Certified Medical Coding Specialist Medical Coding (CMCS) Sample 5

Question 1

Which of the following modifiers is used when a procedure is performed by two surgeons of different specialties?

Accepted Answer

-62

Answer

Modifier -62 indicates that two surgeons of different specialties each perform a distinct portion of a single procedure.

Question 2

What is the purpose of the Correct Coding Initiative (CCI) edits?

Accepted Answer

To prevent improper payment of unbundled procedure codes

Answer

CCI edits are developed by CMS to prevent improper Medicare payments for incorrectly unbundled or mutually exclusive procedure codes.

Question 3

A patient presents with a chief complaint of shortness of breath. After workup, the physician documents 'possible congestive heart failure.' Under inpatient coding guidelines, how is this coded?

Accepted Answer

Code congestive heart failure as if confirmed

Answer

Inpatient guidelines allow coding of conditions documented as 'possible,' 'probable,' or 'suspected' as if established.

Question 4

When a physician documents 'acute on chronic' heart failure, how should this be coded in ICD-10-CM?

Accepted Answer

Code the combined 'acute on chronic' combination code

Answer

ICD-10-CM provides specific combination codes for acute on chronic conditions such as heart failure (e.g., I50.23 for acute-on-chronic systolic heart failure).

Question 5

Which of the following is classified as a Category III CPT code?

Accepted Answer

A temporary code for emerging technology or services

Answer

Category III CPT codes are temporary codes used to track emerging technologies and services to support data collection for potential future Category I status.

Certified Medical Coding Specialist Practice Test

Certified Medical Coding Specialist Practice Test

Certified Medical Coding Specialist Medical Coding (CMCS) Sample 5