CERTIFIED CODING SPECIALIST (CCS) EXAM PREP QUESTIONS -
AHIMA 6TH EDITION QUESTIONS & CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS
LATEST 2025|26 UPDATE
Carcinoma in situ - VERIFIED ANSWER Tumor cells that are undergoing
malignant changes but are still confined to the point of origin without
invasion of the surrounding normal tissue
Examples of carcinoma in situ - VERIFIED ANSWER Intraepithelial
infiltrating
The patient was admitted from the emergency department because of chest
pain. Following blood work, it was determined that the patient had elevated
CPKs and MB enzymes. The EKG shows nonspecific ST changes.
What type of diagnosis might this indicate?
a. Unstable angina
b. Myocardial infarction
,c. Congestive heart failure
d. Mitral valve stenosis - VERIFIED ANSWER b
The CPK elevation with MB enzymes elevated and the EKG ST changes
denote a possible Ml (Leon-Chisen 2013, 386-387).
A patient is admitted and diagnosed with fever and urinary burning. The
discharge diagnosis· is Escherichia coli, urinary tract infection.
Which of the following represents the correct diagnoses and appropriate
sequence of those conditions?
a. Fever, urinary burning, urosepsis
b. Fever, urinary burning, sepsis
c. Escherichia coli, urinary tract infection
d. Urinary tract infection, Escherichia coli - VERIFIED ANSWER d
Symptoms are not coded when a definitive diagnosis is present on discharge.
The patient discharge diagnosis of urinary tract infection. The organism (E.
coli) is coded with a seco diagnosis code (B96.20) which is to be added as an
additional code to identify the bacterial agent (HHS 2014, Section II.A., 98).
,A patient was admitted with heart failure within one week of a heart
transplant. Due to the timing, the coder thought that it may represent a
postoperative transplant rejection following heart transplant.
What action(s) should the coding staff take?
a. Query the physician.
b. Assign the codes for the postoperative transplant rejection.
c. Assign only the code for the transplant rejection.
d. Assign only the code for heart failure. - VERIFIED ANSWER a
When the documentation is not clear regarding a potential complication, it is
appropriate query the physician (HHS 2014, Section I.B.16, 16; Leon-Chisen
2013, 43-44).
A patient is admitted to a psychiatric unit of an acute-care facility. The
patient experienced the following symptoms almost every day for the last
month: loss of interest or pleasure in most or all activities, which is a change
from her prior level of functioning. She has also gained 15 lbs, has difficulty
falling asleep, feels fatigued, and has difficulty making decisions.
, What potential diagnosis most closely fits the patient's overall symptoms?
N N N N N N N N N N
a. Insomnia
N N
b. Major depression
N N N
c. Reye's syndrome
N N N
d. Bipolar disorder - correct answer
N N N N N N b
N The symptoms provided are indicative of a depressive disorder (Leon-
N N N N N N N N N
Chisen 2013, 175).
N N
Inpatient:
Admission for inguinal hernia repair. This 30-year-old patient has acquired
N N N N N N N N N
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) but is not symptomatic at this time
N N N N N N N N N N
due to medication regimen. The procedure performed was a right indirect
N N N N N N N N N N N
inguinal herniorrhaphy via open approach. - correct answer
N N N N N N N N N ICD-10-
CM: K40.90, B20,
N N
N ICD-10-PCS: OYQ50ZZ (Schraffenberger 2013, 82-84,252)
N N N N
Inpatient:
AHIMA 6TH EDITION QUESTIONS & CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS
LATEST 2025|26 UPDATE
Carcinoma in situ - VERIFIED ANSWER Tumor cells that are undergoing
malignant changes but are still confined to the point of origin without
invasion of the surrounding normal tissue
Examples of carcinoma in situ - VERIFIED ANSWER Intraepithelial
infiltrating
The patient was admitted from the emergency department because of chest
pain. Following blood work, it was determined that the patient had elevated
CPKs and MB enzymes. The EKG shows nonspecific ST changes.
What type of diagnosis might this indicate?
a. Unstable angina
b. Myocardial infarction
,c. Congestive heart failure
d. Mitral valve stenosis - VERIFIED ANSWER b
The CPK elevation with MB enzymes elevated and the EKG ST changes
denote a possible Ml (Leon-Chisen 2013, 386-387).
A patient is admitted and diagnosed with fever and urinary burning. The
discharge diagnosis· is Escherichia coli, urinary tract infection.
Which of the following represents the correct diagnoses and appropriate
sequence of those conditions?
a. Fever, urinary burning, urosepsis
b. Fever, urinary burning, sepsis
c. Escherichia coli, urinary tract infection
d. Urinary tract infection, Escherichia coli - VERIFIED ANSWER d
Symptoms are not coded when a definitive diagnosis is present on discharge.
The patient discharge diagnosis of urinary tract infection. The organism (E.
coli) is coded with a seco diagnosis code (B96.20) which is to be added as an
additional code to identify the bacterial agent (HHS 2014, Section II.A., 98).
,A patient was admitted with heart failure within one week of a heart
transplant. Due to the timing, the coder thought that it may represent a
postoperative transplant rejection following heart transplant.
What action(s) should the coding staff take?
a. Query the physician.
b. Assign the codes for the postoperative transplant rejection.
c. Assign only the code for the transplant rejection.
d. Assign only the code for heart failure. - VERIFIED ANSWER a
When the documentation is not clear regarding a potential complication, it is
appropriate query the physician (HHS 2014, Section I.B.16, 16; Leon-Chisen
2013, 43-44).
A patient is admitted to a psychiatric unit of an acute-care facility. The
patient experienced the following symptoms almost every day for the last
month: loss of interest or pleasure in most or all activities, which is a change
from her prior level of functioning. She has also gained 15 lbs, has difficulty
falling asleep, feels fatigued, and has difficulty making decisions.
, What potential diagnosis most closely fits the patient's overall symptoms?
N N N N N N N N N N
a. Insomnia
N N
b. Major depression
N N N
c. Reye's syndrome
N N N
d. Bipolar disorder - correct answer
N N N N N N b
N The symptoms provided are indicative of a depressive disorder (Leon-
N N N N N N N N N
Chisen 2013, 175).
N N
Inpatient:
Admission for inguinal hernia repair. This 30-year-old patient has acquired
N N N N N N N N N
immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) but is not symptomatic at this time
N N N N N N N N N N
due to medication regimen. The procedure performed was a right indirect
N N N N N N N N N N N
inguinal herniorrhaphy via open approach. - correct answer
N N N N N N N N N ICD-10-
CM: K40.90, B20,
N N
N ICD-10-PCS: OYQ50ZZ (Schraffenberger 2013, 82-84,252)
N N N N
Inpatient:
