What Medical Coding Certifications are good for me?

What are medical coding certifications and which is better?
First lets have a look at medical coding certifications that are valued in the medical coding industry. Certifications from AHIMA and AAPC enjoy faith and trust from employers in the medical coding industry. These certifications are as follows:

•AHIMA Medical Coding Certifications:
Certified Coding Associate (CCA)
Certified Coding Specialist (CCS)
Certified Coding Specialist-Physician-based (CCS-P)

•AAPC Medical Coding Certifications:
Certified Professional Coder (CPC)
Certified Professional Coder-Hospital (CPC-H)
Certified Professional Coder-Payer (CPC-P)

Which medical coding certification is good for me?
There is a general acceptance in the medical coding industry that AHIMA certifications are highly revered and more valued than AAPC certifications. That's true, but AAPC certifications have their own advantages. AAPC certifications are designed for outpatient and ER coding, whereas AHIMA certifications are necessary for inpatient coding. So if you are an outpatient coder than AAPC is the certification you should look for, and if you plan to go for inpatient coding, than AHIMA certification is a must. Passing CCS-P or CCS certification exam is tough and requires good understanding of CPT which will only come after two-three years of work experience. If you have less than a year of work experience and if you want to go for a certification, then CPC is good as it is much easy to pass than CCS.

Medical Coding Exam

Medical coding practice exams are free and designed to test understanding of ICD, CPT, HCPCS.

1. What is HCPCS ?
HCPCS stands for Healthcare common procedural coding system. It consists of CPT codes known as level I HCPCS codes and HCPCS level II codes that represent hospital supplies, drugs, dental codes, etc.

2. The patient has a Tailors bunion at 5th metatarsal and the physician performs bunioncetomy what is the CPT code that represent this service?
Ans. 28110: Ostectomy, partial excision, fifth metatarsal head (bunionette) (separate procedure)

3. The physician does a knee arthroscopic notchplasty of femoral condyl what is the code to represent this?
Ans. Arthroscopic chondroplasty includes notchplasty so CPT code would be 29877. If only arthroscopic notchplasty is done report 29999.

4. The patient underwent rubberband ligation of two hemorrhid colums what is the CPT code to represent this?
Ans. Code 46221. It should be reported only once regardless of how many hemorrhoids are ligated.

5. The patient underwent arthroscopic chondroplasty in lateral and medial compartments what CPT codes are required to represent this service?
Ans. 29877. Report 29877 only once even if chondroplasty is performed in more than one compartment.

6. The patient underwent a colonoscopy and polypectomty of three polyps by snare technique and one polyp was removed by Jumbo forceps.
Ans. Use 45385 for polypectomy by snare technique. 45385 includes multiple polypectomes.
Report 45384 for hot biopsy polypectomy (Jumbo forceps).

7. The patient has a history COPD and final impression is Chronic Bronchitis. What is the ICD code?
Ans. 491.21 is the combination code for chronic bronchitis and COPD.

8. The patinet decompensated COPD ?
Ans. 491.21 : Decompensated or exacerbated COPD is coded to 491.21

9. The patient has COPD and emphysema?
Ans. 492.8

10. The patient was given Normal saline solution for 25 minues and then Pepcid for one hour what are the CPT codes?
Ans. 96365 for IV infusion for one hour. IV hydration (NSS) if given less than 30 minutes is not coded.

11. The physician excised a breast lesion by preoperative placement of radiological marker?
Ans. 19125 and placment of radiologicl marker is included in this code.

12. Placement of Quinton Catheter for a patient 50 years old.
Ans. 36558: Insertion of tunneled centrally inserted central venous catheter, without subcutaneous port or pump age 5 years or older

13. Repair of laceration of palate in the mouth less than 2 cm
Ans. 42180: Repair, laceration of palate; up to two cm

14. Placement of Mediport Catheter for a patient 50 years old.
Ans. 36561: Insertion of tunneled centrally inserted central venous access device, with subcutaneous port age 5 years or older

15. Cystoureteroscopy with lithotripsy and placement of Double J stent?
Ans. 52323 Lithotripsy
52332 Double J stent placement

CPC and CCS coding boot camps

CPC and CCS certifiacton boot camps helps clear your CPC and CCS medical coding certifications exams with flying colors as they are designed and structured by highly experianced and certified instructors. Boot camps are intense and detailed courses aimed improving coding concepts and principles for correct coding. Boot Camp are for those with a strong current background in Medical Coding. These camps are not for beginners or intermedite coders. These camps are usually for 3-5 days fulltime and consists of lecture, individual exercises, coding activities and a daily mock exam. Those who are looking for CPC and CCS certification classes and training should go for these boot camps. Some of the boot camps are as follows:

Codingcert CPC boot camp
HCPRO CPC and CCS boot camps
Coderclass.com CPC boot camp
A+ Coding Institute's CPC Boot Camp
San Francisco Medical Coding Institute:www.sfmci.com
Mostnc CPC Boot Camp: mostnc.com/Boot_Camp.html

CPC Exam Questions

CPC Exam Questions Part I

1. The physician performs cone biopsy of cervix by loop electrosurgical excision procedure (LEEP). What is the CPT code for this?

57522

2. Hysteroscopic dilation and currettage of uterus for abnorma uterine bleeding?
58558

3. Dilation and currettege of uterus for treatment of incomplete abortion?
59812

4. Control of epistaxis with silvernitrate?

30901: silernitrate is used for chemical cautery

5. Creation of arteriovenous anastomosis for dialyis by cephalic transposition?

36818

6. Revision of arteriovenous fistula?

36832

7. The physician performs left cariac catheterization and during the procedure also performs ventriculography and coronary angiography. What are the CPT injection and S/I codes for this procedure?

36210 Left Heart Cath
93543
93545
93555
93556


8. The physician performs left and right carotid angiography by using femoral vein as vascular access site what codes would represent this service ?

36215
36216

9. Transforaminal epidural injection of anesthetic agent or steroid at L4-L5 using flouroscopic guidence?

66483
77003

10. Epidural injection of neurolytic substance at L4-L5?

66282

11. Extracapsular repair of cataract with intraocular lens implantation requiring suturing?

66482

12. The patient has phymosis of foreskin the physician performes surgery for repair of phymosis what CPT code would represent this service?

54150

13. The physician documents a diagnosis of hypertensive congestive heart failure. What are the ICD codes to represnt this?

402.11
428.0

14. The patient has candidial diaper rash what are the ICD codes for this?

112.3
691.0

15. What is LIMA?

LIMA stands for left iternal mammary atery and is used as a graft in CABG.


CPC Exam Questions Part II

1. What is the code for peak flow(vital capacity)?
94150


2. The patient came with sore throat a rapid strep was ordered what is the CPT code for rapid strep?
87880

3. The patient Urine HCG pregnency test what CPT code would represent this?

81025

4. The patient was diagnosed with cardiac arrest the physician does cardiopulmonary resuscitation and intubation what are the CPT codes that represent this?
92950, 31500

5. What is the modifier to represent a service that is repeated by the same physician on the same visit ?

76

6. The patient was given an infusion of Pepcid, Vasotec, and Benedryl from 10 a.m to 11a.m. what are the codes that will represent this service?
96365, 96368

7. The patient camw with fracture of distil tibia and the physician aplied posterior splint give the CPT code?
29515

8. The physician gives a diagnosis of micotic nails due to diabetes what ICD codes will represent this?

250.00 111.9

9. What is the ICD 9 code for allergic rhinoconjunctivitis?

372.05

10. What code would represent open reduction of Galeazzi fracture?

25525

11. The physician performs lumbar L4-L5 fusion by posterior approach and partial fecetectomy, foraminotomy what are the CPT codes that represent his services?

22612
63030

12. The physician performs posterior interbody fusion of L4-L5 interspace and minimal diskectomy give CPT codes representig this service?

22618

13. What is the difference between morselized and structutal bone grafts?

Morselized bone grafts are pieces of bones that are used to fill spaces while structual bone graft is compact bone graft.

14. What is the difference between autograft an allograft?

Autografts are grafts that are tken from the patient's own body while allograft are taken from some other inividuals.

15. What modifier indicates decision for surgery?
57

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