CCS Exam Prep
1. Alphabetic Index
ANS alphabetical list of terms and their corresponding code
2. Tabular List
ANS structured list of codes divided into chapters based on body system or condition
3. Alphabetic Index consists of...
ANS Index of Diseases & Injury, Index of External Causes of Injury, The Table of Neoplasms,
and the Table of Drugs & Chemicals
4. Tabular Lists - Explain the format & structure of categories/subcate- gories/codes
ANS Characters for categories, subcategories and codes may be either a letter or a number. All
categories are 3 characters. A three-character category that has no further subdivision is
equivalent to a code. Subcategories are either 4 or 5 characters. Codes may be 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7
characters.That is, each level of subdivision after a category is a subcategory. The final level of
subdivision is a code. Codes that have applicable 7th characters are still referred to as codes, not
subcategories. A code that has an applicable 7th character is considered invalid without the 7th
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character.
5. Use of codes for reporting purposes
ANS only codes are permissible, not cate- gories or subcategories & any applicable 7th
character is required
6. Placeholder character; give example
ANS The "X" is used as a
placeholder at certain codes to allow for future expansion. An example of this
is at the poisoning, adverse effect and underdosing codes, categories T36-T50. Where a
placeholder exists, the X must be used in order for the code to be considered a valid code.
7. 7th characters
ANS Certain ICD-10-CM categories have applicable 7th characters. The applicable
7th character is required for all codes within the category, or as the notes in the Tabular List
instruct. The 7th character must always be the 7th character in the data field. If a code that
requires a 7th character is not 6 characters, a placeholder X must be used to fill in the empty
characters.
8. NEC - Alphabetic Index abbreviation
ANS "Not elsewhere classifiable"
This abbreviation in the Alphabetic Index represents "other specified."
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When a specific code is not available for a condition, the Alphabetic Index
directs the coder to the "other specified" code in the Tabular List.
9. NOS
ANS NOS "Not otherwise specified"
This abbreviation is the equivalent of unspecified.
10. NEC - Tabular List
ANS "Not elsewhere classifiable"
This abbreviation in the Tabular List represents "other specified". When a
specific code is not available for a condition, the Tabular List includes an
NEC entry under a code to identify the code as the "other specified" code.
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11. When are [ ] brackets used?
ANS Brackets are used in the Tabular List to enclose synonyms, alternative
wording or explanatory phrases. Brackets are used in the Alphabetic Index to
identify manifestation codes
12. When are ( ) parentheses used?
ANS Parentheses are used in both the Alphabetic Index and Tabular List to
enclose supplementary words that may be present or absent in the statement of a
disease or procedure without affecting the code number to which it is assigned. The
terms within the parentheses are referred to as nonessential modifiers. The
nonessential modifiers in the Alphabetic Index to Diseases apply to subterms
following a main term except when a nonessential modifier and a subentry are
mutually exclusive, the subentry takes precedence. For example, in the ICD-10-CM
Alphabetic Index under the main term Enteritis, "acute" is a nonessential modifier
and
ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting FY 2017
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"chronic" is a subentry. In this case, the nonessential modifier "acute" does not
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