CMAA General Practice 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, which item is required to be available to employees at risk of occupational exposure?
- Annual flu vaccination
- Hepatitis B vaccination at no cost to the employee (Correct answer)
- TB skin test every six months
- COVID-19 booster every year
Correct answer: Hepatitis B vaccination at no cost to the employee
OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogens Standard mandates that employers offer hepatitis B vaccination free of charge to at-risk employees.
Question 2: A patient's chart contains an error. The correct way to correct a handwritten entry is to:
- Use correction fluid (white-out) to cover the mistake
- Draw a single line through the error, write the correction, and initial and date it (Correct answer)
- Tear out the page and rewrite the entire entry
- Leave the error and add a sticky note
Correct answer: Draw a single line through the error, write the correction, and initial and date it
A single line through the error preserves the original entry while the dated initials show who made the correction and when.
Question 3: Which of the following best describes a 'co-insurance' arrangement?
- A flat fee the patient pays at each visit
- A percentage of costs shared between patient and insurer after the deductible (Correct answer)
- The maximum out-of-pocket limit per year
- A secondary policy that pays first
Correct answer: A percentage of costs shared between patient and insurer after the deductible
Co-insurance is a cost-sharing percentage (e.g., 80/20) applied to covered services after the patient meets their deductible.
Question 4: When a physician is temporarily unavailable to see scheduled patients, the CMAA should FIRST:
- Cancel all appointments for the day without notifying patients
- Notify waiting patients of the delay and offer to reschedule if needed (Correct answer)
- Direct all patients to the nearest emergency room
- Have the front-desk staff perform patient triage
Correct answer: Notify waiting patients of the delay and offer to reschedule if needed
Proactively communicating delays and offering rescheduling options respects patients' time and maintains a professional environment.
Question 5: The term 'fee schedule' in a medical office refers to:
- A list of employees' wages
- The set charges for each service or procedure provided by the practice (Correct answer)
- The insurer's reimbursement history
- A payment plan offered to uninsured patients
Correct answer: The set charges for each service or procedure provided by the practice
A fee schedule lists the practice's standard charges for each CPT-coded service before any insurance adjustment is applied.
Question 6: A patient who disagrees with a denied insurance claim has the right to file:
- A malpractice lawsuit against the physician
- An appeal with the insurance company (Correct answer)
- A complaint with the Social Security Administration
- A grievance with the state medical board
Correct answer: An appeal with the insurance company
Patients and providers may file a formal appeal with the insurer to contest a denied claim and request reconsideration.
Question 7: Which federal law requires covered entities to provide patients with a Notice of Privacy Practices?
- OSHA Act of 1970
- HIPAA Privacy Rule (Correct answer)
- False Claims Act
- Stark Law
Correct answer: HIPAA Privacy Rule
The HIPAA Privacy Rule mandates that covered entities distribute a Notice of Privacy Practices explaining how PHI may be used and disclosed.
CMAA General Practice 5
Under OSHA's Bloodborne Pathogen Standard, which item is required to be available to employees at risk of occupational exposure?