CBCS - Certified Billing and Coding Specialist Coding and Coding Guidelines Questions and Answers

Question 1

A patient is seen in the clinic and the provider's final diagnosis is 'acute bronchitis caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae.' Which is the correct ICD-10-CM code assignment?

Accepted Answer

J20.0

Answer

J20.9, B96.0

Answer

J40, B96.0

Answer

J20.9

Question 2

A surgeon performs a procedure on a patient's left fourth toe. To specify the exact anatomical location, which type of modifier should be appended to the CPT code?

Accepted Answer

A HCPCS Level II modifier

Answer

A CPT Modifier 51

Answer

A CPT informational modifier

Answer

A payment policy modifier

Question 3

A patient is admitted to the hospital for management of severe dehydration. The dehydration is a direct result of infectious norovirus gastroenteritis. Both conditions are treated. According to the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, what is the correct sequencing for the principal diagnosis?

Accepted Answer

The principal diagnosis is the infectious norovirus gastroenteritis.

Answer

The principal diagnosis is the dehydration.

Answer

Either condition can be sequenced first since both were treated.

Answer

A single combination code for gastroenteritis with dehydration should be used.

Question 4

When using an external cause code from Chapter 20 of ICD-10-CM (V00-Y99) to describe the circumstances of an injury, which of the following is a primary guideline for its use?

Accepted Answer

It can never be the principal or first-listed diagnosis.

Answer

It must always be sequenced as the principal diagnosis.

Answer

It is only required for claims submitted to Medicare.

Answer

It is only used for inpatient hospital coding.

Question 5

In the ICD-10-CM Tabular List, what does the instructional note 'Excludes1' signify?

Accepted Answer

The excluded code should never be used at the same time as the code above the note.

Answer

The excluded code is a component of the primary code and should not be coded separately.

Answer

The two conditions are unrelated, but a patient may have both, so they can be coded together.

Answer

The excluded condition is another name for the condition listed above the note.

Question 6

A surgeon begins a diagnostic arthroscopy of the shoulder. During the procedure, a significant rotator cuff tear is identified, and the surgeon immediately converts the arthroscopic procedure to a full open rotator cuff repair during the same operative session. How should this encounter be coded?

Accepted Answer

Code only for the open rotator cuff repair procedure.

Answer

Code both the diagnostic arthroscopy and the open repair, with modifier 58 on the repair.

Answer

Code the diagnostic arthroscopy with a modifier indicating it led to a more extensive procedure.

Answer

Code both the surgical arthroscopy and the open repair.