CPC Trivia 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the time limit for completing the CPC exam?
- 4 hours
- 5 hours 40 minutes (Correct answer)
- 6 hours
- 8 hours
Correct answer: 5 hours 40 minutes
The CPC exam allows 5 hours and 40 minutes for candidates to complete all 175 questions.
Question 2: Which section of the CPT codebook contains codes for anesthesia services?
- 00100–01999 (Correct answer)
- 10000–19999
- 20000–29999
- 90000–99999
Correct answer: 00100–01999
Anesthesia CPT codes are found in the range 00100–01999, organized by anatomical region.
Question 3: What does a CPC apprentice designation mean?
- The coder has passed the exam but lacks one year of coding experience (Correct answer)
- The coder is still in training and has not taken the exam
- The coder failed the exam once and may retake it
- The coder is certified only for hospital outpatient settings
Correct answer: The coder has passed the exam but lacks one year of coding experience
A CPC-A (apprentice) designation is given to those who pass the CPC exam but have not yet met the two-year experience requirement.
Question 4: In medical coding, what does the acronym NEC stand for?
- Not Elsewhere Classified (Correct answer)
- No Established Code
- Non-Essential Component
- Not Entered Correctly
Correct answer: Not Elsewhere Classified
NEC stands for 'Not Elsewhere Classified,' used in ICD-10-CM when information is available but no specific code exists for the condition.
Question 5: Which modifier is used to indicate a bilateral procedure when the code descriptor does not already describe bilateral?
- -50 (Correct answer)
- -51
- -52
- -53
Correct answer: -50
Modifier -50 is appended to a CPT code to indicate that the procedure was performed bilaterally on paired organs or structures.
Question 6: What is the principal diagnosis in inpatient hospital coding?
- The condition causing the most resource utilization
- The condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for the admission (Correct answer)
- The first diagnosis listed by the attending physician
- The patient's most chronic condition
Correct answer: The condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for the admission
The principal diagnosis is the condition established after study to be chiefly responsible for causing the patient's admission to the hospital.
Question 7: Which HCPCS Level II code category covers durable medical equipment (DME)?
- A codes
- E codes (Correct answer)
- K codes
- L codes
Correct answer: E codes
HCPCS Level II E codes (E0100–E9999) are assigned to durable medical equipment items such as wheelchairs, walkers, and hospital beds.
CPC Trivia 4
What is the time limit for completing the CPC exam?