NHA CMAA Actual Exam QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS 2026/2027 | Certified Medical
Administrative Assistant Complete Q&A | Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Question 1 A patient arrives 20 minutes late for their scheduled appointment. The medical
administrative assistant should:
A. Refuse to see the patient and make them reschedule
B. Assess the schedule and provider availability, then either accommodate or reschedule
[CORRECT]
C. See the patient immediately without notifying the provider
D. Charge a late fee without explanation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Late patient protocols vary by practice. The assistant should check the schedule—if
there's flexibility, accommodate; if not, politely reschedule. Option A is too rigid. Option C
disrupts workflow. Option D lacks transparency.
Question 2 When verifying a patient's insurance eligibility, the medical administrative assistant
should confirm:
A) Coverage is active [CORRECT]
B) Copayment or coinsurance amount [CORRECT]
C) Deductible status [CORRECT]
D) Whether prior authorization is required for planned services [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: A, B, C, D
Rationale: Complete eligibility verification includes all these elements to prevent claim denials
and ensure proper patient financial counseling. Electronic eligibility systems provide real-time
data on all these factors.
Question 3 The medical administrative assistant receives a call from a patient requesting their
spouse's appointment time. Under HIPAA, the assistant should:
A. Provide the information immediately
B. Verify the spouse has authorized disclosure before releasing any information [CORRECT]
, C. Refuse all information without exception
D. Ask the caller to guess the appointment time
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: HIPAA requires verification of authorization before disclosing PHI, even to family
members. The patient may have signed an authorization form, or the spouse may be the patient's
personal representative. Without authorization, no information may be released.
Question 4 A walk-in patient arrives with chest pain. The medical administrative assistant
should:
A. Tell them to wait for the next available appointment
B. Immediately notify clinical staff and follow emergency protocols [CORRECT]
C. Ask them to fill out all registration forms first
D. Schedule them for next week
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Chest pain requires immediate clinical assessment. The assistant must recognize
emergency symptoms and expedite care. Administrative tasks (A, C, D) must not delay urgent
medical evaluation.
Question 5 When processing a new patient registration, which identifier combination provides
the best patient safety verification?
A. First name only
B. First name and phone number
C. Full name and date of birth [CORRECT]
D. Last name only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Two-identifier verification (full name and DOB) is the Joint Commission standard
for patient identification, preventing mix-ups between patients with similar names. Single
identifiers (A, B, D) are insufficient for safety.
Question 6 A patient calls to schedule an annual physical with a specific provider who is booked
three months out. The medical administrative assistant should:
A. Tell the patient to call back later
B. Offer the first available appointment with that provider or alternatives [CORRECT]
ANSWERS 2026/2027 | Certified Medical
Administrative Assistant Complete Q&A | Pass
Guaranteed - A+ Graded
Question 1 A patient arrives 20 minutes late for their scheduled appointment. The medical
administrative assistant should:
A. Refuse to see the patient and make them reschedule
B. Assess the schedule and provider availability, then either accommodate or reschedule
[CORRECT]
C. See the patient immediately without notifying the provider
D. Charge a late fee without explanation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Late patient protocols vary by practice. The assistant should check the schedule—if
there's flexibility, accommodate; if not, politely reschedule. Option A is too rigid. Option C
disrupts workflow. Option D lacks transparency.
Question 2 When verifying a patient's insurance eligibility, the medical administrative assistant
should confirm:
A) Coverage is active [CORRECT]
B) Copayment or coinsurance amount [CORRECT]
C) Deductible status [CORRECT]
D) Whether prior authorization is required for planned services [CORRECT]
Correct Answer: A, B, C, D
Rationale: Complete eligibility verification includes all these elements to prevent claim denials
and ensure proper patient financial counseling. Electronic eligibility systems provide real-time
data on all these factors.
Question 3 The medical administrative assistant receives a call from a patient requesting their
spouse's appointment time. Under HIPAA, the assistant should:
A. Provide the information immediately
B. Verify the spouse has authorized disclosure before releasing any information [CORRECT]
, C. Refuse all information without exception
D. Ask the caller to guess the appointment time
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: HIPAA requires verification of authorization before disclosing PHI, even to family
members. The patient may have signed an authorization form, or the spouse may be the patient's
personal representative. Without authorization, no information may be released.
Question 4 A walk-in patient arrives with chest pain. The medical administrative assistant
should:
A. Tell them to wait for the next available appointment
B. Immediately notify clinical staff and follow emergency protocols [CORRECT]
C. Ask them to fill out all registration forms first
D. Schedule them for next week
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Chest pain requires immediate clinical assessment. The assistant must recognize
emergency symptoms and expedite care. Administrative tasks (A, C, D) must not delay urgent
medical evaluation.
Question 5 When processing a new patient registration, which identifier combination provides
the best patient safety verification?
A. First name only
B. First name and phone number
C. Full name and date of birth [CORRECT]
D. Last name only
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Two-identifier verification (full name and DOB) is the Joint Commission standard
for patient identification, preventing mix-ups between patients with similar names. Single
identifiers (A, B, D) are insufficient for safety.
Question 6 A patient calls to schedule an annual physical with a specific provider who is booked
three months out. The medical administrative assistant should:
A. Tell the patient to call back later
B. Offer the first available appointment with that provider or alternatives [CORRECT]
