2026 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS FULL
SCORE A+
●● Which option best describes what is being done during strabismus
surgery?.
Answer: Corrects the muscle misalignment.
Rationale: Strabismus surgery is surgery on the extraocular muscles to
correct the misalignment of the eyes.
●● What ICD-10-CM code is reported for suppurative otitis media in the
right ear?.
Answer: H66.41
Rationale: Look in the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index for
Otitis/media/suppurative which directs you to H66.4-. In the Tabular List
a 5 th character is required to identify the laterality.
●● What ICD-10-CM code(s) is/are reported for bilateral cataracts?.
Answer: H26.9
Rationale: In the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index look for Cataract and
you are directed to the default code H26.9. Modifiers are not appended
to diagnosis codes. There is no documentation to support that the
cataracts are congenital. Even though the cataract is in both eyes, it is
,only necessary to report the ICD-10-CM code once per ICD-10-CM
guideline I.B.12.
●● What ICD-10-CM code is used to report acute actinic otitis externa
of the left ear?.
Answer: H60.512
Rationale: In the ICD-10-CM Alphabetic Index look for
Otitis/externa/acute/actinic and you are directed to H60.51-. Verification
in the Tabular List indicates a 5 th character is reported for laterality. 5 th
character of 2 is for left ear.
●● An ENT performs a patch repair on the left eardrum of a 10 year-old
patient. What CPT® code is reported?.
Answer: 69610-LT
Rationale: The medical term for eardrum is tympanic membrane. In the
CPT® Index look for Repair/Tympanic Membrane which directs you to
code 69450, 69610. Repair of the tympanic membrane with or without
site preparation of perforation for closure, with or without patch is the
description for code 69610 is confirmed in the numeric section. Modifier
LT is used to indicate the procedure was performed on the left side.
●● A patient with right and left prominent ears presents for otoplasty on
both ears. What CPT® and ICD-10-CM codes are reported?.
Answer: 69300-50, Q17.5
Rationale: In the CPT® Index look for Otoplasty and you are directed to
69300. The parenthetical instruction below 69300 states to use modifier
, 50 to report a bilateral procedure. In the ICD-10-CM Alphabetical Index
look for Prominence, prominent/auricle (congenital) (ear) and you are
directed to Q17.5.
●● To code for the operating microscope, what verbiage are you looking
for in the medical record?.
Answer: The operating microscope was sterilely draped and brought into
the surgical field.
Rationale: A loupe is a single vision magnifying glass most often
identified with jewelers or watchmakers. An operating microscope is a
binocular microscope used to see and repair small intricate parts of the
body, such as nerves and blood vessels. It is not an instrument that can
be sterilized so it must be sterilely draped for use in the operating room
●● What information does ICD-10-CM add to many of the codes for eye
disorders or injuries?.
Answer: Laterality (eye affected).
Rationale: ICD-10-CM lists many of the codes for eye disorders or
injuries based on which eye was affected (laterality - left, right, bilateral
or unspecified).
●● A patient has heavy skin and muscle (myogenic) that is drooping
down and blocking his vision due to myogenic ptosis of the upper
eyelid. The provider performed a bilateral upper blepharoplasty. What
ICD-10-CM code(s) is (are) reported?.
Answer: H02.423