CCS- CERTIFIED CODING SPECIALIST EXAM
1 | (WITH RATIONALES) NEWEST ACTUAL
EXAM COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS GRADED A+ | 100%
CORRECT | 2026 UPDATE!!
Which type of conditions are always considered present on
admission?
a. Obstetrical
b. Congenital
c. Those with an acute exacerbation
d. Those that represent an injury ANSWER
Correct Answer: B
In accordance with the POA guidelines, congenital conditions
are always considered POA (CMS 2020a, Appendix I, 117).
A patient is admitted with a high temperature, lethargy,
hypotension, tachycardia, oliguria, and elevated WBC. The
patient also has more than 100,000 organisms of Escherichia
coli per cc of urine. The attending physician documents
"urosepsis." What is the next step for the coder?
,a. Code sepsis as the principal with a secondary diagnosis of
urinary tract infection due to E. coli.
b. Code urinary tract infection with sepsis as a secondary
diagnosis.
c. Query the physician to determine if the patient is being
treated for sepsis, highlighting the clinical signs and symptoms.
d. Ask the physician whether the patient had septic shock so
that this may be used as the principal diagnosis. ANSWER
Correct Answer: C
The term urosepsis is a nonspecific term. It has no default code
in the Alphabetic Index. Should providers use this term, they
must be queried for clarification (CMS 2020a, Section I.C.1.d.,
24).
When a patient goes home with an order for home health to
start one week after an inpatient admission, this is categorized
as a(n):
a. Discharge
b. Transfer
c. Readmission
d. Outlier ANSWER Correct Answer: A
,A written order for home health to begin within three days of
inpatient discharge is considered a transfer. Beyond that, it is a
discharge (Casto 2018, 125).
A patient is admitted with an acute inferior myocardial
infarction and discharged alive. Which condition would increase
the MS-DRG weight?
a. Respiratory failure
b. Atrial fibrillation
c. Hypertension
d. History of myocardial infarction ANSWER Correct Answer: A
MS-DRG 280 (weight = 01.6309) for myocardial infarction with
respiratory failure would change the MS-DRG. MS-DRG 282
(weight = 00.7379) would be assigned for myocardial infarction
alone, with atrial fibrillation, with hypertension, and with
history of myocardial infarction (CMS 2019b).
A patient has findings suggestive of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) on chest x-ray. The attending
physician mentions the x-ray finding in one progress note but
, no medication, treatment, or further evaluation is provided.
The coder should:
a. Query the attending physician regarding the x-ray finding
b. Code the condition because the documentation reflects it
c. Question the radiologist regarding whether to code this
condition
d. Use a code from abnormal findings to reflect the condition -
✔✔✔ Correct Answer > Correct Answer: A
Query the attending physician regarding the clinical significance
of the findings and request that appropriate documentation be
provided. This is an example of a circumstance where the
chronic condition must be verified. All secondary conditions
must meet the UHDDS definitions; it is not clear if COPD does
(CMS 2020a, Section III, 111-112).
A patient is admitted for seizures. What is the appropriate POA
for the external cause code of W06.XXXA assigned because the
patient fell out of bed during a seizure in the emergency
department?
a. Y
b. N
c. U
1 | (WITH RATIONALES) NEWEST ACTUAL
EXAM COMPREHENSIVE QUESTIONS AND
VERIFIED ANSWERS GRADED A+ | 100%
CORRECT | 2026 UPDATE!!
Which type of conditions are always considered present on
admission?
a. Obstetrical
b. Congenital
c. Those with an acute exacerbation
d. Those that represent an injury ANSWER
Correct Answer: B
In accordance with the POA guidelines, congenital conditions
are always considered POA (CMS 2020a, Appendix I, 117).
A patient is admitted with a high temperature, lethargy,
hypotension, tachycardia, oliguria, and elevated WBC. The
patient also has more than 100,000 organisms of Escherichia
coli per cc of urine. The attending physician documents
"urosepsis." What is the next step for the coder?
,a. Code sepsis as the principal with a secondary diagnosis of
urinary tract infection due to E. coli.
b. Code urinary tract infection with sepsis as a secondary
diagnosis.
c. Query the physician to determine if the patient is being
treated for sepsis, highlighting the clinical signs and symptoms.
d. Ask the physician whether the patient had septic shock so
that this may be used as the principal diagnosis. ANSWER
Correct Answer: C
The term urosepsis is a nonspecific term. It has no default code
in the Alphabetic Index. Should providers use this term, they
must be queried for clarification (CMS 2020a, Section I.C.1.d.,
24).
When a patient goes home with an order for home health to
start one week after an inpatient admission, this is categorized
as a(n):
a. Discharge
b. Transfer
c. Readmission
d. Outlier ANSWER Correct Answer: A
,A written order for home health to begin within three days of
inpatient discharge is considered a transfer. Beyond that, it is a
discharge (Casto 2018, 125).
A patient is admitted with an acute inferior myocardial
infarction and discharged alive. Which condition would increase
the MS-DRG weight?
a. Respiratory failure
b. Atrial fibrillation
c. Hypertension
d. History of myocardial infarction ANSWER Correct Answer: A
MS-DRG 280 (weight = 01.6309) for myocardial infarction with
respiratory failure would change the MS-DRG. MS-DRG 282
(weight = 00.7379) would be assigned for myocardial infarction
alone, with atrial fibrillation, with hypertension, and with
history of myocardial infarction (CMS 2019b).
A patient has findings suggestive of chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD) on chest x-ray. The attending
physician mentions the x-ray finding in one progress note but
, no medication, treatment, or further evaluation is provided.
The coder should:
a. Query the attending physician regarding the x-ray finding
b. Code the condition because the documentation reflects it
c. Question the radiologist regarding whether to code this
condition
d. Use a code from abnormal findings to reflect the condition -
✔✔✔ Correct Answer > Correct Answer: A
Query the attending physician regarding the clinical significance
of the findings and request that appropriate documentation be
provided. This is an example of a circumstance where the
chronic condition must be verified. All secondary conditions
must meet the UHDDS definitions; it is not clear if COPD does
(CMS 2020a, Section III, 111-112).
A patient is admitted for seizures. What is the appropriate POA
for the external cause code of W06.XXXA assigned because the
patient fell out of bed during a seizure in the emergency
department?
a. Y
b. N
c. U
