CPC MEDICAL CODING EXAM 2026–2027 – PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES | CPT, ICD-10-CM & HCPCS | INSTANT
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1. A patient undergoes knee arthroscopy for a medial meniscus tear. The surgeon
performs partial meniscectomy of the medial compartment and also removes a
small amount of damaged articular cartilage by shaving. Which CPT® code most
appropriately describes the procedure?
A. 29877
B. 29881
C. 29882
D. 29880
Correct Answer: B. 29881
Rationale: CPT® 29881 describes knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy, including partial or
total meniscectomy, medial or lateral, and includes chondroplasty when performed in the same
compartment. The documented procedure involves partial meniscectomy of one compartment
with associated cartilage shaving.
2. During a laparoscopic procedure, the surgeon removes the gallbladder without
performing an intraoperative cholangiogram. Which CPT® code should be
reported?
A. 47562
B. 47563
C. 47600
D. 47605
Correct Answer: A. 47562
Rationale: CPT® 47562 describes laparoscopic cholecystectomy without cholangiography.
Code 47563 is used when an intraoperative cholangiography is performed with the laparoscopic
cholecystectomy.
3. A physician performs an esophagogastroduodenoscopy and obtains one or more
tissue biopsies using the endoscope. Which CPT® code is appropriate?
A. 43235
B. 43238
C. 43239
D. 43247
,Correct Answer: C. 43239
Rationale: CPT® 43239 reports an esophagogastroduodenoscopy performed with biopsy, single
or multiple. The biopsy is the distinguishing service in this scenario.
4. A patient undergoes a diagnostic colonoscopy during which the physician
examines the colon but performs no biopsy, removal, injection, or other
therapeutic intervention. Which CPT® code best represents the service?
A. 45378
B. 45380
C. 45381
D. 45385
Correct Answer: A. 45378
Rationale: CPT® 45378 represents diagnostic colonoscopy, including examination of the colon
through the scope without an additional therapeutic procedure such as biopsy or polypectomy.
Codes 45380, 45381, and 45385 describe additional specific interventions.
5. A surgeon performs a transforaminal epidural injection of anesthetic and/or
steroid at a single lumbar level. Which CPT® code is appropriate?
A. 64479
B. 64480
C. 64483
D. 64484
Correct Answer: C. 64483
Rationale: CPT® 64483 describes a transforaminal epidural injection involving a single lumbar
or sacral level. Code 64479 is associated with cervical or thoracic levels, while 64484 is an add-
on code for an additional lumbar or sacral level.
6. A patient undergoes an open procedure in which the surgeon removes the
appendix. Which CPT® code represents an appendectomy performed through an
open approach?
A. 44950
B. 44955
C. 44960
D. 44970
Correct Answer: A. 44950
,Rationale: CPT® 44950 represents an appendectomy. Code 44970 is used for laparoscopic
appendectomy, while the other choices describe additional or different appendectomy
circumstances.
7. During an operation, a surgeon performs a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and
also performs an intraoperative cholangiography to visualize the bile ducts.
Which code is most appropriate for the combined service?
A. 47562
B. 47563
C. 47564
D. 47600
Correct Answer: B. 47563
Rationale: CPT® 47563 reports laparoscopic cholecystectomy with cholangiography. The
performance of the intraoperative cholangiogram distinguishes this code from 47562, which
does not include cholangiography.
8. A patient presents for removal of a benign skin lesion. The physician excises the
lesion and closes the wound. The coder determines that the excision code
includes simple closure. How should the simple closure be reported?
A. Report it separately with an intermediate repair code
B. Report it separately with a simple repair code
C. Report it with modifier 59
D. Do not report it separately
Correct Answer: D. Do not report it separately
Rationale: Simple closure is generally included in excision codes when the excision code
specifies that the closure is included. A separately reportable repair requires circumstances
supporting a distinct service under the applicable CPT® guidelines.
9. A surgeon removes a malignant tumor from the skin and performs a medically
necessary intermediate repair of the resulting wound. The repair is separately
reportable under the applicable coding guidelines. Which factor is most important
when selecting the repair code?
A. The patient's age
B. The anatomical location and length of the repair
C. The patient's insurance company
D. The diagnosis code alone
Correct Answer: B. The anatomical location and length of the repair
, Rationale: Repair coding depends on factors such as repair complexity, anatomical site, and
wound length. The diagnosis alone does not determine the repair code.
10. A physician performs a procedure that is listed as an add-on CPT® code. The
primary procedure has also been performed and documented. Which statement
best describes an add-on code?
A. It is reported only when no primary procedure is performed
B. It is reported only with an unrelated diagnosis
C. It is reported in addition to an appropriate primary procedure when its requirements are met
D. It always requires modifier 51
Correct Answer: C. It is reported in addition to an appropriate primary procedure when its
requirements are met
Rationale: Add-on codes describe services performed in addition to a primary procedure and
generally must be reported with an appropriate primary code. They are not standalone
replacement codes and are not ordinarily subject to modifier 51.
11. A patient undergoes bilateral procedures during the same operative session. The
CPT® code does not specifically state that it is bilateral. Which modifier is
generally used to indicate that the same procedure was performed on both sides
when payer and code-specific rules permit?
A. 22
B. 25
C. 50
D. 59
Correct Answer: C. 50
Rationale: Modifier 50 identifies a bilateral procedure when the same procedure is performed
on both sides and the CPT® code and payer instructions permit use of the bilateral modifier.
12. A physician performs a procedure that is substantially more extensive than
normally required because of unusual circumstances. The additional work is
documented and meets the applicable reporting requirements. Which modifier
may be appropriate?
A. 22
B. 24
C. 25
D. 51
Correct Answer: A. 22
QUESTIONS & CORRECT ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
RATIONALES | CPT, ICD-10-CM & HCPCS | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
1. A patient undergoes knee arthroscopy for a medial meniscus tear. The surgeon
performs partial meniscectomy of the medial compartment and also removes a
small amount of damaged articular cartilage by shaving. Which CPT® code most
appropriately describes the procedure?
A. 29877
B. 29881
C. 29882
D. 29880
Correct Answer: B. 29881
Rationale: CPT® 29881 describes knee arthroscopy with meniscectomy, including partial or
total meniscectomy, medial or lateral, and includes chondroplasty when performed in the same
compartment. The documented procedure involves partial meniscectomy of one compartment
with associated cartilage shaving.
2. During a laparoscopic procedure, the surgeon removes the gallbladder without
performing an intraoperative cholangiogram. Which CPT® code should be
reported?
A. 47562
B. 47563
C. 47600
D. 47605
Correct Answer: A. 47562
Rationale: CPT® 47562 describes laparoscopic cholecystectomy without cholangiography.
Code 47563 is used when an intraoperative cholangiography is performed with the laparoscopic
cholecystectomy.
3. A physician performs an esophagogastroduodenoscopy and obtains one or more
tissue biopsies using the endoscope. Which CPT® code is appropriate?
A. 43235
B. 43238
C. 43239
D. 43247
,Correct Answer: C. 43239
Rationale: CPT® 43239 reports an esophagogastroduodenoscopy performed with biopsy, single
or multiple. The biopsy is the distinguishing service in this scenario.
4. A patient undergoes a diagnostic colonoscopy during which the physician
examines the colon but performs no biopsy, removal, injection, or other
therapeutic intervention. Which CPT® code best represents the service?
A. 45378
B. 45380
C. 45381
D. 45385
Correct Answer: A. 45378
Rationale: CPT® 45378 represents diagnostic colonoscopy, including examination of the colon
through the scope without an additional therapeutic procedure such as biopsy or polypectomy.
Codes 45380, 45381, and 45385 describe additional specific interventions.
5. A surgeon performs a transforaminal epidural injection of anesthetic and/or
steroid at a single lumbar level. Which CPT® code is appropriate?
A. 64479
B. 64480
C. 64483
D. 64484
Correct Answer: C. 64483
Rationale: CPT® 64483 describes a transforaminal epidural injection involving a single lumbar
or sacral level. Code 64479 is associated with cervical or thoracic levels, while 64484 is an add-
on code for an additional lumbar or sacral level.
6. A patient undergoes an open procedure in which the surgeon removes the
appendix. Which CPT® code represents an appendectomy performed through an
open approach?
A. 44950
B. 44955
C. 44960
D. 44970
Correct Answer: A. 44950
,Rationale: CPT® 44950 represents an appendectomy. Code 44970 is used for laparoscopic
appendectomy, while the other choices describe additional or different appendectomy
circumstances.
7. During an operation, a surgeon performs a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and
also performs an intraoperative cholangiography to visualize the bile ducts.
Which code is most appropriate for the combined service?
A. 47562
B. 47563
C. 47564
D. 47600
Correct Answer: B. 47563
Rationale: CPT® 47563 reports laparoscopic cholecystectomy with cholangiography. The
performance of the intraoperative cholangiogram distinguishes this code from 47562, which
does not include cholangiography.
8. A patient presents for removal of a benign skin lesion. The physician excises the
lesion and closes the wound. The coder determines that the excision code
includes simple closure. How should the simple closure be reported?
A. Report it separately with an intermediate repair code
B. Report it separately with a simple repair code
C. Report it with modifier 59
D. Do not report it separately
Correct Answer: D. Do not report it separately
Rationale: Simple closure is generally included in excision codes when the excision code
specifies that the closure is included. A separately reportable repair requires circumstances
supporting a distinct service under the applicable CPT® guidelines.
9. A surgeon removes a malignant tumor from the skin and performs a medically
necessary intermediate repair of the resulting wound. The repair is separately
reportable under the applicable coding guidelines. Which factor is most important
when selecting the repair code?
A. The patient's age
B. The anatomical location and length of the repair
C. The patient's insurance company
D. The diagnosis code alone
Correct Answer: B. The anatomical location and length of the repair
, Rationale: Repair coding depends on factors such as repair complexity, anatomical site, and
wound length. The diagnosis alone does not determine the repair code.
10. A physician performs a procedure that is listed as an add-on CPT® code. The
primary procedure has also been performed and documented. Which statement
best describes an add-on code?
A. It is reported only when no primary procedure is performed
B. It is reported only with an unrelated diagnosis
C. It is reported in addition to an appropriate primary procedure when its requirements are met
D. It always requires modifier 51
Correct Answer: C. It is reported in addition to an appropriate primary procedure when its
requirements are met
Rationale: Add-on codes describe services performed in addition to a primary procedure and
generally must be reported with an appropriate primary code. They are not standalone
replacement codes and are not ordinarily subject to modifier 51.
11. A patient undergoes bilateral procedures during the same operative session. The
CPT® code does not specifically state that it is bilateral. Which modifier is
generally used to indicate that the same procedure was performed on both sides
when payer and code-specific rules permit?
A. 22
B. 25
C. 50
D. 59
Correct Answer: C. 50
Rationale: Modifier 50 identifies a bilateral procedure when the same procedure is performed
on both sides and the CPT® code and payer instructions permit use of the bilateral modifier.
12. A physician performs a procedure that is substantially more extensive than
normally required because of unusual circumstances. The additional work is
documented and meets the applicable reporting requirements. Which modifier
may be appropriate?
A. 22
B. 24
C. 25
D. 51
Correct Answer: A. 22
