Practicode I (1–200) Exam Questions and Answers
Study Guide
This comprehensive study resource is a premier test bank designed for medical coders
preparing for the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) Practicode Set
(Cases 1–200). It features realistic redacted medical records, 100% verified CPT, ICD-
10-CM, and HCPCS code selections, and step-by-step documentation rationales.
Reviewing these real-world outpatient, radiology, and surgical cases ensures optimal
sequencing accuracy and RVU ordering protocols to sharpen your practical coding
skills and accelerate the removal of your apprentice designation.
SECTION 1: ICD-10-CM DIAGNOSIS CODING
FUNDAMENTALS (Questions 1-40)
Question 1:
A patient presents with acute bronchitis complicated by pneumonia. What is the correct
primary diagnosis code?
A. J20.9 - Acute bronchitis, unspecified
B. J18.9 - Pneumonia, unspecified
C. J44.1 - COPD with acute exacerbation
D. J20.8 - Acute bronchitis due to other specified organisms
Answer: B. J18.9 - Pneumonia, unspecified
Rationale: When a patient has both acute bronchitis and pneumonia, pneumonia is coded
as the primary diagnosis because it is the more serious condition. ICD-10-CM guidelines
state that when conditions are interrelated, the most clinically significant condition should
be sequenced first. J20.9 would be reported as a secondary diagnosis .
,Question 2:
A patient is diagnosed with diabetic nephropathy due to type 1 diabetes mellitus. How
should this be coded?
A. E10.21
B. E11.21
C. N18.9
D. E10.9
Answer: A. E10.21
Rationale: Diabetic nephropathy is a manifestation of diabetes. In ICD-10-CM, diabetes
codes include manifestations. For type 1 diabetes with nephropathy, the correct code is
E10.21 (Type 1 diabetes mellitus with diabetic nephropathy) .
Question 3:
A patient has a personal history of colon polyps. Which code is used?
A. D12.6
B. Z86.010
C. K63.5
D. Z12.11
Answer: B. Z86.010
Rationale: Z86.010 is the code for personal history of colonic polyps. D12.6 is a benign
neoplasm of the colon, and K63.5 is a polyp of the colon .
Question 4:
A patient presents with chest pain. After evaluation, no cause is found. What is the
correct code?
A. R07.9
B. R07.89
C. I20.9
D. R07.1
Answer: A. R07.9
Rationale: R07.9 (Chest pain, unspecified) is used when chest pain is the presenting
symptom and no definitive diagnosis is made .
,Question 5:
A patient is diagnosed with major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate. What is the
correct code?
A. F32.1
B. F33.1
C. F32.9
D. F33.9
Answer: B. F33.1
Rationale: F33.1 is the code for major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate. F32.1 is for
a single episode .
Question 6:
A patient has a nonhealing venous stasis ulcer of the left lower extremity. What is the
correct code?
A. L97.421
B. L97.411
C. I87.2
D. L97.921
Answer: A. L97.421
Rationale: L97.421 is the code for non-pressure chronic ulcer of the left lower extremity
with necrosis of muscle. The laterality (left) is included in the code .
Question 7:
A patient presents with acute abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. What is the
correct code?
A. R10.11
B. R10.12
C. R10.9
D. R10.10
, Answer: A. R10.11
Rationale: R10.11 is the code for right upper quadrant pain. R10.12 is left upper quadrant
pain, and R10.9 is unspecified abdominal pain .
Question 8:
A patient is admitted with dehydration due to gastroenteritis. What is the correct coding
sequence?
A. A09, E86.0
B. E86.0, A09
C. K52.9, E86.0
D. E86.9, A09
Answer: B. E86.0, A09
Rationale: When dehydration is due to gastroenteritis, the dehydration (E86.0) is
sequenced first, followed by the gastroenteritis (A09) .
Question 9:
A patient is seen for follow-up of a pacemaker. What is the correct code?
A. Z95.0
B. Z45.010
C. Z95.810
D. Z45.09
Answer: A. Z95.0
Rationale: Z95.0 is the code for the presence of a cardiac pacemaker. Z45.010 is for
encounter for checking and adjustment of cardiac pacemaker .
Question 10:
A patient is diagnosed with benign essential hypertension. What is the correct code?
A. I10
B. I11.9
Study Guide
This comprehensive study resource is a premier test bank designed for medical coders
preparing for the American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) Practicode Set
(Cases 1–200). It features realistic redacted medical records, 100% verified CPT, ICD-
10-CM, and HCPCS code selections, and step-by-step documentation rationales.
Reviewing these real-world outpatient, radiology, and surgical cases ensures optimal
sequencing accuracy and RVU ordering protocols to sharpen your practical coding
skills and accelerate the removal of your apprentice designation.
SECTION 1: ICD-10-CM DIAGNOSIS CODING
FUNDAMENTALS (Questions 1-40)
Question 1:
A patient presents with acute bronchitis complicated by pneumonia. What is the correct
primary diagnosis code?
A. J20.9 - Acute bronchitis, unspecified
B. J18.9 - Pneumonia, unspecified
C. J44.1 - COPD with acute exacerbation
D. J20.8 - Acute bronchitis due to other specified organisms
Answer: B. J18.9 - Pneumonia, unspecified
Rationale: When a patient has both acute bronchitis and pneumonia, pneumonia is coded
as the primary diagnosis because it is the more serious condition. ICD-10-CM guidelines
state that when conditions are interrelated, the most clinically significant condition should
be sequenced first. J20.9 would be reported as a secondary diagnosis .
,Question 2:
A patient is diagnosed with diabetic nephropathy due to type 1 diabetes mellitus. How
should this be coded?
A. E10.21
B. E11.21
C. N18.9
D. E10.9
Answer: A. E10.21
Rationale: Diabetic nephropathy is a manifestation of diabetes. In ICD-10-CM, diabetes
codes include manifestations. For type 1 diabetes with nephropathy, the correct code is
E10.21 (Type 1 diabetes mellitus with diabetic nephropathy) .
Question 3:
A patient has a personal history of colon polyps. Which code is used?
A. D12.6
B. Z86.010
C. K63.5
D. Z12.11
Answer: B. Z86.010
Rationale: Z86.010 is the code for personal history of colonic polyps. D12.6 is a benign
neoplasm of the colon, and K63.5 is a polyp of the colon .
Question 4:
A patient presents with chest pain. After evaluation, no cause is found. What is the
correct code?
A. R07.9
B. R07.89
C. I20.9
D. R07.1
Answer: A. R07.9
Rationale: R07.9 (Chest pain, unspecified) is used when chest pain is the presenting
symptom and no definitive diagnosis is made .
,Question 5:
A patient is diagnosed with major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate. What is the
correct code?
A. F32.1
B. F33.1
C. F32.9
D. F33.9
Answer: B. F33.1
Rationale: F33.1 is the code for major depressive disorder, recurrent, moderate. F32.1 is for
a single episode .
Question 6:
A patient has a nonhealing venous stasis ulcer of the left lower extremity. What is the
correct code?
A. L97.421
B. L97.411
C. I87.2
D. L97.921
Answer: A. L97.421
Rationale: L97.421 is the code for non-pressure chronic ulcer of the left lower extremity
with necrosis of muscle. The laterality (left) is included in the code .
Question 7:
A patient presents with acute abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. What is the
correct code?
A. R10.11
B. R10.12
C. R10.9
D. R10.10
, Answer: A. R10.11
Rationale: R10.11 is the code for right upper quadrant pain. R10.12 is left upper quadrant
pain, and R10.9 is unspecified abdominal pain .
Question 8:
A patient is admitted with dehydration due to gastroenteritis. What is the correct coding
sequence?
A. A09, E86.0
B. E86.0, A09
C. K52.9, E86.0
D. E86.9, A09
Answer: B. E86.0, A09
Rationale: When dehydration is due to gastroenteritis, the dehydration (E86.0) is
sequenced first, followed by the gastroenteritis (A09) .
Question 9:
A patient is seen for follow-up of a pacemaker. What is the correct code?
A. Z95.0
B. Z45.010
C. Z95.810
D. Z45.09
Answer: A. Z95.0
Rationale: Z95.0 is the code for the presence of a cardiac pacemaker. Z45.010 is for
encounter for checking and adjustment of cardiac pacemaker .
Question 10:
A patient is diagnosed with benign essential hypertension. What is the correct code?
A. I10
B. I11.9
