NHI Practice Test

People often search for NHI, but these certifications are issued by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). They include the CCMA, CPT, CBCS, CET, CEHRS, CMAA and ExCPT. This page is for medical assistants, phlebotomists, billing and coding staff and other allied health candidates preparing for those exams. It gives you free practice sets by topic and worked explanations. It also lists the verified fees, time limits, scoring and retake rules.

NHI Exam at a Glance

What the NHI is and how it works

According to National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n, “Scaled scores range from 200 to 500 and require that you meet a scaled passing score of 390 or higher to pass any examination covered in this Handbook.”^[3]

An NHA certification shows employers that you have the knowledge for a specific allied health role. The roles are clinical medical assistant (CCMA), phlebotomy technician (CPT), EKG technician (CET), billing and coding specialist (CBCS), electronic health records specialist (CEHRS), medical administrative assistant (CMAA) and pharmacy technician (ExCPT). There is no certifying body called the National Healthcareer Institute. The exams belong to the National Healthcareer Association.

You can test at a PSI test center, online with live remote proctoring, or at your school if it hosts the exam. Time limits differ by exam: 3 hours for the CCMA and CBCS, 125 minutes for the CEHRS, and 2 hours for the CPT and CET. Scores are scaled from 200 to 500, and you need 390 or higher to pass. If you test at a PSI center or remotely, results arrive within 48 hours. If you test at your school, you get preliminary results right away.

To be eligible, you need a high school diploma or GED. You also need either a training program finished in the past 5 years or supervised work experience: at least 1 year in the last 3 years, or 2 years in the last 5 years. You get 3 attempts, at least 30 days apart, and then a 1-year wait. Each retake costs the full exam price. Certification lasts 2 years. Rules for working in these roles can vary by state and employer, so check locally. Read the NHA Candidate Handbook on nhanow.com for the current rules.

Worked examples: how to reason through NHI 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 part of the body is affected by the term 'dermatology'?

1. The heart.
2. The lungs.
3. The skin
4. The digestive system.

Answer: C. The skin

Explanation:

C is correct. The term splits into the root derm- or dermat-, meaning skin, and the suffix -logy, meaning the study of. Dermatology covers the skin, hair and nails, which make up the integumentary system.

• A is wrong because the heart belongs to cardiology, built on the root cardi-.
• B is wrong because the lungs fall under pulmonology, from pulmon-.
• D is wrong because the digestive system is gastroenterology, from gastr- (stomach) and enter- (intestine).

Rule to remember: split a medical term into root and suffix. The root names the body part and the suffix tells you what is done with it.

Example 2

Question: What is the significance of an 'insurance verification' in a medical office?

1. It ensures the insurance company is informed of the charges.
2. It confirms the patient’s insurance eligibility and coverage
3. It is a process for setting up payment plans.
4. It is not required in medical office procedures.

Answer: B. It confirms the patient’s insurance eligibility and coverage

Explanation:

B is correct. Insurance verification means checking before the service that the patient's plan is active and what it covers. That includes copays, deductibles and any prior authorization the plan requires. It cuts claim denials and tells the patient what they will owe.

• A is wrong because the claim tells the payer about charges, and the claim is sent after the service.
• C is wrong because a payment plan is a separate arrangement between the office and the patient, made once the balance is known.
• D is wrong because skipping verification is a common cause of denied claims and surprise bills.

Rule to remember: verification happens up front and answers one question: is this patient covered, and for what?

Example 3

Question: When assessment results for a National Healthcareer Institute Certification evaluation are inconclusive, the BEST practice is to:

1. Report the results as definitive anyway
2. Conduct additional assessment using alternative methods
3. Discard the results and start over completely
4. Delay reporting until results are favorable

Answer: B. Conduct additional assessment using alternative methods

Explanation:

B is correct. When a result is unclear, gather more information with a different method before you decide. You can repeat the measurement, use another tool, or ask follow-up questions, then report what you found.

• A is wrong because calling an unclear result definite misstates what is known and can lead to the wrong care decision.
• C is wrong because throwing the results away wastes useful data. The first findings still point you to the next step.
• D is wrong because waiting for a favorable result is biased reporting and delays accurate information.

Rule to remember: when the data is unclear, collect more by another route, record what you did, and report honestly. If you are unsure, tell the supervising provider.

How to use these practice tests

First confirm which NHA exam you are taking, then download its test plan from nhanow.com. The test plan lists what is scored. Our questions are practice material, not real exam items.

Pick the sets that match your exam:

• CCMA: Patient Care and Procedures, Anatomy and Medical Terminology, Safety and Infection Control, Medical Law and Ethics
• CPT: Phlebotomy and Lab Procedures, plus the safety set
• CET: Electrocardiography and Cardiac Monitoring
• CBCS, CMAA, CEHRS: Medical Office Procedures & Billing, Administrative Duties and Records, Healthcare Regulations & Compliance

Take each set once without notes to find your weak spots. For every miss, read the explanation and then look the topic up in your course material. Retake the set a few days later. Close to test day, do longer mixed sessions timed against your exam's limit. Read the Candidate Handbook for ID and check-in rules. If you need a retake, use the 30-day wait to work on your weakest areas.

Sources & last verified

1. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — time limit (official source). “Exam Time: 3 hours” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
2. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — time limit (official source). “Exam Time: 3 hours” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
3. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — passing score, retake fee, retake policy, validity (official source). “Scaled scores range from 200 to 500 and require that you meet a scaled passing score of 390 or higher to pass any examination covered…” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 19, 2026.
4. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — exam fee (official source). “Certified Billing & Coding Specialist (CBCS) Exam Application $134” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
5. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — exam fee (official source). “Certified Medical Assistant (CCMA) Exam Application $169” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
6. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — renewal (official source). “Renewing your certification costs $195 every two years. That works out to about $8.00 a month — a small investment to show your commitment to…” Verified Oct 22, 2026 · source checked Oct 19, 2026.
7. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — time limit (official source). “Exam Time: 125 minutes” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
8. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — time limit (official source). “Exam Time: 2 hours” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
9. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — time limit (official source). “Exam Time: 2 hours” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
10. National Healthcareer Association (NHA). No organization called 'National Healthcareer Institute' exists; the category n — exam fee (official source). “Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist (CEHRS) Exam Application $134” Verified Oct 22, 2026.
11. psiexams.com — delivery (official source). “NHA exams can be taken online or in person at approved testing centers across the United States.” Verified Oct 26, 2026 · source checked Oct 26, 2026.

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