COBGC Practice Test

What the COBGC is and how it works

According to AAPC, “The exam has a total of 100 questions to be answered in four hours.”^[1]

The Certified Obstetrics Gynecology Coder (COBGC) is a specialty credential from AAPC. It shows that a coder can assign procedure and diagnosis codes for obstetric and gynecologic services accurately.

Format and delivery. The exam has 100 multiple-choice questions. You take it in a single sitting and have 4 hours to finish. It is an open code book exam. You can test online at home with a live remote proctor, or on a computer at a testing center.

Scoring. You need an overall score of 70% to pass, which means at least 70 correct answers. Results appear in your My AAPC Account Dashboard under My Exams, usually within 7-10 business days.

Eligibility and cost. To register, you need a current AAPC membership, an exam voucher and a valid photo ID. AAPC does not require a set amount of specialty experience, but it highly recommends 2 years in the field. A specialty exam voucher costs $325 for 1 attempt or $399 for 2 attempts, and you schedule each attempt separately. Vouchers are valid for 1 year from the purchase date. If you don't use a voucher within that year, you lose the payment.

Keeping the credential. You must keep your annual AAPC membership and earn 36 CEUs every 2 years. At least 8 of those CEUs must be specific to OB/GYN.

Fees and policies can change. Check the current details on the official COBGC pages at aapc.com before you buy a voucher.

COBGC Exam at a Glance

What changed for COBGC in 2026

• Oct 28, 2026: Exam fee changed to $325 for 1 attempt, $399 for 2 attempts (previously $325 for one attempt; $399 for two attempts).^[2]
• Oct 28, 2026: Number of questions changed to 100 multiple-choice questions (previously 100 proctored multiple-choice questions).^[1]
• Oct 28, 2026: Passing score changed to 70% (previously 70%; at least 70 of 100 correct).^[1]
• Oct 28, 2026: Delivery changed to Online at home with live remote proctor, or on computer at testing center; open code book (previously Open code book; computer testing at home or at a testing center).^[1]
• Oct 28, 2026: Score release changed to Within 7-10 business days (previously Within 7–10 business days).^[1]
• Oct 28, 2026: Retake policy changed to 1 or 2 attempt voucher; attempts scheduled one at a time (previously One- or two-attempt vouchers; schedule attempts individually).^[3]
• Oct 28, 2026: Renewal changed to Annual AAPC membership and 36 CEUs every 2 years (8 OB/GYN-specific) (previously Annual membership; 36 CEUs per two years for one credential, including 8 specialty CEUs).^[5]
• Oct 28, 2026: Eligibility changed to Current AAPC membership, exam voucher, valid photo ID; 2 years experience recommended (previously AAPC membership, unused voucher, contact details and government photo ID; two years' experience recommended).^[6]

Worked examples: how to reason through COBGC questions

These are practice questions written for this site, not questions from the real exam. Each explanation shows why the right answer is right and why the others are wrong.

Example 1

Question: Which document serves as the primary compliance roadmap outlining an OB/GYN practice's commitment to ethical billing and coding standards?

1. The superbill
2. The compliance plan
3. The charge master
4. The fee schedule

Answer: B. The compliance plan

Explanation:

The compliance plan is correct. It is the written document that sets out a practice's policies, procedures, training and auditing for accurate, ethical billing. It also explains how problems are found and corrected.

• The superbill is an encounter form that captures the services and codes for a visit. It records charges, not policy.
• The charge master lists the services a facility bills and their prices.
• The fee schedule lists what a payer pays, or what the practice charges, for each code.

Rule to remember: if a question asks which document states the practice's commitment to compliant coding, its policies and its training, the answer is the compliance plan. Billing tools record charges and prices, not compliance commitments.

Example 2

Question: What is the fee schedule used for Medicare OB/GYN reimbursement?

1. The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule based on the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS)
2. A flat rate for all services
3. Negotiated rates like commercial insurance
4. No fee schedule exists

Answer: A. The Medicare Physician Fee Schedule based on the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale (RBRVS)

Explanation:

Option A is correct. Medicare pays for physician services, including OB/GYN care, using the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. Under the Resource-Based Relative Value Scale, each CPT or HCPCS code gets relative value units for physician work, practice expense and malpractice cost. Those units are adjusted for geography and multiplied by a conversion factor to set the payment.

• A flat rate for all services is wrong because payment varies by code.
• Negotiated rates come from commercial payer contracts, not Medicare.
• No fee schedule exists is simply false.

Rule to remember: Medicare professional payment comes from a fee schedule based on RBRVS. Its values are built from work, practice expense and malpractice cost.

Example 3

Question: A coder notices that a physician consistently documents a comprehensive history and exam for straightforward OB follow-up visits. This pattern most likely warrants:

1. No action—physicians always document the highest level for safety
2. An internal audit and potential education on medical necessity and upcoding risk
3. Immediate report to the OIG hotline
4. Downcoding all claims retroactively

Answer: B. An internal audit and potential education on medical necessity and upcoding risk

Explanation:

Option B is correct. Documentation that goes far beyond what a straightforward follow-up visit needs, repeated across many visits, is a warning sign for upcoding. The E/M level must be supported by medical necessity, not by how much is documented. The right first step is an internal audit of a sample of claims, followed by education for the physician.

• A is wrong because documenting more does not justify a higher level, and "safety" is not a coding standard.
• C skips the practice's own compliance process. External reporting can come later if an audit finds a real problem that is not corrected.
• D is wrong because changing claims in bulk without review is also inaccurate coding.

Rule to remember: when you find a pattern, audit and educate first, then correct whatever the audit shows.

How to use these practice tests

Start with the official rules. Read the COBGC pages on the AAPC site. Check the current voucher price, the delivery options and which code books you may bring. Plan to test within the 1 year your voucher is valid.

Find your baseline. Take the Obstetric Coding Basics and ICD-10 Coding for OB/GYN sets without notes. Write down every question you missed and the reason: you didn't know the rule, you misread the question, or you looked in the wrong place in the book.

Work through weak areas. Next, practise CPT Procedure Coding, Gynecologic Surgical Coding, Modifiers and Special Billing and Infertility and ART Coding. Do these sets with the same code books you will use on test day, so looking up codes becomes routine. Fill gaps with Medical Terminology and Anatomy and Physiology.

Cover the rules questions. Use Compliance and Documentation, Reimbursement and Billing and Payer-Specific Guidelines.

Before test day. Take mixed sets under a timer. Read every explanation, including the ones for questions you got right. Aim to score well above 70% so you have a margin.

Sources & last verified

1. AAPC — number of questions, time limit, passing score, delivery (official source). “The exam has a total of 100 questions to be answered in four hours.” Verified Oct 28, 2026.
2. AAPC — exam fee (official source). “Specialty exams: $325 for 1 attempt, $399 for 2 attempts” Verified Oct 28, 2026 · source checked Oct 17, 2026.
3. AAPC — retake policy (official source). “You may choose between a 1 attempt or 2 attempt exam voucher. Upon scheduling, test-takers may choose to take their exam at home on a…” Verified Oct 28, 2026 · source checked Oct 17, 2026.
4. AAPC — validity (official source). “Your exam voucher(s) are valid for one year. The voucher must be used within one year of your purchase date or your payment will be…” Verified Oct 28, 2026 · source checked Oct 17, 2026.
5. AAPC — renewal (official source). “To maintain your COBGC credential, you must maintain your AAPC annual membership. You must also earn 36 continuing education units (CEUs) every two years, 8…” Verified Oct 28, 2026 · source checked Oct 28, 2026.
6. AAPC — eligibility (official source). “There is no requirement for the amount of experience in the specialty, although two years of experience in the specific fields are highly recommended.” Verified Oct 28, 2026 · source checked Oct 17, 2026.

How we verify: editorial & fact-checking policy. Report an error: contact us.