Coding Guidelines Questions ICD-10-CM
Welcome to Medico Pediaa – Your trusted source for Coding Guidelines Questions ICD-10-CM.
Here you will find easy-to-understand questions and answers based on ICD-10-CM coding guidelines. Our goal is to make medical coding simple, clear, and exam-friendly so that students, beginners, and professionals can learn with confidence. Whether you are preparing for exams or improving your coding skills, Medico Pediaa provides reliable and human-friendly explanations to help you succeed.

For the CPC Exam, ICD-10-CM questions are very important. Out of 100 questions, around 4 questions are directly asked from the ICD section, and many are also mixed with CPT coding questions. That’s why understanding ICD guidelines is essential for scoring well and clearing the CPC certification exam.
Let’s Start———————
Q1. How many characters can be complete and valid ICD-10-cm code have ?
(A) 3 to 5 characters
(B) 3 to 7 characters
(C) Exactly 5 characters
(D) Upto 6 characters
Q2. When coding are confirmed diagnosis. what is the general rule regarding coding sign and symptoms Associate with what diagnosis ?
(A) Code both the diagnosis and all Associate sign and symptoms
(B) Only code the sign and symptoms, not the confirm diagnosis
(C) Do not code sign and symptoms That are an integral part of the confirmed diagnosis
(D) Code the signs and symptoms as the primary diagnosis and the conform diagnosis secondarily
Q3. The convention “Exclude “ in ICD-10-cm means
(A) The condition listed after it are included in the codes description
(B) The code cannot be used at the same time as the code all codes listed after the exclude one note
(C) The condition listed after it are not included here But the patient could have both conditions as the same time
(D) The code is only four used a primary diagnosis
Q4. Which of the following is the placeholder character used in ICD-10- CM ?
(A) 0
(B) Z
(C) X
(D) 9
Q5. Patient is seen for a follow-up visit after completing treatment for a fractured tibia. The fracture is heating normally With seventh character would typically be used for this encounter ?
(A) A- initial encounter
(B) D- subsequent encounter
(C) S- Sequela
(D) P- new injury
Q6. According to the ICD-10-cm guidelines, When should a sign or symptoms code be used as the primary diagnosis ?
(A) Only when are definitive diagnosis has been established
(B) When the physician has documented a definitive diagnosis
(C) When no more specific diagnosis can be made after investigation.
(D) Never sign and symptoms are always code secondarily
Q7. Patient has documented type 2 diabetes mellitus With diabetic nephropathy How would this be code in ICD-10-CM ?
(A) Code 4 type 2 diabetes only
(B) Code for diabetic nephropathy only
(C) Code food type 2 diabetes and code 4 diabetic nephropathy sequencing the diabetes code first
(D) Code for diabetic nephropathy and code 4 type 2 diabetes sequencing the nephropathy code first
Q8. What is the primary use of the ICD-10 CM code set ?
(A) Two classify surgical procedures
(B) Too classify medical diagnosis and reason for visits
(C) To report Health Care Service and procedures
(D) To track patient demographics
Q9. A physician documents “possible pneumonia” How should this be coded in an outpatient setting ?
(A) Code the definitive diagnosis of pneumonia.
(B) Code the sign and symptom leading to the suspicion of pneumonia.
(C) Code possible pneumonia using a specific code for uncertain diagnosis.
(D) Do not code anything until the diagnosis is confirmed.
Q10. What does the term of “NEC” stands for in ICD-10-CM ?
(A) Not easily classified
(B) Not elsewhere classified
(C) New or extended code
(D) No established criteria
Q11. A patient is diagnosed with acute and chronic bronchitis how should this be coded ?
(A) Code only the acute bronchitis
(B) Code only the chronic bronchitis
(C) Use code both acute and chronic bronchitis
(D) Use a combination code for acute and chronic bronchitis if available
Q12. What to the square brackets in the ICD-10 CM tabular list enclose ?
(A) Synonyms , alternative phrases or , exploratory notes
(B) Codes that are not included In the category
(C) Mandatory 5th or 6th characters
(D) Manifestation that should be coded second
Q13. Which of the following scenarios requires the use of an external Cause code (V00-Y99) ?
(A) A patient admitted with pneumonia
(B) A patient with a broken are from a fall
(C) A patient receiving chemotherapy for cancer
(D) A patient with uncontrolled hypertension
Q14. When coding a condition documented as “left arm fracture” Which coating concept is most important to consider four specificity ?
(A) Episode of care
(B) Laterality
(C) Type of fracture
(D) Activity at time of injury
Q15. What Two conventional signify in ICD-10-CM ?
(A) The condition is included in the code above
(B) The condition is mutually exclusive and cannot occur with the code above
(C) The condition is not included in the code above but a patient would have both condition at the same time
(D) The code is only for secondary diagnosis
Q16. A patient is admitted with sepsis due to MRSA. How should we sequenced according to ICD-10 CM guidelines ?
(A) Sepsis code first followed by the code for MRSA
(B) MRSA code first followed by the sepsis code
(C) A combination code for sepsis due to MRSA if available otherwise sequence sepsis first
(D) Code only the sepsis as MRSA is the casuatic organism
Q17. What is the purpose of the instructional note “code first” in the ICD-10-cm tabular list ?
(A) It indicates some manifestation that should be code second
(B) It indicates a code that should be used as the primary diagnosis
(C) It requires the underlying condition to be sequenced before the code with the “code first” note
(D) It requires this code to be sequenced before any other code
Q18. A patient is diagnosed with a malignant neoplasm of the lungs. Which code category would you primarily look into the first to the correct ICD-10-cm code ?
(A) Ch 1 : certain infectious and parasitic disease
(B) Ch 2 : neoplasm
(C) Ch 10 : Disease of respiratory system
(D) Ch 8 : Symptoms , sign and abnormal clinical and laboratory finding not elsewhere classified
Q19. What does the convention “NOS”stand for in ICD-10-CM ?
(A) New or specific
(B) Not otherwise specified
(C) No other symptoms
(D) Normally occurring syndrome
Q20. A patient present to ED after being bitten by a dog What type of code would be used to identify the cause of the injury ?
(A) A procedure code (e.g CPT)
(B) An external cause code (V00 – Y99)
(C) A status code (Z code)
(D) A complication code
Q21. According to General coding guidelines. What is the impact of a physician’s documentation of a diagnosis that is not confirmed by the diagnostic test ?
(A) The diagnosis should not coded until Confirmed by tests
(B) In the patient setting, the diagnosis can be coded if it The definition of the reportable diagnosis
(C) In the outpatient settings ,the diagnosis can be quoted if the physician documents it
(D) Diagnostic test result must always be present to code a diagnosis
Q22. What information is typically found in the ICD-10- CM alphabetic index ?
(A) The complete codes with full description
(B) A list of diagnostic procedure
(C) Main terms, subterms and crows references to the tabular list
(D) Guidelines four sequencing codes
Q23. A patient hypertension and CKD stage 3 According to the ICD-10 CM guideline how should these condition be code and sequenced ?
(A) Code hypertension first, then CKD
(B) Code CKD first, then hypertension
(C) Use a combination code for hypertension with ckd if available
(D) Code only the ckd as it is a more severe condition
Q24. When coding a burn. what is the importance of documentation regarding the TBSA affected ?
(A) TBSA documentation is only need for first degree burns
(B) TBSA is only used for impatient coding
(C) TBSA is required factor for inpatient coding Burns in specified category especially for third degree burns
(D) TBSA documentation is not used in ICD-10-cm coding
Q25. What does the instructional note “INCLUDES “means in the ICD-10 cm tabular list ?
(A) The term listed are synonyms for the code above
(B) The terms listed are condition that are included within the code and category
(C) The code exclude the condition listed
(D) The code requires a 7th character
Answer
1 – B , 2– C, 3- B, 4-C , 5 – B, 6-C, 7- C, 8-B, 9-B, 10 -B ,
11-C, 12-A , 13–B , 14-B, 15-C, 16- C , 17 – C , 18 -B, 19 -B, 20-B,
21- B, 22- C , 23- C, 24- C, 25- B
FAQs: ICD-10-CM Questions in CPC Exam
Q1. How many ICD-10-CM questions come in the CPC Exam?
In the CPC Exam, out of 100 questions, around 4 questions are directly from ICD-10-CM coding guidelines.
Q2. Are ICD-10-CM questions mixed with CPT questions in CPC Exam?
Yes. Apart from the 4 direct ICD-10-CM questions, many questions are mixed with CPT coding where ICD knowledge is required to answer correctly.
Q3. Why are ICD-10-CM questions important for CPC Exam?
ICD coding is the foundation of medical coding. A good understanding of ICD-10-CM guidelines helps you solve both standalone ICD questions and integrated CPT + ICD coding questions, which increases your score in the CPC certification exam.
Share this article For More Information.
If you have any questions, please contact us.
Thanks For Reading this Article.
CPC Mock Questions Paper Series Wise
Most Important Questions for CPC Exam 2025
Sample Questions Paper for CPC Exam :-https://medicopediaa.com/sample-questions-paper-for-cpc-exam/
CPC Exam Practice Paper 2025 “- https://medicopediaa.com/cpc-exam-practice-paper-2025/
For Any Query : DM me on Insta : – @medico_pediaa