Certified Coding Associate Exam Certified Coding Associate Clinical 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which root operation in ICD-10-PCS involves cutting out or off a portion of a body part without replacement?
- Resection
- Destruction
- Excision (Correct answer)
- Extraction
Correct answer: Excision
Excision is defined as cutting out or off a portion of a body part without replacement.
Question 2: A diabetic patient with diabetic chronic kidney disease stage 3 should be coded using which approach?
- Two separate codes: E11.9 and N18.3
- E11.65 with N18.3 (Correct answer)
- E11.65 only
- N18.3 only
Correct answer: E11.65 with N18.3
ICD-10-CM instructs coders to use E11.65 for type 2 diabetes with hyperglycemia and add N18.3 for the CKD stage.
Question 3: What does the abbreviation NEC mean in ICD-10-CM?
- Not Elsewhere Classifiable (Correct answer)
- Not Entirely Coded
- Normally Excluded Condition
- Not Elsewhere Considered
Correct answer: Not Elsewhere Classifiable
NEC stands for Not Elsewhere Classifiable, meaning the code is used when no specific code exists for the condition.
Question 4: A patient's record states 'history of colon cancer, currently in remission.' Which code applies?
- C18.9 — active malignancy
- Z85.038 — personal history of malignant neoplasm of colon (Correct answer)
- Z85.038 and C18.9
- D12.6 — benign neoplasm of colon
Correct answer: Z85.038 — personal history of malignant neoplasm of colon
A personal history of a malignancy that has been treated and is in remission is coded with a Z85 history code.
Question 5: Which CPT code range covers Evaluation and Management (E/M) office visits for established patients?
- 99201–99205
- 99211–99215 (Correct answer)
- 99221–99223
- 99231–99233
Correct answer: 99211–99215
CPT codes 99211–99215 are used for office or outpatient E/M visits for established patients.
Question 6: A coder encounters the instruction 'Code first underlying disease' in ICD-10-CM. This is an example of which type of instructional note?
- Includes note
- Excludes1 note
- Etiology/manifestation convention (Correct answer)
- Use additional code note
Correct answer: Etiology/manifestation convention
The 'Code first underlying disease' note is part of the etiology/manifestation coding convention in ICD-10-CM.
Question 7: What does the qualifier 'Diagnostic' in ICD-10-PCS indicate about a procedure?
- The procedure is performed for treatment
- A biopsy or sampling procedure done to confirm a diagnosis (Correct answer)
- The procedure used imaging guidance
- The procedure was not completed
Correct answer: A biopsy or sampling procedure done to confirm a diagnosis
The qualifier 'Diagnostic' (X) in ICD-10-PCS identifies procedures such as biopsies performed to obtain tissue for diagnosis.
