with b. 31254-50
bilateral anterior ethmoidectomy. 31254 Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ethmoidectomy, partial (anterior)
31231 Nasal endoscopy, diagnostic, unilateral or bilateral −50 Bilateral procedurea.
(separate procedure)
31254 Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ** A code for the anterior ethmoidectomy is assigned and to denote the bilateral
ethmoidectomy, partial (anterior) procedure, a modifier of -50 is added (CPT Assistant Winter 1993, 23; Jan. 1997,
−50 Bilateral procedurea. 4; Sept. 1997, 10; Oct. 1997, 5; Dec. 2001, 6; May 2003, 5). The sinusotomy is
a. 31254 not coded separately, as it is a diagnostic procedure.
b. 31254-50
c. 31254, 31254
d. 31231
The most common language used for both data definition d. Structured query language
language and data manipulation language is:
a. Unified modeling language ** Structured query language (SQL) is used commonly for data language and
b. JAVA data definitions (Sharp 2016, 184).
c. Perl
d. Structured query language
An ethmoidectomy removes infected tissue and bone in
the ethmoid sinuses that blocks natural drainage. The
surgeon views your ethmoid sinuses with an endoscope,
a thin flexible tube with a very small camera and light at
the end of it.
Documentation from the nursing or other allied health a. Body mass index (BMI)
professionals' notes can be used to establish which of
the following diagnoses: ** The physician must establish the diagnosis—obesity or morbid obesity—and
the additional information can be pulled from ancillary documentation to establish
a. Body mass index (BMI) the correct code assignment for body mass index (BMI) (Leon-Chisen 2017,
b. Malnutrition 168).
c. Aspiration pneumonia
d. Fatigue
, A 55-year-old patient has hypertensive heart disease b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure and I50.9, Heart failure,
with congestive heart failure. What code would be unspecified
assigned?
** There is a cause and effect relationship established between the hypertension
a. I15.8, Other secondary hypertension and the congestive heart failure. A separate code for the congestive heart failure
b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure is assigned based on the "code also" note (HHS 2017, Section I.C.9.a., 40).
and I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified
c. I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified and I15.0,
Renovascular hypertension
d. N18.6, End stage renal disease
A surgeon would like to undertake a research study on a. Obtain a summary of the cases from the cancer registry, import them into a
his patients with stage II malignant melanoma of the spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
back, who have undergone wide excision of the
melanoma. What work processes and associated **The cancer registry can be used to undertake studies in addition to reporting
software could be used to provide this information? cases to a central registry (Sharp and Madlock-Brown 2016, 173).
a. Obtain a summary of the cases from the cancer
registry, import them into a spreadsheet, and provide to
the surgeon.
b. Obtain a summary of the cases from the chart
completion software, import them into a spreadsheet,
and provide to the surgeon.
c. Obtain a summary of the cases from the master
patient index, import them into a spreadsheet, and
provide to the surgeon.
d. Obtain a summary of the cases from the transcription
tracking software, import them into a spreadsheet, and
provide to the surgeon.
A facility located near a national park has a significant a. Only the names of patients who are admitted to the hospital can be requested
number of snake bites, and patients receive treatment if the physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list of patients cannot
with antivenom in urgent-care settings. Sometimes a be provided.
patient is admitted to the hospital after several days. Can
the urgent-care setting provide the hospital with a list of
names of patients treated with snake antivenom? **Only records that are required for care or authorized by the patient can be
released by the urgent-care facility to the acute-care facility (Brodnik 2012, 225;
a. Only the names of patients who are admitted to the Rinehart-Thompson 2016b, 243-247).
hospital can be requested if the physician needs it for
continuity of care, but an entire list of patients cannot be
provided.
b. A list of names could be provided.
c. No information can be obtained under any
circumstances.
d. A list of patients may be available after consultation
with the national park ranger.
What diagnoses and procedures should be reported for c. K40.91:Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of obstruction or gangrene,
recurrent left inguinal hernia with laparoscopic repair? recurrent
49651:Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia
K40.30 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction,
without gangrene, not specified as recurrent **The patient has a recurrent hernia without obstruction and this is captured in
K40.31 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, diagnosis code K40.91 (Leon-Chisen 2017, 253; CPT Assistant Nov. 1999, 24;
without gangrene, recurrent March 2000, 9).
K40.91 Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of
obstruction or gangrene, recurrent
49520 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age;
reducible
49521 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age;
incarcerated or strangulated
49651 Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal
hernia
a. K40.91, 49520
b. K40.31, 49521
c. K40.91, 49651
d. K40.30, 49520
Exam Prep
(2026–2027)
Exam Questions With Verified Correct
Solutions |100% Guaranteed Pass |
Latest Version | Grade A+
,Diagnostic-related groups (DRGs) and ambulatory d. Prospective payment systems
patient classifications (APCs) are similar in that they are
both: ** Both are types of prospective payment systems (Casto and Forrestal 2015, 6).
a. Determined by HCPCS codes
b. Focused on hospital outpatients
c. Focused on hospital inpatients
d. Prospective payment systems
A patient is treated for esophageal varices with d. K74.60, I85.11
hemorrhage due to cirrhosis. The diagnostic codes that
would be assigned are: K74.60: Unspecified cirrhosis of liver
I85.01 Esophageal varices with bleeding I85.11:Secondary esophageal varices with bleeding
I85.11 Secondary esophageal varices with bleeding
K74.60 Unspecified cirrhosis of liver **The patient has cirrhosis of the liver with resulting bleeding esophageal varices.
Cirrhosis of liver is sequenced first followed by the code for the bleeding
esophageal varices (HHS 2017, Section I.A.13, 11).
Assign the code(s) for bronchoscopy with bilateral
transbronchial biopsy for each lobe of each lung.
31628 Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including
fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; with
transbronchial lung biopsy(s), single lobe
31629 Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including
fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; with
transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy(s), trachea, main
stem and/or lobar bronchus(i)
31632 Bronchoscopy, rigid or flexible, including
fluoroscopic guidance, when performed; with
transbronchial lung biopsy(s), each additional lobe
−50 Bilateral procedure
Assign the code(s) for endoscopic sinusotomy with b. 31254-50
bilateral anterior ethmoidectomy. 31254 Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ethmoidectomy, partial (anterior)
31231 Nasal endoscopy, diagnostic, unilateral or bilateral −50 Bilateral procedurea.
(separate procedure)
31254 Nasal/sinus endoscopy, surgical; with ** A code for the anterior ethmoidectomy is assigned and to denote the bilateral
ethmoidectomy, partial (anterior) procedure, a modifier of -50 is added (CPT Assistant Winter 1993, 23; Jan. 1997,
−50 Bilateral procedurea. 4; Sept. 1997, 10; Oct. 1997, 5; Dec. 2001, 6; May 2003, 5). The sinusotomy is
a. 31254 not coded separately, as it is a diagnostic procedure.
b. 31254-50
c. 31254, 31254
d. 31231
The most common language used for both data definition d. Structured query language
language and data manipulation language is:
a. Unified modeling language ** Structured query language (SQL) is used commonly for data language and
b. JAVA data definitions (Sharp 2016, 184).
c. Perl
d. Structured query language
An ethmoidectomy removes infected tissue and bone in
the ethmoid sinuses that blocks natural drainage. The
surgeon views your ethmoid sinuses with an endoscope,
a thin flexible tube with a very small camera and light at
the end of it.
Documentation from the nursing or other allied health a. Body mass index (BMI)
professionals' notes can be used to establish which of
the following diagnoses: ** The physician must establish the diagnosis—obesity or morbid obesity—and
the additional information can be pulled from ancillary documentation to establish
a. Body mass index (BMI) the correct code assignment for body mass index (BMI) (Leon-Chisen 2017,
b. Malnutrition 168).
c. Aspiration pneumonia
d. Fatigue
, A 55-year-old patient has hypertensive heart disease b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure and I50.9, Heart failure,
with congestive heart failure. What code would be unspecified
assigned?
** There is a cause and effect relationship established between the hypertension
a. I15.8, Other secondary hypertension and the congestive heart failure. A separate code for the congestive heart failure
b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure is assigned based on the "code also" note (HHS 2017, Section I.C.9.a., 40).
and I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified
c. I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified and I15.0,
Renovascular hypertension
d. N18.6, End stage renal disease
A surgeon would like to undertake a research study on a. Obtain a summary of the cases from the cancer registry, import them into a
his patients with stage II malignant melanoma of the spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
back, who have undergone wide excision of the
melanoma. What work processes and associated **The cancer registry can be used to undertake studies in addition to reporting
software could be used to provide this information? cases to a central registry (Sharp and Madlock-Brown 2016, 173).
a. Obtain a summary of the cases from the cancer
registry, import them into a spreadsheet, and provide to
the surgeon.
b. Obtain a summary of the cases from the chart
completion software, import them into a spreadsheet,
and provide to the surgeon.
c. Obtain a summary of the cases from the master
patient index, import them into a spreadsheet, and
provide to the surgeon.
d. Obtain a summary of the cases from the transcription
tracking software, import them into a spreadsheet, and
provide to the surgeon.
A facility located near a national park has a significant a. Only the names of patients who are admitted to the hospital can be requested
number of snake bites, and patients receive treatment if the physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list of patients cannot
with antivenom in urgent-care settings. Sometimes a be provided.
patient is admitted to the hospital after several days. Can
the urgent-care setting provide the hospital with a list of
names of patients treated with snake antivenom? **Only records that are required for care or authorized by the patient can be
released by the urgent-care facility to the acute-care facility (Brodnik 2012, 225;
a. Only the names of patients who are admitted to the Rinehart-Thompson 2016b, 243-247).
hospital can be requested if the physician needs it for
continuity of care, but an entire list of patients cannot be
provided.
b. A list of names could be provided.
c. No information can be obtained under any
circumstances.
d. A list of patients may be available after consultation
with the national park ranger.
What diagnoses and procedures should be reported for c. K40.91:Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of obstruction or gangrene,
recurrent left inguinal hernia with laparoscopic repair? recurrent
49651:Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia
K40.30 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction,
without gangrene, not specified as recurrent **The patient has a recurrent hernia without obstruction and this is captured in
K40.31 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, diagnosis code K40.91 (Leon-Chisen 2017, 253; CPT Assistant Nov. 1999, 24;
without gangrene, recurrent March 2000, 9).
K40.91 Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of
obstruction or gangrene, recurrent
49520 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age;
reducible
49521 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age;
incarcerated or strangulated
49651 Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal
hernia
a. K40.91, 49520
b. K40.31, 49521
c. K40.91, 49651
d. K40.30, 49520
