Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions with Full Rationale Answers

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Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

Practice Exam

CPC Practice Exam and Study Guide Package

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What makes a good CPC Practice Exam? Questions and Answers with Full Rationale

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Practice Exam

2018 CPC Practice Exam Answer Key 150 Questions With Full Rationale (HCPCS, ICD-9-CM, ICD-10, CPT Codes) Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions with Full Rationale Answers

Practice Exam

Click here for more sample CPC practice exam questions and answers with full rationale

Don’t Ignore the Signs of a Stroke

May is National Stroke Awareness Month: Recognize this preventable and treatable disease. Strokes kill approximately 140,000 people every year in the United States and up to 80 percent are preventable, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Every second counts when a stroke occurs because approximately two million brain cells die each […]

The post Don’t Ignore the Signs of a Stroke appeared first on AAPC Knowledge Center.

AAPC Knowledge Center

Coding Signs and Symptoms not documented in the Assessment portion of Exam

Hi ,

I know you probably see this question a lot. My scenario is a patient is possibly schizophrenia. The rheumatologist provider does not establish medical necessity to support patient is schizophrenia. Provider mentions that patient has memory loss in both the HPI and exam. Is is acceptable for me to report memory loss in conjunction to schizophrenia? Can you please put valid sources?

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Signs and symptoms

Hello,

I have a coder that indicates she’s reporting a diagnosis codes based on documentation of physical exam for an E/M service. For example: Patient presents for rashy "itchy-blistery"skin in contact with dog who has fleas. On skin exam, provider notes punctate erythematous papules. The coder then reports a diagnosis based on exam, L53.8 (Other specified erythematous conditions). Isn’t this an assumption and should be reported as a symptom, R21 (Rash and other nonspecific skin eruption) since there’s no definite diagnosis as of yet? She mentioned she went to a forum and they said it was ok to code from an exam finding?! Any thoughts?

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

HPI: Associated signs

Hello to All and thank you in advance for your help!
I am struggling to understand why I cannot use patient’s ‘No" response to Associated signs to count it as an element for HPI. An example could be: patient’s Office visit for hemorrhoids. I have location, duration, quality; I just need one more element to count total 4 for HPI. I have 10 ROS and I have 3 PFSH. In HPI patient states ‘no bleeding, no nausea, no constipation." May I count pt’s denial to Associated signs as an element? I believe the doctor did his diligence by asking and pt replied; it just happened to be a negative response to Associated signs.
What is the rational here?
Thank you.

Medical Billing and Coding Forum

Signs Of Pregnancy And Medical Diagnosis

Pregnancy is very important for a women health, thus it should be detected as early as possible. There are some common and early signs of pregnancy are those health conditions, which are very similar to some other kind of sicknesses. The early signs of pregnancy can be different in different people. The first and most important sigh is a missed periods. The women who are pregnant will have an irregular cycle of menstruation. She can also have a late arrival of the cycle. It can also result in a sudden weight loss or gain. The woman may also have a light or heavy bleeding from the vagina. She may also feel a change in the breasts, they can suddenly become sensitive and a swelling may occur. She will also have a frequent occurrence of urination. According to the medical experts this happen due to the expansion of the uterus and thus a pressure on the urinary bladder. The pregnant woman will also face constipation. It is another well-known symptom of pregnancy. This happens when the food passes very slowly inside the intestines. The woman will also face headaches, mood swings and fatigue.

The woman who is pregnant will have a feeling that she is pregnancy. Signs of pregnancy will also result in a change in the libido. She will have stretch marks and some changes in the skin surface. The breasts gradually will be swollen. She will also have an enlargement in the abdominal area. A pregnant woman will always have frequent changes in her mood, nature and food habits. She will also have food cravings. The medical experts say that the woman who has successfully conceived will have dark skin around the nipple. The increased level of hormone progesterone will lead to a feeling of exhausted and tired. As the ovulation passes through eight days, the woman may have an implant blemishes, it can also be a slight stain of brown and pink color. The condition occurs as the egg hole in side the endometrial lining. The woman can also see spotting in the time of periods. In a condition when the embryo inserts and starts the production of the hormone named as HCH or chorionic gonadotropin. This can lead to a feeling of a frequent urination. A pregnant woman will also suffer with a morning sickness. She can also have nausea in the time of morning, noon and at night. The condition of heartburn and constipation as the uterus starts swelling and thus, it pushes the stomach and other organs. The hormone level also starts increasing and thus it affects the digestion system and the functions of the bowl system. It can lead to a constipation and other results of unmanaged bowl system.

The website thehealthprotector has the collection of those important moments of care, which a woman many need in an early signs of pregnancy. It has maintained all those necessary facts that is required to treat the signs of pregnancy.

Signs Of Good Medical Coding Schools

If one were to proclaim that he or she has learnt all there is to learn, one either has their head in the clouds or is assuming the ostrich stance. Medical coding schools are quick to point out that they are just the starting point of ones career in this line of profession. As individuals embark on the long and winding journey of familiarizing themselves with medical terms related to the anatomy, procedures, diseases and the like, it is indeed a lifelong journey. Even the very best of physicians are sufficiently modest to attest to their lack of knowledge of what ailments lay ahead. As new diseases are contracted, discovered and studied upon, verification and recognition by the international community is needed before they make their presence in the medical coders book.

It is the responsibility of medical coding schools to keep themselves updated with the latest in the arena. In addition to imparting relevant knowledge to their charges, instructors need to establish codes of conduct for these students to take with them into employment. If in doubt, check and check again. Verify with relevant parties and do not make assumptions as one tends to not have the whole picture. Coders do not step outside their field of expertise as doing so may cause a conflict in the quality of their work and overall integrity of the patients clinical state. To get a head start in this business, some medical coding schools offer a two-pronged approach with programs combining medical coding with medical billing.

Upon completion and graduation, the buck does not yet stop for these individuals about to enter the health care community. As the medical world evolves, the medical coders book is constantly updated. To ensure no one is practicing on yesterdays information, some regions require coders to maintain active certification in order to secure employment. After sufficient years of experience tucked away in ones portfolio, it is timely to source out courses to further ones career and open opportunities to advance the pay scale.

Chris is the writer of this article , you can visit us for more information on Medical Coding Degrees and AAPC: Medical Coding.

Signs Of Good Medical Coding Schools

 

If one were to proclaim that he or she has learnt all there is to learn, one either has their head in the clouds or is assuming the ostrich stance.  Medical coding schools are quick to point out that they are just the starting point of one’s career in this line of profession.  As individuals embark on the long and winding journey of familiarizing themselves with medical terms related to the anatomy, procedures, diseases and the like, it is indeed a lifelong journey.  Even the very best of physicians are sufficiently modest to attest to their lack of knowledge of what ailments lay ahead.  As new diseases are contracted, discovered and studied upon, verification and recognition by the international community is needed before they make their presence in the medical coder’s book.

 

It is the responsibility of medical coding schools to keep themselves updated with the latest in the arena.  In addition to imparting relevant knowledge to their charges, instructors need to establish codes of conduct for these students to take with them into employment.  If in doubt, check and check again.  Verify with relevant parties and do not make assumptions as one tends to not have the whole picture.  Coders do not step outside their field of expertise as doing so may cause a conflict in the quality of their work and overall integrity of the patient’s clinical state.  To get a head start in this business, some medical coding schools offer a two-pronged approach with programs combining medical coding with medical billing.

 

Upon completion and graduation, the buck does not yet stop for these individuals about to enter the health care community.  As the medical world evolves, the medical coder’s book is constantly updated.  To ensure no one is practicing on yesterday’s information, some regions require coders to maintain active certification in order to secure employment.  After sufficient years of experience tucked away in one’s portfolio, it is timely to source out courses to further one’s career and open opportunities to advance the pay scale.

 

Chris is the writer of this article , you can visit us for more information on Medical Coding Schools and Medical Coding Salary .

Find More Medical Coding Articles

Report Signs and Symptoms, Not Unconfirmed Diagnoses

In the outpatient setting, do not code a diagnosis unless it is certain. Examples of language seen in the medical record that identify uncertain diagnoses include: Probable Suspected Questionable Rule out Differential Working When a definitive diagnosis has not been determined, code the signs, symptoms, and abnormal test result(s) or other reasons for the visit. […]
AAPC Knowledge Center