2026/2027 CCS EXAM | CERTIFIED
CODING SPECIALIST EXAM | |LATEST
VERSIONS AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONELS | ALREADY
GRADED A+
A 55-year-old client has hypertensive heart disease with congestive heart failure. Whatcode
would be assigned?
a. I15.8, Other secondary hypertension
b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure and I50.9, Heart failure,
unspecified
c. I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified and I15.0, Renovascular hypertension
d. N18.6, End stage renal disease
RIGHT ANS :->> b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart diseasewith heart failure and I50.9,
Heart failure, unspecified
Rationale :->> There is a cause and effect relationship established between the
hypertension and the congestive heart failure. A separate code for the congestive heart
failure is assignedbased on the "code also" note (HHS 2017, Section I.C.9.a., 40).
A surgeon would like to undertake a research study on his clients with stage II malignant
melanoma of the back, who have undergone wide excision of the melanoma.What work
processes and associated software could be used to provide this information?
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 intoa
,spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
c. Obtain a summary of the cases from the master client 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.
RIGHT ANS:->> a. Obtain a summary ofthe cases from the cancer registry, import
them into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
Rationale:->>The cancer registry can be used to undertake studies in addition to reporting
cases toa central registry (Sharp and Madlock-Brown 2016, 173).
A facility located near a national park has a significant number of snake bites, and clients
receive treatment with antivenom in urgent-care settings. Sometimes a clientis admitted to
the hospital after several days. Can the urgent-care setting provide the hospital with a list
of names of clients treated with snake antivenom?
a. Only the names of clients who are admitted to the hospital can be requested if the
physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list of clients cannot be provided.
b. A list of names could be provided.
c. No information can be obtained under any circumstances.
d. A list of clients may be available after consultation with the national park ranger.
RIGHT ANS :->> a. Only the names of clients who are admitted to the hospital can be
requested if the physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list of clients cannot
be provided.
Rationale:->>Only records that are required for care or authorized by the client can be
released by the urgent-care facility to the acute-care facility (Brodnik 2012, 225; Rinehart-
Thompson2016b, 243-247).
,What diagnoses and procedures should be reported for recurrent left inguinal herniawith
laparoscopic repair?
K40.30 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, without gangrene, not specified as
recurrent
K40.31 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, without gangrene, recurrent
K40.91 Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of obstruction or gangrene, recurrent49520
Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age; reducible
49521 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age; incarcerated or strangulated49651
Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia
a. K40.91, 49520
b. K40.31, 49521
c. K40.91, 49651
d. K40.30, 49520
RIGHT ANS:->> c. K40.91:Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mentionof obstruction or
gangrene, recurrent 49651:Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia
Rationale:->>The client has a recurrent hernia without obstruction and this is captured in
diagnosiscode K40.91 (Leon-Chisen 2017, 253; CPT Assistant Nov. 1999, 24; March 2000,
9).
.In order to accurately code a cardiac catheterization, what needs to be determinedbased
on a review of the documentation?
a. The approach and the side of the heart (chambers) into which the catheter was
inserted
b. The approach, the side of the heart (chambers) into which the catheter was inserted,as
well as any additional procedures performed
c. The duration of the procedure
, d. If there is documentation of the procedure in the medical record that stents are
considered
RIGHT ANS:->> b. The approach, the side of the heart (chambers) intowhich the
catheter was inserted, as well as any additional procedures performed
A condition is present on admission when:
a. It is the principal diagnosis
b. It is accordance with medical staff bylaws
c. A condition that occurs prior to an inclient admission
d. It is present within 3 days after admission
RIGHT ANS:->> c. A condition that occursprior to an inclient admission
Rationale :->>It is important to understand the time frame for assigning a status code
specifying thata condition is present on admission (Leon-Chisen 2017, 571-574).
Diagnostic-related groups (DRGs) and ambulatory client classifications (APCs) aresimilar in
that they are both:
a. Determined by HCPCS codes
b. Focused on hospital outclients
c. Focused on hospital inclients
d. Prospective payment systems
RIGHT ANS:->> d. Prospective payment systems
Rationale:->> Both are types of prospective payment systems (Casto and Forrestal 2015, 6).
A client is treated for esophageal varices with hemorrhage due to cirrhosis. The
diagnostic codes that would be assigned are:
I85.01 Esophageal varices with bleeding
I85.11 Secondary esophageal varices with bleeding
CODING SPECIALIST EXAM | |LATEST
VERSIONS AND PRACTICE QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS
WITH RATIONELS | ALREADY
GRADED A+
A 55-year-old client has hypertensive heart disease with congestive heart failure. Whatcode
would be assigned?
a. I15.8, Other secondary hypertension
b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure and I50.9, Heart failure,
unspecified
c. I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified and I15.0, Renovascular hypertension
d. N18.6, End stage renal disease
RIGHT ANS :->> b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart diseasewith heart failure and I50.9,
Heart failure, unspecified
Rationale :->> There is a cause and effect relationship established between the
hypertension and the congestive heart failure. A separate code for the congestive heart
failure is assignedbased on the "code also" note (HHS 2017, Section I.C.9.a., 40).
A surgeon would like to undertake a research study on his clients with stage II malignant
melanoma of the back, who have undergone wide excision of the melanoma.What work
processes and associated software could be used to provide this information?
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 intoa
,spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
c. Obtain a summary of the cases from the master client 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.
RIGHT ANS:->> a. Obtain a summary ofthe cases from the cancer registry, import
them into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
Rationale:->>The cancer registry can be used to undertake studies in addition to reporting
cases toa central registry (Sharp and Madlock-Brown 2016, 173).
A facility located near a national park has a significant number of snake bites, and clients
receive treatment with antivenom in urgent-care settings. Sometimes a clientis admitted to
the hospital after several days. Can the urgent-care setting provide the hospital with a list
of names of clients treated with snake antivenom?
a. Only the names of clients who are admitted to the hospital can be requested if the
physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list of clients cannot be provided.
b. A list of names could be provided.
c. No information can be obtained under any circumstances.
d. A list of clients may be available after consultation with the national park ranger.
RIGHT ANS :->> a. Only the names of clients who are admitted to the hospital can be
requested if the physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list of clients cannot
be provided.
Rationale:->>Only records that are required for care or authorized by the client can be
released by the urgent-care facility to the acute-care facility (Brodnik 2012, 225; Rinehart-
Thompson2016b, 243-247).
,What diagnoses and procedures should be reported for recurrent left inguinal herniawith
laparoscopic repair?
K40.30 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, without gangrene, not specified as
recurrent
K40.31 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, without gangrene, recurrent
K40.91 Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of obstruction or gangrene, recurrent49520
Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age; reducible
49521 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age; incarcerated or strangulated49651
Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia
a. K40.91, 49520
b. K40.31, 49521
c. K40.91, 49651
d. K40.30, 49520
RIGHT ANS:->> c. K40.91:Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mentionof obstruction or
gangrene, recurrent 49651:Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia
Rationale:->>The client has a recurrent hernia without obstruction and this is captured in
diagnosiscode K40.91 (Leon-Chisen 2017, 253; CPT Assistant Nov. 1999, 24; March 2000,
9).
.In order to accurately code a cardiac catheterization, what needs to be determinedbased
on a review of the documentation?
a. The approach and the side of the heart (chambers) into which the catheter was
inserted
b. The approach, the side of the heart (chambers) into which the catheter was inserted,as
well as any additional procedures performed
c. The duration of the procedure
, d. If there is documentation of the procedure in the medical record that stents are
considered
RIGHT ANS:->> b. The approach, the side of the heart (chambers) intowhich the
catheter was inserted, as well as any additional procedures performed
A condition is present on admission when:
a. It is the principal diagnosis
b. It is accordance with medical staff bylaws
c. A condition that occurs prior to an inclient admission
d. It is present within 3 days after admission
RIGHT ANS:->> c. A condition that occursprior to an inclient admission
Rationale :->>It is important to understand the time frame for assigning a status code
specifying thata condition is present on admission (Leon-Chisen 2017, 571-574).
Diagnostic-related groups (DRGs) and ambulatory client classifications (APCs) aresimilar in
that they are both:
a. Determined by HCPCS codes
b. Focused on hospital outclients
c. Focused on hospital inclients
d. Prospective payment systems
RIGHT ANS:->> d. Prospective payment systems
Rationale:->> Both are types of prospective payment systems (Casto and Forrestal 2015, 6).
A client is treated for esophageal varices with hemorrhage due to cirrhosis. The
diagnostic codes that would be assigned are:
I85.01 Esophageal varices with bleeding
I85.11 Secondary esophageal varices with bleeding
