1
INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL For
Medical Coding Certification Exam Preparation:
A Comprehensive Guide
Chapter 1-21
Cynthia L. Stewart-Vandagriff, CPC, COC, CPMA, CPC-I, CCS-P
Cynthia L. Ward, CPC, COC, CPMA, CEMC, CCC, CDEO
CPT five-digit codes, nomenclature, and other data are copyright ©2025 American Medical Association.
All rights reserved. No fee schedules, basic unit, relative values or related listings are included in CPT.
The AMA assumes no liability for the data contained herein.
CPT codes are based on CPT 2025.
ICD-10-CM codes are based on ICD-10-CM 2025.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
LESSON PLANS AND ANSWERS
Unit One: Fundamental Coding Guidelines
Chapter 1: The Certified Professional Coder
Chapter 2: Foundations of ICD-10-CM
Chapter 3: ICD Chapter-Specific Guidelines
Chapter 4: Foundations of CPT
Unit 1 Exam Answer Key
Unit Two: Coding for Evaluation and Management, Anesthesia, and Surgery Section
Chapter 5: Evaluation and Management
Chapter 6: Anesthesia
Chapter 7: Surgery Section
Unit 2 Exam Answer Key
Unit Three: Coding for Surgical Procedures on Integumentary, Musculoskeletal, Respiratory, and
Cardiovascular/Lymphatic Systems
Chapter 8: Surgery Section: Integumentary System
Chapter 9: Surgery Section: Musculoskeletal System
Chapter 10: Surgery Section: Respiratory System
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Chapter 11: Surgery Section: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic System
Unit 3 Exam Answer Key
Unit Four: Coding for Surgical Procedures on Digestive, Urinary, Male and Female Reproductive
Systems, Maternity Care, Nervous System, and Eyes, Ears, and Endocrine System
Chapter 12: Surgery Section: Digestive System
Chapter 13: Surgery Section: Urinary System and Male Reproductive System
Chapter 14: Surgery Section: Female Reproductive System and Maternity Care and Delivery
Chapter 15: Surgery Section: Nervous System
Chapter 16: Surgery Section: Eyes, Ears, and Endocrine System
Unit 4 Exam Answer Key
Unit Five: Coding for Radiology, Pathology/Laboratory, General Medicine, HCPCS Category II
and III, and Practice Management
Chapter 17: Radiology
Chapter 18: Pathology/Laboratory
Chapter 19: Medicine
Chapter 20: HCPCS Level II: Category II and Category III Codes
Chapter 21: Practice Management
Unit 5 Exam Answer Key
Appendix A Answer Key
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INTRODUCTION
Note to the Instructor
You may have found in your experience, as did we, that preparing medical coding students for a
certification exam by routinely going through numerous case studies did not benefit the student in
developing a true understanding of why the codes selected were correct or how the documentation
supported the codes reported.
During our tenure as instructors, we heard the lament ―I’ve read the note five times and still don’t know
what I’m looking for‖ many times over. Although disappointing to hear, this familiar grumble taught us
that students need the tools to understand how to break down documentation into a series of questions
which aid them in translating services, procedures, and diagnoses into codes. Using these tools, our
students have maintained a consistently high certification exam pass rate.
Our purpose in writing Medical Coding Certification Exam Preparation: A Comprehensive Guide was
twofold. Our first purpose was to aid the student in developing the skills to not only pass the certification
exam but to also prepare them for their career in medical coding. Our second purpose was to aid the
instructor in bringing all of the individually-learned pieces together for the student to complete the
process of medical coding.
In this Instructor’s Manual
The instructor’s manual includes answers and rationales for the end-of-section exercises, as well as the
end-of-chapter exercises, including Using Terminology, Checking Your Understanding, and Applying
Your Knowledge. Answers and rationales are also included for the end-of-unit exams for Units 1-5, as
well as the Final Exam in Appendix A. Lesson plans and PowerPoints with teaching notes have been
included for each chapter.
The importance of understanding the guidelines inherent to the ICD, CPT, and HCPCS coding manuals
and knowing how to located and use them is stressed throughout this text in the form of Spotlight on
Guidelines and Mentor Coding and Practice Management tips.
These tips are also listed in the instructor’s manual for each chapter under ―Teaching Tips‖ and are listed
under the learning outcome with which they appear in the text for ease in reviewing this information with
the student.
Organization of Medical Coding Certification Exam Preparation
Here is an overview of the five units of the book:
McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
, 4
McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
INSTRUCTOR’S MANUAL For
Medical Coding Certification Exam Preparation:
A Comprehensive Guide
Chapter 1-21
Cynthia L. Stewart-Vandagriff, CPC, COC, CPMA, CPC-I, CCS-P
Cynthia L. Ward, CPC, COC, CPMA, CEMC, CCC, CDEO
CPT five-digit codes, nomenclature, and other data are copyright ©2025 American Medical Association.
All rights reserved. No fee schedules, basic unit, relative values or related listings are included in CPT.
The AMA assumes no liability for the data contained herein.
CPT codes are based on CPT 2025.
ICD-10-CM codes are based on ICD-10-CM 2025.
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
LESSON PLANS AND ANSWERS
Unit One: Fundamental Coding Guidelines
Chapter 1: The Certified Professional Coder
Chapter 2: Foundations of ICD-10-CM
Chapter 3: ICD Chapter-Specific Guidelines
Chapter 4: Foundations of CPT
Unit 1 Exam Answer Key
Unit Two: Coding for Evaluation and Management, Anesthesia, and Surgery Section
Chapter 5: Evaluation and Management
Chapter 6: Anesthesia
Chapter 7: Surgery Section
Unit 2 Exam Answer Key
Unit Three: Coding for Surgical Procedures on Integumentary, Musculoskeletal, Respiratory, and
Cardiovascular/Lymphatic Systems
Chapter 8: Surgery Section: Integumentary System
Chapter 9: Surgery Section: Musculoskeletal System
Chapter 10: Surgery Section: Respiratory System
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, 2
Chapter 11: Surgery Section: Cardiovascular and Lymphatic System
Unit 3 Exam Answer Key
Unit Four: Coding for Surgical Procedures on Digestive, Urinary, Male and Female Reproductive
Systems, Maternity Care, Nervous System, and Eyes, Ears, and Endocrine System
Chapter 12: Surgery Section: Digestive System
Chapter 13: Surgery Section: Urinary System and Male Reproductive System
Chapter 14: Surgery Section: Female Reproductive System and Maternity Care and Delivery
Chapter 15: Surgery Section: Nervous System
Chapter 16: Surgery Section: Eyes, Ears, and Endocrine System
Unit 4 Exam Answer Key
Unit Five: Coding for Radiology, Pathology/Laboratory, General Medicine, HCPCS Category II
and III, and Practice Management
Chapter 17: Radiology
Chapter 18: Pathology/Laboratory
Chapter 19: Medicine
Chapter 20: HCPCS Level II: Category II and Category III Codes
Chapter 21: Practice Management
Unit 5 Exam Answer Key
Appendix A Answer Key
McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
, 3
INTRODUCTION
Note to the Instructor
You may have found in your experience, as did we, that preparing medical coding students for a
certification exam by routinely going through numerous case studies did not benefit the student in
developing a true understanding of why the codes selected were correct or how the documentation
supported the codes reported.
During our tenure as instructors, we heard the lament ―I’ve read the note five times and still don’t know
what I’m looking for‖ many times over. Although disappointing to hear, this familiar grumble taught us
that students need the tools to understand how to break down documentation into a series of questions
which aid them in translating services, procedures, and diagnoses into codes. Using these tools, our
students have maintained a consistently high certification exam pass rate.
Our purpose in writing Medical Coding Certification Exam Preparation: A Comprehensive Guide was
twofold. Our first purpose was to aid the student in developing the skills to not only pass the certification
exam but to also prepare them for their career in medical coding. Our second purpose was to aid the
instructor in bringing all of the individually-learned pieces together for the student to complete the
process of medical coding.
In this Instructor’s Manual
The instructor’s manual includes answers and rationales for the end-of-section exercises, as well as the
end-of-chapter exercises, including Using Terminology, Checking Your Understanding, and Applying
Your Knowledge. Answers and rationales are also included for the end-of-unit exams for Units 1-5, as
well as the Final Exam in Appendix A. Lesson plans and PowerPoints with teaching notes have been
included for each chapter.
The importance of understanding the guidelines inherent to the ICD, CPT, and HCPCS coding manuals
and knowing how to located and use them is stressed throughout this text in the form of Spotlight on
Guidelines and Mentor Coding and Practice Management tips.
These tips are also listed in the instructor’s manual for each chapter under ―Teaching Tips‖ and are listed
under the learning outcome with which they appear in the text for ease in reviewing this information with
the student.
Organization of Medical Coding Certification Exam Preparation
Here is an overview of the five units of the book:
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, 4
McGraw Hill LLC. All rights reserved. No reproduction or distribution without the prior written consent of McGraw Hill LLC.
