CPC AAPC Certified Professional Coder (CPC) Exam Free Practice Exam Questions (2026 Updated)

Cystourethroscopy: This is a procedure that involves the use of a cystoscope to look inside the urethra and bladder.

Pyeloscopy: Involves the examination of the upper urinary tract, typically done through the cystoscope.

Lithotripsy: A procedure that uses shock waves or a laser to break up stones in the kidney, bladder, or ureter.

Indwelling stent insertion: A procedure to place a stent in the ureter to help urine flow from the kidney to the bladder.

52356: Cystourethroscopy with ureteroscopy and/or pyeloscopy; with lithotripsy (ureteral catheterization and/or ureteral stent placement).

The code 52356 includes all components mentioned: cystourethroscopy, pyeloscopy, lithotripsy, and stent insertion performed in the same operative session.

For a patient in observation care, selecting the correct E/M codes requires evaluating each day ' s service level and the provider ' s documentation.

Day 1: The patient was admitted for observation, and the physician prescribed IV and SQ insulin, noting diabetes with hyperglycemia requiring complex management. The CPT® code 99235 is appropriate here because it represents an initial observation or inpatient care for patients with high-complexity medical decision-making (MDM), which aligns with the patient ' s unstable glucose and the management requirements.

Day 2: The patient ' s glucose levels improved, and the provider documented spending 25 minutes with the patient in continued observation care. Since this is an established patient with continued observation, 99231 applies here, indicating subsequent observation care with low MDM complexity.

Day 3: The provider documented spending 15 minutes with the patient, whose glucose levels normalized, and then discharged the patient from observation care. Code 99238 is used for a discharge from observation care and is selected based on discharge times under 30 minutes.

These codes were selected based on CPT® guidelines for observation care and the provider’s time-based documentation. This matches the medical decision complexity documented per the case and code descriptions available for observation care management.

72114 = Radiologic exam, lumbosacral spine, complete with bending views

Other codes represent fewer views or different spine regions

47000 = Percutaneous liver biopsy

76942 = Ultrasound guidance

K74.3 = Primary biliary cirrhosis

Modifier 53 is used to report a discontinued procedure. It indicates that a procedure was started but terminated due to the patient ' s well-being being at risk. In this scenario, the percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was attempted but stopped because of an anatomical problem that created a risk for the patient, preventing the completion of the procedure.

AMA ' s CPT® Professional Edition, coding guidelines on the use of modifiers.

90960 = ESRD services, 4 or more visits/month

N18.6 = End-stage renal disease

Z99.2 = Dependence on renal dialysis

1. Procedure and CPT® Code Selection:

The patient underwent X-ray imaging of the abdomen with multiple views: decubitus, supine, and erect. This is a comprehensive study that includes different positioning to evaluate the abdomen.

CPT® Code 74022 is appropriate for an abdominal X-ray with a minimum of three views. This code accurately reflects the multiple views taken in this scenario.

2. Modifier 26:

Modifier 26 is applied to indicate the professional component of the service if the radiologist is only interpreting the images and not providing the technical component.

3. Rationale for Excluding Other Options:

Code 74018 (in option A) is for a single view of the abdomen, which does not apply here since multiple views were taken.

Code 74019 (in option C) covers two views of the abdomen, which is insufficient for this three-view study.

Code 74021 (in option D) represents an abdominal X-ray with more limited or focused views and does not align with the comprehensive three-view study described.

4. AAPC and CPT® Coding Guidelines:

According to AAPC and CPT® guidelines, 74022 is the correct code when an abdominal X-ray study involves at least three views, capturing various positions for a thorough examination.

Therefore, the correct answer is B. 74022-26.

99222: This code is used for initial hospital care, per day, for the evaluation and management of a patient, which requires a detailed or comprehensive history, a detailed or comprehensive examination, and medical decision making of moderate complexity.

The documentation shows a detailed history (including HPI, ROS, PMH, SH, and FH) and a detailed examination (covering multiple organ systems). The medical decision making involves the management of an acute asthma exacerbation, which includes admitting the patient to observation status, administering oral steroids, and planning for further diagnostic testing.

CPT® Professional Edition, AMA

In the CPT® book, codes that contain a semicolon (;) indicate that the portion of the description before the semicolon applies to all codes in that series, and the text after the semicolon completes the individual code description.

For the small intestinal endoscopy (enteroscopy) codes:

The parent code describes: “Small intestinal endoscopy, enteroscopy beyond second portion of duodenum, not including ileum;”

CPT® 44361 specifically adds: “with biopsy, single or multiple.”

Therefore, the full description of CPT® 44361 is:

Small intestinal endoscopy, enteroscopy beyond second portion of duodenum, not including ileum; with biopsy, single or multiple.

Procedure: Hepatitis B vaccine administration for a Medicare patient on dialysis.

CPT® and HCPCS Codes:

G0010: Administration of Hepatitis B vaccine.

90740: Hepatitis B vaccine, dialysis or immunosuppressed patient dosage, 3-dose schedule.

ICD-10-CM Codes:

Z23: Encounter for immunization.

N18.6: End-stage renal disease.

Z99.2: Dependence on renal dialysis.

Code Selection Justification: G0010 is used for the administration of the vaccine for Medicare patients, and 90740 captures the specific vaccine for dialysis patients. The ICD-10 codes represent the encounter for vaccination and the patient ' s dialysis status.

AMA CPT® Professional Edition (current year)

ICD-10-CM (current year)

HCPCS Level II (current year)

45346 = Sigmoidoscopy with ablation (reported once)

K63.5 = Polyp of colon

This scenario describesnon-emergencytransportation arranged for a patient who iswheelchair-bound, traveling between a physician’s office and askilled nursing facility. HCPCS Level II includes specific “A” codes for non-emergency transport categories. The code that corresponds tonon-emergency transportation by wheelchair van(i.e., transport appropriate for a wheelchair-bound patient, not requiring an ambulance) isA0130in CPC-style code selection questions. By contrast,A0428/A0429would be ambulance codes (not offered here), and other A-codes in this option set represent different non-emergency transport circumstances (such as general transportation, litter van, or transportation that doesn’t specify wheelchair accommodation). The presence of asocial workerarranging transport and the patient’swheelchair-boundstatus strongly cues awheelchair vanlevel of service rather than ambulance. On the CPC exam, pay close attention to transport level: ambulance implies medical monitoring/medical necessity; wheelchair van implies mobility needs without ambulance-level clinical support. Therefore, the correct HCPCS Level II transportation code isA0130.

For the injections, CPT® code 64642 is used for chemodenervation of one extremity; 64643 for each additional extremity, and 64647 for chemodenervation of muscles in the paraspinal region. The modifier -50 is added to 64642 and 64643 to indicate bilateral procedures. According to CPT® guidelines, when multiple sites are treated, each site is coded separately, and appropriate modifiers are used.

AMA ' s CPT® Professional Edition (current year), Surgery section, Nervous System.

80430 = Growth hormone suppression panel

Individual tests are reported with units

MEDICINE & CARDIOLOGY

Procedure: Complete cardiac MRI for morphology and function without contrast, followed by contrast with four additional sequences and stress imaging.

CPT® Codes:

75561: Cardiac MRI for morphology and function without contrast material.

75563: Cardiac MRI with contrast and further sequences.

ICD-10-CM Codes:

I50.1: Left ventricular failure.

I49.1: Premature ventricular contractions.

Code Selection Justification: The CPT® codes accurately capture the MRI procedures performed. The ICD-10-CM codes represent the diagnoses of left ventricular failure and premature ventricular contractions.

AMA CPT® Professional Edition (current year)

ICD-10-CM (current year)

HCPCS Level II (current year)

The scenario involves a secondary repair of two flexor tendons in the forearm. CPT® code 25272 describes the repair of a secondary flexor tendon injury, including a graft, in the forearm and/or wrist, which fits the description provided. This code should be reported once, as the procedure encompasses the repair of multiple tendons.

Observation E/M coding is chosen by thetype of serviceprovided on each calendar date. Day 1 includes initiation of observation with significant work (IV insulin drip, multiple labs, discussion with endocrinologist), supporting an observation initial care code. In this option set,99235represents an observation “admit and discharge on same date” style service; however, the patient stays multiple days. The question’s answer choices are structured around using99235as the initial observation care code offered, then a subsequent observation code for day 2, and a discharge code for day 3. Day 2 includes ongoing management with documented time of 25 minutes, supporting asubsequent observation carecode such as99231(as provided). Day 3 isobservation discharge, which is99238(30 minutes or less) given the documented 15 minutes. While the most current observation framework in CPT has evolved, the CPC-style expected pattern in these choices is99235 (initial), 99231 (subsequent), 99238 (discharge). Therefore, optionBmatches the intended coding sequence across the observation stay dates.

A suppression study is adynamic endocrine testinvolving serial measurements over time. CPT80430represents thesuppression function testitself (the study framework), while the individual lab analytes measured during the test are reported with their specific assay codes based on the test protocol. The scenario includesfive glucose testsandfive human growth hormone (HGH) testsperformed as part of the study. Glucose testing is reported with82947per test, and growth hormone testing is reported with83003per test. Because the stem specifiesfive of each, correct reporting includes80430plus82947 × 5and83003 × 5. Options that report only one unit of 82947/83003 (or reduce the number of tests) fail to reflect the documented serial testing frequency. CPC exam tip: when a dynamic study is described, do not stop at the function test code—also capture theserial analyte measurementswhen the question explicitly provides the number of lab draws/tests. Therefore, the correct coding is80430, 82947 × 5, 83003 × 5.

Warthin ' s tumor, also known as papillary cystadenoma lymphomatosum, is a benign tumor of the salivary glands, most commonly affecting the parotid gland. It typically presents as a painless, slow-growing mass near the angle of the jaw.

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