Medical Coding Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

Question 1

Which of the following is protected health information (PHI) of a patient?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

The patient's social security number. PHI is written, verbal or electronic information that can be used to identify an individual, including the patient's social security number.

Question 2

Which of the following Medicare parts covers inpatient hospital care and care provided in skilled nursing facilities, hospital care, and home healthcare?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Part A.. Medicare Part A covers inpatient hospital care and care provided in skilled nursing facilities, hospital care, and home healthcare.

Medicare Part B helps cover medically necessary physicians’ services, outpatient care, and other medical services not covered under Part A.

Medicare Part C combines the benefits of Parts A, B, and sometimes D. It is also known as Medicare Advantage.

Medicare Part D is prescription drug coverage.

Question 3

Which of the following steps is NOT needed before an unlisted services procedure code can be included on a claim?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Review Category II codes to make sure an appropriate code does not exist. Before you include an unlisted services procedure code on a claim, you do NOT have to review Category II codes to make sure an appropriate code does not exist. In order to assign an unlisted procedures code, you first must review all of the CPT codes in that section to make sure a more appropriate code does not exist. You must also check to see a modifier is available to include on the claim. Lastly, before assigning an unlisted procedure code, you must check if a Category III code is more appropriate.

Question 4

While working as a coder, you receive a request for information from an insurance company. They are asking to review the chart to validate the coding on a particular date of service that your facility has submitted. The patient's chart includes the labs, surgeries, radiology and patient encounters for the past 5 years.

What information can be released to the insurance company?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

The patient's information for the specific date of service. Only the patient's information for that specific date of service should be released. Additionally, the request for information should only include the specific items stated. If the service under question was a radiology claim, only radiology should be released, no other information.

Question 5

A patient with pancreatic cancer needs to have peripancreatic drains placed for acute pancreatitis.

What CPT code should be used for this procedure?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

48000. 48000 is the correct code for peripancreatic drain placement for pancreatitis.

Code 48001 is incorrect because there was no mention of cholecystostomy, gastrostomy or jejunostomy.

Code 48020 is incorrect because there was no removal of pancreatic calculus.

Code 48510 is incorrect because there was external drainage of pancreatic pseudocyst.

Question 6

Of the following, which is defined as the surgical procedure to create an exterior pouch from an internal abscess?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Marsupialization.. Gastroplasty – stomach operation for repair or reconfiguration

Gastrostomy – artificial opening between the stomach and the abdominal wall

Hepatography – radiographic recording of the liver

Marsupialization – surgical procedure to create an exterior pouch from an internal absces.

Question 7

Which of the following diabetes mellitus categories is defined as Type I diabetes mellitus?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

E10.. There are five diabetes mellitus categories in ICD-10-CM. They are:

E08 - Diabetes mellitus categories is defined as diabetes mellitus due to an underlying condition

E09 – Drug or chemical induced diabetes mellitus

E10 – Type I diabetes mellitus

E11 – Type II diabetes mellitus

E13 – Other specified diabetes mellitus.

Question 8

Which of the following codes is used to report cysts of right upper eyelid?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

H02.821.. H02.821: cysts of right upper eyelid

H02.822: cysts of right lower eyelid

H02.824: cysts of left upper eyelid

H02.825: cysts of left lower eyelid.

Question 9

A patient needs to have a culture done of his stool looking for Salmonella and Shigella. This will be performed as an aerobic stool sample with isolation and preliminary examination.

What is the correct CPT code for this laboratory test?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

87045. 87045 is the correct code for aerobic stool culture with isolation and preliminary examination for Salmonella and Shigella species.

Code 87040 is incorrect because this code is for blood bacterial culture.

Code 87046 is incorrect because, even though this is an aerobic stool culture, it is for additional pathogens with identification of isolates.

Code 87070 is incorrect because this code is for culture of any other source except for urine, blood or stool.

Question 10

Can you use signs, symptoms or unspecified codes in the ICD-10-CM instead of an actual diagnosis?

TheoryPractice · Accepted Answer

Yes, if a definitive diagnosis hasn’t been made by the end of the patient encounter, then unspecified codes or sign/symptom codes may be used to best describe the diagnosis at the end of the encounter. Both sign/symptom and unspecified codes are appropriate to use when the actual diagnosis is unable to be made. In some cases, the infecting organism needs to be identified for a specific code to be used, so in these cases when the infecting organism isn’t known at the time of the patient’s encounter an “unspecified” code is appropriate to be used.

ICD-10-CM does have codes for signs and symptoms or “unspecified” codes. Although they are not listed for every possible diagnosis, if they are an option they are allowed to be used based on the information available at the time of the patient’s visit/encounter.

Medical Coding Exam Questions & Answers 2026 (11–20)

More Medical Coding practice questions

Free practice here. Timed mocks when you are ready.