CCA EXAM PREP – AHIMA 2026/2027 – CERTIFIED CODING ASSOCIATE STUDY
GUIDE, PRACTICE QUESTIONS & TEST REVIEW
Which of the following organizations is responsible for updating the procedure classification of ICD-10-
PCS? - ANS ✔✔Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for updating ICD-10-PCS
Coding accuracy is anticipated to improve due to which ICD-10-CM enhancement? - ANS ✔✔Expanding
codes to capture more detail in several sections such as injury, diabetes, and postoperative complications
Which character in an ICD-10-CM diagnosis code provides information regarding encounter of care? -
ANS ✔✔Seventh character provides information about encounter of care, such as initial encounter,
subsequent encounter, or sequelae
What does the fourth character of an ICD-10-CM diagnosis code capture? - ANS ✔✔Fourth character
capture etiology, fifth capture anatomic site, and sixth capture severity
ICD-10-CM codes must be a minimum of how many characters - ANS ✔✔At least three characters with a
decimal point used after the 3rd character
To which of the following do notes appearing under a 3-character code apply? - ANS ✔✔When a note
appears under a 3-character code, it applies to all codes within that category
Which volume of ICD-10-CM contains the Tabular and Alphabetic Index of procedures? - ANS ✔✔None
since the development of ICD-10-PCS
Identify the correct diagnosis code for lipoma of the face: - ANS ✔✔Lipoma, face = D17.0
Identify the correct diagnosis code(s) for adenoma of left adrenal cortex with Conn's syndrome: - ANS
✔✔Adenoma, adrenal (cortex) = D35.02
Syndrome, Conn = E26.01
Which of the following is a standard terminology used to code medical procedures and services? - ANS
✔✔CPT is a comprehensive descriptive listing of terms an codes for reporting diagnostic and therapeutic
procedures and medical services.
Identify the appropriate ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for right cerebral contusion with 15 minute loss of
consciousness, initial encounter for care: - ANS ✔✔Contusion, cerebral - see Contusion, brain. Add 6th
character "1" for loss of consciousness of 30 minutes for less, 7th character for initial encounter =
S06.311A
If a patient has en excision of a malignant lesion of the skin, the CPT code is determined by the body area
from which the excision occurs and which of the following? - ANS ✔✔Diameter of the lesion as well as
the most narrow margins required to adequately excise the lesion described in the operative report
, According to CPT, a repair of a laceration that includes retention sutures would be considered what type
of closure? - ANS ✔✔Complex closures include the repair of wounds requiring more that layered
closure, namely, scar revision, debridement, extensive undermining, stents, or retention sutures.
Patient is admitted with spotting, had been treated two weeks previously for miscarriage with sepsis.
Sepsis resolved, she is afebrile at this time, treated with an aspiration D&C, and POC are found. Which of
the following should be the PD? - ANS ✔✔Miscarriage: Retained POC following an abortion (Subsequent
admissions for retained POC following any type of abortion are assigned the appropriate code from
category O03 [spont. abn.] or O07.4 [failed attempted term. of pg. w/o comp.] and Z33.2 [encounter for
elect. term of pg]. This advice is appropriate even when the patient was discharged prev. with discharge
diagnosis of complete ab.
An 80-year-old female is admitted with fever, lethargy, hypotension, tachycardia, oliguria, elevated WBC,
and more than 100K organisms of E. coli per cc of urine. Attending physician documents "urosepsis".
How should coder proceed to code? - ANS ✔✔Since urosepsis is nonspecific and not codable in ICD-10-
CM, it cannot be considered synonymous with sepsis, and therefore the physician should be queried.
65yo patient with history of lung cancer is admitted to healthcare facility with ataxia, syncope, and a
fractured arm as a result from falling. Pt undergoes closed reduction of fracture in the ED and undergoes
complete workup for metastatic carcinoma of the brain. Pt is found to have metastatic carcinoma of the
lung to brain and undergoes radiation therapy to brain. Which of the following would be the PD in this
case? - ANS ✔✔If a tx is directed at the malignancy, designate the malignancy as the PD with the only
exception to this guideline being if the pt admission or encounter is solely for the administration of
chemo, immunotherapy, or radiation, then assign the appropriate Z51.- code as the first-listed or PD an
the diagnosis or problem for which the service is being performed as a secondary diagnosis.
Pt was admitted for abdominal pain with diarrhea and was diagnosed with infectious gastroenteritis. Pt
also has angina and COPD. Which of the following would be the correct coding and sequencing for this
case? - ANS ✔✔Infectious gastroenteritis; COPD; angina
Pt admitted with hx of prostate cancer and with mental confusion. Pt completed radiation therapy for
prostatic carcinoma 3 years ago and is status post a radical resection of the prostate. CT scan of brain
during current admission reveals metastasis. Which of the following is the correct coding and sequencing
for the current hospital stay? - ANS ✔✔Metastatic carcinoma of the brain; history of carcinoma of the
prostate
According to UHDDS, which of the following is the definition of "other diagnoses"? - ANS ✔✔Receives
clinical eval or therapeutic tx or diagnostic procedures to extends the LOS or increases nursing care and
monitoring
Pt is admitted with abdominal pain and physician documents the discharge dx as pancreatitis vs.
noncalculus cholecystitis. Both dx are equally treated. The correct coding/sequencing for this case would
be: - ANS ✔✔Sequence either pancreatitis or noncalculus cholecystitis as PD
7yo pt admitted to ED for tx for shortness of breath and given epinephrine and nebulizer tx. Shortness of
breath and wheezing are unabated following tx. What diagnosis should be suspected? - ANS ✔✔Asthma
with status asthmaticus since pt failed to respond to therapy during attack. This is a life-threatening
condition that requires emergency care and likely hospitalization.
GUIDE, PRACTICE QUESTIONS & TEST REVIEW
Which of the following organizations is responsible for updating the procedure classification of ICD-10-
PCS? - ANS ✔✔Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for updating ICD-10-PCS
Coding accuracy is anticipated to improve due to which ICD-10-CM enhancement? - ANS ✔✔Expanding
codes to capture more detail in several sections such as injury, diabetes, and postoperative complications
Which character in an ICD-10-CM diagnosis code provides information regarding encounter of care? -
ANS ✔✔Seventh character provides information about encounter of care, such as initial encounter,
subsequent encounter, or sequelae
What does the fourth character of an ICD-10-CM diagnosis code capture? - ANS ✔✔Fourth character
capture etiology, fifth capture anatomic site, and sixth capture severity
ICD-10-CM codes must be a minimum of how many characters - ANS ✔✔At least three characters with a
decimal point used after the 3rd character
To which of the following do notes appearing under a 3-character code apply? - ANS ✔✔When a note
appears under a 3-character code, it applies to all codes within that category
Which volume of ICD-10-CM contains the Tabular and Alphabetic Index of procedures? - ANS ✔✔None
since the development of ICD-10-PCS
Identify the correct diagnosis code for lipoma of the face: - ANS ✔✔Lipoma, face = D17.0
Identify the correct diagnosis code(s) for adenoma of left adrenal cortex with Conn's syndrome: - ANS
✔✔Adenoma, adrenal (cortex) = D35.02
Syndrome, Conn = E26.01
Which of the following is a standard terminology used to code medical procedures and services? - ANS
✔✔CPT is a comprehensive descriptive listing of terms an codes for reporting diagnostic and therapeutic
procedures and medical services.
Identify the appropriate ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for right cerebral contusion with 15 minute loss of
consciousness, initial encounter for care: - ANS ✔✔Contusion, cerebral - see Contusion, brain. Add 6th
character "1" for loss of consciousness of 30 minutes for less, 7th character for initial encounter =
S06.311A
If a patient has en excision of a malignant lesion of the skin, the CPT code is determined by the body area
from which the excision occurs and which of the following? - ANS ✔✔Diameter of the lesion as well as
the most narrow margins required to adequately excise the lesion described in the operative report
, According to CPT, a repair of a laceration that includes retention sutures would be considered what type
of closure? - ANS ✔✔Complex closures include the repair of wounds requiring more that layered
closure, namely, scar revision, debridement, extensive undermining, stents, or retention sutures.
Patient is admitted with spotting, had been treated two weeks previously for miscarriage with sepsis.
Sepsis resolved, she is afebrile at this time, treated with an aspiration D&C, and POC are found. Which of
the following should be the PD? - ANS ✔✔Miscarriage: Retained POC following an abortion (Subsequent
admissions for retained POC following any type of abortion are assigned the appropriate code from
category O03 [spont. abn.] or O07.4 [failed attempted term. of pg. w/o comp.] and Z33.2 [encounter for
elect. term of pg]. This advice is appropriate even when the patient was discharged prev. with discharge
diagnosis of complete ab.
An 80-year-old female is admitted with fever, lethargy, hypotension, tachycardia, oliguria, elevated WBC,
and more than 100K organisms of E. coli per cc of urine. Attending physician documents "urosepsis".
How should coder proceed to code? - ANS ✔✔Since urosepsis is nonspecific and not codable in ICD-10-
CM, it cannot be considered synonymous with sepsis, and therefore the physician should be queried.
65yo patient with history of lung cancer is admitted to healthcare facility with ataxia, syncope, and a
fractured arm as a result from falling. Pt undergoes closed reduction of fracture in the ED and undergoes
complete workup for metastatic carcinoma of the brain. Pt is found to have metastatic carcinoma of the
lung to brain and undergoes radiation therapy to brain. Which of the following would be the PD in this
case? - ANS ✔✔If a tx is directed at the malignancy, designate the malignancy as the PD with the only
exception to this guideline being if the pt admission or encounter is solely for the administration of
chemo, immunotherapy, or radiation, then assign the appropriate Z51.- code as the first-listed or PD an
the diagnosis or problem for which the service is being performed as a secondary diagnosis.
Pt was admitted for abdominal pain with diarrhea and was diagnosed with infectious gastroenteritis. Pt
also has angina and COPD. Which of the following would be the correct coding and sequencing for this
case? - ANS ✔✔Infectious gastroenteritis; COPD; angina
Pt admitted with hx of prostate cancer and with mental confusion. Pt completed radiation therapy for
prostatic carcinoma 3 years ago and is status post a radical resection of the prostate. CT scan of brain
during current admission reveals metastasis. Which of the following is the correct coding and sequencing
for the current hospital stay? - ANS ✔✔Metastatic carcinoma of the brain; history of carcinoma of the
prostate
According to UHDDS, which of the following is the definition of "other diagnoses"? - ANS ✔✔Receives
clinical eval or therapeutic tx or diagnostic procedures to extends the LOS or increases nursing care and
monitoring
Pt is admitted with abdominal pain and physician documents the discharge dx as pancreatitis vs.
noncalculus cholecystitis. Both dx are equally treated. The correct coding/sequencing for this case would
be: - ANS ✔✔Sequence either pancreatitis or noncalculus cholecystitis as PD
7yo pt admitted to ED for tx for shortness of breath and given epinephrine and nebulizer tx. Shortness of
breath and wheezing are unabated following tx. What diagnosis should be suspected? - ANS ✔✔Asthma
with status asthmaticus since pt failed to respond to therapy during attack. This is a life-threatening
condition that requires emergency care and likely hospitalization.
