MEDICAL CODING EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS

MEDICAL CODING EXAM QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE SOLUTIONS The phrase "Principal diagnosis" - ANSWER-applies only to the inpatient settings The phrase "First-listed diagnosis" - ANSWER-applies only to outpatient settings Parentheses ( ) - ANSWER-Nonessential modifiers that describe the default variations of a term. The words are not required to appear in physician documentation in order to use the code. Colon : - ANSWER-Appears after an incomplete term that requires one or more modifiers following the colon to be classified to that code or category. Square brackets [ ] - ANSWER-Tabular: Synonyms, alternative wording, explanatory phrases. Indicates sequencing on ethology/manifestation codes or other paired codes. The code in square brackets [ ] should be sequenced second. And - ANSWER-and/or Boldface (heavy type - ANSWER-Tabular: Code titles. Index: Main terms. Code Also - ANSWER-tabular: More than one code may be required to fully describe the condition. Code First/Use Additional Code - ANSWER-Tabular: Provides sequencing instructions for conditions that have both an underlying etiology and multiple body system manifestations and certain other codes that have sequencing requirements. Includes notes - ANSWER-Tabular: Begin with the word "Includes" and further define, clarify, or give examples Inclusion terms - ANSWER-tabular: A list of synonyms or conditions included within a classification. Italics (slanted type) - ANSWER-Tabular: Exclusion notes, manifestation codes. NEC - ANSWER-Tabular and Index: Not Elsewhere Classifiable. The health record contains additional details about the condition, but there is not a more specific code available to use. NOS - ANSWER-Tabular: Not Otherwise Specified. Information needed to assign a more specific code is not available in the health record. See - ANSWER-index: It is necessary to reference another Main Term or condition to locate the correct code. See Also - ANSWER-Index: Coder may refer to an alternative or additional Main Term if the desired entry is not found under the original Main Term. With - ANSWER-Tabular: In a code title, means both or together Excludes1 - ANSWER-Tabular: Mutually exclusive codes. None of the codes that appear after it should be reported with the original code itself. Excludes2 - ANSWER-tabular: The condition excluded is not part of the condition represented by the original code, so it may be reported together if documented 4th 5th 6th 7th - ANSWER-tabular: Some publishers place a symbol in front of a code to indicate that an additional character is needed for the code to be complete. The symbols shown here are examples. A code with any of these symbols before it is an invalid code. X - ANSWER-tabular: An "X" placeholder is used in codes with less than six characters that require a seventh character extension. The "X" itself has no meaning and is not replaced with an actual number or letter. In some codes, the "X" is used to reserve room for future expansion. short Dash (-) - ANSWER-Tabular and Index: Additional characters should be assigned in place of the short dash (-). The additional characters may be numbers or letters. with/without - ANSWER-Tabular: Within a set of alternative codes, describe options for final character Use Additional Characters - ANSWER-a symbol in front of a code; or a short dash (-) at the end of a code number. When coders see one of these conventions, it means a subcategory needs additional characters and the coder should look down to the next level for more specificity. In ICD-10-CM the additional values for characters 4 through 6 are listed below the category. Many publishing companies print the ICD-10-CM coding manual and each company may use different symbols to alert coders to the need for additional characters. In your code manual, symbols used are 4, 5, 6, or 7.