2025/2026 CCS EXAM | CERTIFIED CODING
SPECIALIST EXAM | |LATEST VERSIONS AND
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS with rationales | ALREADY GRADED A+
A 55-year-old client has hypertensive heart disease with congestive heart failure.
What code would be assigned?
a. I15.8, Other secondary hypertension
b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure and I50.9, Heart
failure, unspecified
c. I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified and I15.0, Renovascular hypertension
d. N18.6, End stage renal disease
RIGHT ANS :->> b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure and
I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified
Rationale :->> There is a cause and effect relationship established between the
hypertension and the congestive heart failure. A separate code for the congestive
heart failure is assigned based on the "code also" note (HHS 2017, Section I.C.9.a.,
40).
A surgeon would like to undertake a research study on his clients with stage II
malignant melanoma of the back, who have undergone wide excision of the
melanoma. What work processes and associated software could be used to provide
this information?
a. Obtain a summary of the cases from the cancer registry, import them
into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
b. Obtain a summary of the cases from the chart completion software, import
them into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
c. Obtain a summary of the cases from the master client index, import them
,into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
d. Obtain a summary of the cases from the transcription tracking software, import
them into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
RIGHT ANS:->> a. Obtain a summary ofthe cases from the cancer registry,
import them into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
Rationale:->>The cancer registry can be used to undertake studies in addition to
reporting cases to a central registry (Sharp and Madlock-Brown 2016, 173).
A facility located near a national park has a significant number of snake bites, and
clients receive treatment with antivenom in urgent-care settings. Sometimes a
client is admitted to the hospital after several days. Can the urgent-care setting
provide the hospital with a list of names of clients treated with snake antivenom?
a. Only the names of clients who are admitted to the hospital can be requested if
the physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list of clients cannot be
provided.
b. A list of names could be provided.
c. No information can be obtained under any circumstances.
d. A list of clients may be available after consultation with the national park
ranger.
RIGHT ANS :->> a. Only the names of clients who are admitted to the hospital
can be requested if the physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list
of clients cannot be provided.
Rationale:->>Only records that are required for care or authorized by the client can
be released by the urgent-care facility to the acute-care facility (Brodnik 2012, 225;
Rinehart-Thompson 2016b, 243-247).
,What diagnoses and procedures should be reported for recurrent left inguinal
hernia with laparoscopic repair?
K40.30 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, without gangrene, not specified
as recurrent
K40.31 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, without gangrene, recurrent
K40.91 Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of obstruction or gangrene,
recurrent 49520 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age; reducible
49521 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age; incarcerated or strangulated
49651 Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia
a. K40.91, 49520
b. K40.31, 49521
c. K40.91, 49651
d. K40.30, 49520
RIGHT ANS:->> c. K40.91:Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of
obstruction or gangrene, recurrent 49651:Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent
inguinal hernia
Rationale:->>The client has a recurrent hernia without obstruction and this is
captured in diagnosis code K40.91 (Leon-Chisen 2017, 253; CPT Assistant Nov.
1999, 24; March 2000, 9).
.In order to accurately code a cardiac catheterization, what needs to be determined
based on a review of the documentation?
a. The approach and the side of the heart (chambers) into which the catheter
was inserted
b. The approach, the side of the heart (chambers) into which the catheter was
inserted, as well as any additional procedures performed
, c. The duration of the procedure
d. If there is documentation of the procedure in the medical record that stents
are considered
RIGHT ANS:->> b. The approach, the side of the heart (chambers) into
which the catheter was inserted, as well as any additional procedures
performed
A condition is present on admission when:
a. It is the principal diagnosis
b. It is accordance with medical staff bylaws
c. A condition that occurs prior to an inclient admission
d. It is present within 3 days after admission
RIGHT ANS:->> c. A condition that occurs prior to an inclient admission
Rationale :->>It is important to understand the time frame for assigning a status
code specifying that a condition is present on admission (Leon-Chisen 2017, 571-
574).
Diagnostic-related groups (DRGs) and ambulatory client classifications (APCs) are
similar in that they are both:
a. Determined by HCPCS codes
b. Focused on hospital outclients
c. Focused on hospital inclients
d. Prospective payment systems
RIGHT ANS:->> d. Prospective payment systems
Rationale:->> Both are types of prospective payment systems (Casto and Forrestal
2015, 6).
A client is treated for esophageal varices with hemorrhage due to cirrhosis.
SPECIALIST EXAM | |LATEST VERSIONS AND
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT DETAILED
ANSWERS with rationales | ALREADY GRADED A+
A 55-year-old client has hypertensive heart disease with congestive heart failure.
What code would be assigned?
a. I15.8, Other secondary hypertension
b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure and I50.9, Heart
failure, unspecified
c. I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified and I15.0, Renovascular hypertension
d. N18.6, End stage renal disease
RIGHT ANS :->> b. I11.0, Hypertensive heart disease with heart failure and
I50.9, Heart failure, unspecified
Rationale :->> There is a cause and effect relationship established between the
hypertension and the congestive heart failure. A separate code for the congestive
heart failure is assigned based on the "code also" note (HHS 2017, Section I.C.9.a.,
40).
A surgeon would like to undertake a research study on his clients with stage II
malignant melanoma of the back, who have undergone wide excision of the
melanoma. What work processes and associated software could be used to provide
this information?
a. Obtain a summary of the cases from the cancer registry, import them
into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
b. Obtain a summary of the cases from the chart completion software, import
them into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
c. Obtain a summary of the cases from the master client index, import them
,into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
d. Obtain a summary of the cases from the transcription tracking software, import
them into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
RIGHT ANS:->> a. Obtain a summary ofthe cases from the cancer registry,
import them into a spreadsheet, and provide to the surgeon.
Rationale:->>The cancer registry can be used to undertake studies in addition to
reporting cases to a central registry (Sharp and Madlock-Brown 2016, 173).
A facility located near a national park has a significant number of snake bites, and
clients receive treatment with antivenom in urgent-care settings. Sometimes a
client is admitted to the hospital after several days. Can the urgent-care setting
provide the hospital with a list of names of clients treated with snake antivenom?
a. Only the names of clients who are admitted to the hospital can be requested if
the physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list of clients cannot be
provided.
b. A list of names could be provided.
c. No information can be obtained under any circumstances.
d. A list of clients may be available after consultation with the national park
ranger.
RIGHT ANS :->> a. Only the names of clients who are admitted to the hospital
can be requested if the physician needs it for continuity of care, but an entire list
of clients cannot be provided.
Rationale:->>Only records that are required for care or authorized by the client can
be released by the urgent-care facility to the acute-care facility (Brodnik 2012, 225;
Rinehart-Thompson 2016b, 243-247).
,What diagnoses and procedures should be reported for recurrent left inguinal
hernia with laparoscopic repair?
K40.30 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, without gangrene, not specified
as recurrent
K40.31 Unilateral inguinal hernia, with obstruction, without gangrene, recurrent
K40.91 Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of obstruction or gangrene,
recurrent 49520 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age; reducible
49521 Repair recurrent inguinal hernia, any age; incarcerated or strangulated
49651 Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent inguinal hernia
a. K40.91, 49520
b. K40.31, 49521
c. K40.91, 49651
d. K40.30, 49520
RIGHT ANS:->> c. K40.91:Unilateral inguinal hernia, without mention of
obstruction or gangrene, recurrent 49651:Laparoscopy, surgical; repair recurrent
inguinal hernia
Rationale:->>The client has a recurrent hernia without obstruction and this is
captured in diagnosis code K40.91 (Leon-Chisen 2017, 253; CPT Assistant Nov.
1999, 24; March 2000, 9).
.In order to accurately code a cardiac catheterization, what needs to be determined
based on a review of the documentation?
a. The approach and the side of the heart (chambers) into which the catheter
was inserted
b. The approach, the side of the heart (chambers) into which the catheter was
inserted, as well as any additional procedures performed
, c. The duration of the procedure
d. If there is documentation of the procedure in the medical record that stents
are considered
RIGHT ANS:->> b. The approach, the side of the heart (chambers) into
which the catheter was inserted, as well as any additional procedures
performed
A condition is present on admission when:
a. It is the principal diagnosis
b. It is accordance with medical staff bylaws
c. A condition that occurs prior to an inclient admission
d. It is present within 3 days after admission
RIGHT ANS:->> c. A condition that occurs prior to an inclient admission
Rationale :->>It is important to understand the time frame for assigning a status
code specifying that a condition is present on admission (Leon-Chisen 2017, 571-
574).
Diagnostic-related groups (DRGs) and ambulatory client classifications (APCs) are
similar in that they are both:
a. Determined by HCPCS codes
b. Focused on hospital outclients
c. Focused on hospital inclients
d. Prospective payment systems
RIGHT ANS:->> d. Prospective payment systems
Rationale:->> Both are types of prospective payment systems (Casto and Forrestal
2015, 6).
A client is treated for esophageal varices with hemorrhage due to cirrhosis.
