AAPC AAPC-CPC Online Practice Questions and Exam Preparation

AAPC AAPC-CPC Online Questions & Answers

• Question 291:

  A 50-year-old patient presents with a persistent cough that has not responded to standard treatments. The patient's physician decides to perform a flexible bronchoscopy with bronchial biopsies to further investigate the cause. A flexible bronchoscope is inserted through the patient's mouth and into the bronchial tubes.

  Five biopsies are taken for further testing. The biopsies are sent to the lab for analysis to determine the next steps in the patient's treatment plan.

  What CPT(R) coding is reported?

  A. 31625
  B. 31628 x 5
  C. 31628
  D. 31625 x 5
  A. 31625

  ---

  Explanation

  The procedure described is flexible bronchoscopy with bronchial biopsy, with the biopsy taken from the bronchi or bronchial tubes.

  31625 = Bronchoscopy, flexible, with biopsy, single or multiple.

  Important CPC concept: When the CPT(R) descriptor is "single or multiple," you code it once, even if multiple biopsies are taken.

  31628 is for transbronchial lung biopsy, which is not what is described. The question specifies bronchial tubes and bronchial biopsies.

  Therefore, A is correct.

• Question 292:

  A patient presents with fever, cough, SOB, and a recent history of COVID-19. The provider documents a final diagnosis of "pneumonia with history of COVID-19."

  What ICD-10-CM coding is reported?

  A. J18.9, Z86.16
  B. J18.9, U09.9
  C. U07.1, J20.9
  D. U07.1, J22
  A. J18.9, Z86.16

  ---

  Explanation

  The provider documents a history of COVID-19, not active COVID-19.

  Z86.16 = Personal history of COVID-19.

  J18.9 = Pneumonia, unspecified organism.

  Codes U07.1 and U09.9 are for current COVID-19 or post-COVID-19 conditions, which are not documented here.

  Therefore, A is correct.

• Question 293:

  A patient is diagnosed with a stage 3 pressure ulcer on her right heel that is currently being treated.

  What ICD-10-CM code is reported?

  A. L89.609
  B. L89.613
  C. L89.619
  D. L89.603
  B. L89.613

  ---

  Explanation

  To accurately code a pressure ulcer in ICD-10-CM, the code must reflect both the ulcer's location and stage.

  L89.613 represents a stage 3 pressure ulcer of the right heel.

  L89.609 refers to a pressure ulcer of the heel with unspecified stage.

  L89.619 refers to a pressure ulcer of the right heel with unspecified stage.

  L89.603 represents a stage 3 pressure ulcer of the unspecified heel.

  Therefore, the correct answer is B. L89.613.

• Question 294:

  A 5-year-old patient has a fractured radius. The orthopedist provides moderate sedation and performs the reduction. The time is documented as 21 minutes.

  What CPT(R) code is reported for the moderate sedation?

  A. 99155
  B. 99156
  C. 99152
  D. 99151
  C. 99152

  ---

  Explanation

  99152 - Moderate sedation, same physician, patient under 5 years of age, initial 15 minutes.

  Time documented: 21 minutes.

  First 15 minutes = 99152.

  Additional 15 minutes (99153) is not reported separately in this CPT(R) exam context.

  Why the others are incorrect:

  99151 - Different age/provider scenario.

  99155 / 99156 - Different age/provider scenarios.

• Question 295:

  A patient comes to the gynecologist's office to check if she is pregnant. A urine sample is taken and tested.

  The visual result is positive that she is pregnant.

  What CPT(R) code is reported?

  A. 81005
  B. 81002
  C. 81025
  D. 81000
  C. 81025

  ---

  Explanation

  81025 - Urine pregnancy test, by visual color comparison methods.

  Correct for office-based urine pregnancy testing.

  Why Other Options Are Incorrect:

  81000-81005 - Urinalysis codes, not pregnancy testing.

• Question 296:

  A patient with abnormal growth had a suppression study that included five glucose tests and five human growth hormone tests.

  What CPT(R) coding is reported?

  A. 80430, 82947 x 2, 83003
  B. 82947 x 5, 83003 x 5
  C. 80430, 82947 x 5, 83003 x 5
  D. 80430, 82947, 83003
  C. 80430, 82947 x 5, 83003 x 5

  ---

  Explanation

  1. Procedure and CPT(R) code

  Selection:

  The patient underwent a suppression study involving five glucose tests and five human growth hormone tests.

  CPT(R) code 80430 represents a suppression test for growth hormone studies.

  CPT(R) code 82947 is reported for each glucose test performed (82947 x 5).

  CPT(R) code 83003 is reported for each human growth hormone test performed (83003 x 5).

  2. Rationale for Excluding Other Options:

  Option A does not reflect the correct number of tests.

  Option B omits the suppression test code 80430.

  Option D does not reflect the correct quantity of tests performed.

  3. AAPC and CPT(R) coding

  Guidelines:

  When a suppression study includes multiple component tests performed multiple times, report the panel/ test code along with the appropriate number of individual component codes.

  Therefore, the correct answer is C. 80430, 82947 x 5, 83003 x 5.

• Question 297:

  The patient is admitted to observation status, at 10:00 am in the morning, with sharp chest pain when breathing. The physician performs the following:

  Number and Complexity of Problems Addressed at the Encounter - Moderate

  Amount and/or Complexity of Data to Be Reviewed and Analyzed - Low

  Risk of Complications and/or Morbidity or Mortality of Patient Management - Moderate

  The patient was discharged home from observation status at 10:00 pm on the same day. Discharge diagnosis is costochondritis.

  What E/M coding is reported?

  A. 99235, 99238
  B. 99222, 99238
  C. 99235
  D. 99232
  D. 99232

• Question 298:

  Patient is admitted in observation care on 12/2/20XX in the morning for acute asthma exacerbation. The ED physician requires the patient to stay overnight. The next day, 12/3/20XX, the patient is discharged from observation care in the afternoon. The patient's total stay in observation was 16 hours.

  What E/M categories and code ranges are appropriate to report?

  A. Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services (Including Admission and Discharge Services) (99234- 99236) and Hospital Inpatient or Observation Discharge Services (99238-99239)
  B. Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care (99221-99223) and Subsequent Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care (99231-99233)
  C. Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care Services (Including Admission and Discharge Services) (99234- 99236) and Subsequent Inpatient or Observation Care (99231-99233)
  D. Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care (99221-99223) and Hospital Inpatient or Observation Discharge Services (99238-99239)
  D. Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care (99221-99223) and Hospital Inpatient or Observation Discharge Services (99238-99239)

  ---

  Explanation

  The patient was admitted to observation care on 12/2/20XX and discharged on 12/3/20XX. Because admission and discharge occurred on different calendar dates, the appropriate categories are Initial Hospital Inpatient or Observation Care (99221-99223) for the admission date and Hospital Inpatient or Observation Discharge Services (99238-99239) for the discharge date.

  Codes 99234-99236 are used when hospital inpatient or observation care includes admission and discharge on the same date.

  Therefore, the correct answer is D.

• Question 299:

  A driver crashes into a guardrail and sustains a fracture of the anterior fossa cranial base with involvement of the sphenoid sinus, with no CSF leak. The patient undergoes surgical nasal sinus endoscopy with sphenoidotomy to evaluate and treat the sinus injury. No CSF leak repair is performed.

  What is the correct procedure and diagnosis coding combination to report this service?

  A. 31291, S02.109A
  B. 31291, 31231-59, S02.19XA
  C. 31287, S02.19XA
  D. 31287, 31231-59, S02.109A
  C. 31287, S02.19XA

  ---

  Explanation

  A sphenoidotomy performed via nasal/sinus endoscopy is specifically reported with CPT 31287 (endoscopic sinus surgery, sphenoidotomy). A diagnostic nasal endoscopy code, such as 31231, is generally not separately reported when it is integral to performing the surgical endoscopic sinus procedure, so options including 31231-59 are incorrect in typical CPT exam logic unless a distinct, separately identifiable diagnostic endoscopy is clearly documented and medically necessary beyond the surgical approach.

  The diagnosis describes a fracture of the skull base involving the sphenoid sinus without CSF leak. Among the offered diagnosis codes, S02.19XA correctly represents a skull base fracture category consistent with the scenario's specificity as presented in the answer choices.

  Code 31291 represents repair of a CSF leak and is not appropriate because no CSF leak repair was performed.

  CPC key point: Choose the code matching the specific sinus and surgical action, sphenoidotomy = 31287, and avoid unbundling diagnostic endoscopy that is part of the operative endoscopic approach.

• Question 300:

  Chief Complaint: Palpable lump in the left breast. A diagnostic mammogram (unilateral) was performed on the left breast using digital imaging with CAD, with standard and additional views.

  What CPT(R) codes are reported for the radiological services?

  A. 77065
  B. 77067
  C. 77061
  D. 77066
  A. 77065

  ---

  Explanation

  This is a diagnostic mammogram, not a screening mammogram, performed on one breast (left). CPT distinguishes screening from diagnostic: 77067 is screening mammography and is not appropriate because there is a symptom (palpable lump) and the service is diagnostic. CPT also distinguishes unilateral vs. bilateral diagnostic mammography: 77065 is diagnostic mammography, unilateral, and 77066 is diagnostic mammography, bilateral. Therefore, the correct selection is 77065. The vignette mentions CAD, but current mammography CPT coding incorporates digital and CAD elements into the diagnostic mammography code structure in typical CPC-style testing, and the question asks which code(s) are reported, offering only single-code answers. 77061 is not the primary diagnostic mammography code; it relates to breast tomosynthesis add-on concepts in many coding frameworks, but the stem describes diagnostic mammography with additional views, not explicit tomosynthesis reporting.

  Therefore, for unilateral diagnostic mammography of the left breast, the correct code is 77065.