Administrative assisting is 12 of the 150 scored items on the NHA CCMA. Answer 10 exam style questions on medical coding with CPT and ICD-10-CM and see exactly which concepts would cost you points on test day.
Start the 10 questions →The CPT code set is divided into categories. What are Category I CPT codes?
These questions cover CPT structure, E/M services, ICD-10-CM conventions, coding for the MA and CPT sections. Each one shows the correct answer and why every other option is wrong, so a miss tells you exactly what to review before the CCMA.
Prefer to read first? Every question from the practice set above, with the correct answer and why each wrong option is wrong.
Answer: B. Category I codes describe widely performed procedures and services. Category II codes are supplemental tracking codes for performance measures, and Category III codes are temporary codes for emerging technology.
Why not A: DME is reported with HCPCS Level II.
Why not C: Quality measure tracking uses Category II.
Why not D: Emerging technology uses Category III.
Exam tactic: CPT I = standard services. II = quality. III = new tech.
Answer: C. Under CPT rules, a new patient has not received professional services from the physician or another physician of the same specialty and subspecialty in the same group within the past three years. A new problem or new insurance does not make someone a new patient.
Why not A: A new diagnosis does not change patient status.
Why not B: The calendar year is not the standard.
Why not D: Insurance changes do not affect new or established status.
Exam tactic: Three years, same group, same specialty.
Answer: D. Excludes1 means 'not coded here': the two conditions are mutually exclusive, so both are not reported together (with limited exceptions in guidelines). Excludes2 means 'not included here,' and both may be coded if both are present.
Why not A: Seventh characters are indicated by other notes.
Why not B: Excludes notes do not refer to settings.
Why not C: That describes Excludes2.
Exam tactic: Excludes1 = never together. Excludes2 = can be together.
Answer: D. In the outpatient setting, when no definitive diagnosis is established, the documented signs or symptoms are coded. Uncertain or 'rule out' diagnoses are not coded as if confirmed.
Why not A: Coding a similar but undocumented diagnosis is inaccurate.
Why not B: Suspected conditions are not coded as confirmed in outpatient settings.
Why not C: Symptoms are coded when there is no confirmed diagnosis.
Exam tactic: Outpatient: no confirmed Dx? Code the symptom.
Answer: C. Office and outpatient visit codes are in the Evaluation and Management (E/M) section, which appears first in the CPT manual.
Why not A: Pathology and Laboratory codes report lab testing.
Why not B: Anesthesia codes report anesthesia services.
Why not D: Radiology codes report imaging services.
Exam tactic: Office visits live in E/M.
Answer: B. HCPCS Level II covers durable medical equipment like crutches, supplies, certain drugs, and some services not in CPT. Office visits use CPT E/M codes, and diagnoses use ICD-10-CM.
Why not A: Office visits use CPT codes.
Why not C: Diagnoses use ICD-10-CM.
Why not D: Consent forms are not coded.
Exam tactic: Crutches, supplies, DME → HCPCS II.
Answer: A. Charge capture ensures every billable service, supply, and procedure performed is recorded accurately so it can be coded and billed. Missed charges lead to lost revenue.
Why not B: Copay collection is a separate step.
Why not C: Printing the schedule does not record services.
Why not D: Collections is late in the cycle.
Exam tactic: Capture every service, or it's never billed.
Answer: D. ICD-10-CM is updated annually effective October 1, and may also have an April 1 update. CPT is generally updated January 1, with some codes released on other schedules. Offices must use current code sets.
Why not A: The code set is revised regularly.
Why not B: Updates occur far more often than every ten years.
Why not C: Anyone may propose changes, but they take effect only through the official update cycle.
Exam tactic: ICD-10-CM: every October. CPT: every January.
Answer: C. Claims must use codes valid on the date of service. Deleted or changed codes lead to rejections or denials and inaccurate records.
Why not A: Invalid codes directly affect claim processing.
Why not B: Payers require current, valid codes.
Why not D: Readability is irrelevant to validity.
Exam tactic: Code with the current year's set.
Answer: A. Documentation must be authenticated by the provider who performed the service. Unsigned notes are routed back to the provider for signature according to policy before billing.
Why not B: Unsigned documentation may not support the claim.
Why not C: Signing another person's name is forgery.
Why not D: Deleting and rewriting destroys the original record.
Exam tactic: Unsigned note = back to the provider.
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