ICD-10-CM EXAM NEWEST 2025 ACTUAL EXAM TEST
BANK| COMPLETE 400 REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS/ ALREADY GRADED
A+| ICD-10-CM CONDING FINAL EXAM (NEW!!)
1. In ICD-10-CM, what does the “X” in a code like S02.0XXA
represent?
a) A placeholder for future expansion
b) A seventh character extension
c) A site-specific laterality indicator
d) An unspecified code
Correct Answer: a) A placeholder for future expansion
Rationale: The “X” is used as a placeholder when a code has fewer
than 6 characters but requires a 7th character. This allows the code
structure to remain consistent and allows for future expansion. For
example, S02.0XXA has 5 characters plus a placeholder X to reach
the required 6 characters before the 7th character A. Without the
1
,X, the code would be S02.0A, which is invalid. The X has no clinical
meaning; it is purely structural.
2. Which symbol in the ICD-10-CM tabular list indicates a code
is not valid as a principal diagnosis?
a) ★ (asterisk)
b) † (dagger)
c) ( ) parentheses
d) NEC
Correct Answer: a) ★ (asterisk)
*Rationale: The asterisk symbol (★) in the ICD-10-CM tabular list
indicates that the code is a manifestation code and cannot be
used as a principal diagnosis. Manifestation codes describe a
clinical manifestation of an underlying disease and must be
sequenced after the underlying disease code. The dagger (†) is
2
,used in ICD-10-CM to identify the etiology code in the ICD-10-
CM classification (though this is less common than in ICD-10).
Parentheses indicate nonessential modifiers. NEC (Not Elsewhere
Classifiable) is a notation in the index, not a symbol in the
tabular.*
3. The “Excludes1” note means:
a) Two conditions cannot occur together
b) Two conditions can be coded together
c) The code is not used for outpatient
d) The code requires a seventh character
Correct Answer: a) Two conditions cannot occur together
*Rationale: An Excludes1 note indicates that the two codes are
mutually exclusive. This means the condition represented by the
code cannot occur at the same time as the condition represented
by the excluded code. For example, an Excludes1 note under
3
, congenital pneumonia (P23) excludes acquired pneumonia (J12-
J18) because a newborn cannot have both congenital and
acquired pneumonia simultaneously. Excludes2 notes (which are
different) allow two conditions to be coded together if the
patient has both.*
4. A code with “unspecified” in the description should be used
when:
a) The provider documents “probably”
b) The provider does not have enough information for a specific
diagnosis
c) The condition is new
d) The patient requests it
Correct Answer: b) The provider does not have enough
information for a specific diagnosis
Rationale: Unspecified codes are used when the clinical
4
BANK| COMPLETE 400 REAL EXAM QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT VERIFIED ANSWERS/ ALREADY GRADED
A+| ICD-10-CM CONDING FINAL EXAM (NEW!!)
1. In ICD-10-CM, what does the “X” in a code like S02.0XXA
represent?
a) A placeholder for future expansion
b) A seventh character extension
c) A site-specific laterality indicator
d) An unspecified code
Correct Answer: a) A placeholder for future expansion
Rationale: The “X” is used as a placeholder when a code has fewer
than 6 characters but requires a 7th character. This allows the code
structure to remain consistent and allows for future expansion. For
example, S02.0XXA has 5 characters plus a placeholder X to reach
the required 6 characters before the 7th character A. Without the
1
,X, the code would be S02.0A, which is invalid. The X has no clinical
meaning; it is purely structural.
2. Which symbol in the ICD-10-CM tabular list indicates a code
is not valid as a principal diagnosis?
a) ★ (asterisk)
b) † (dagger)
c) ( ) parentheses
d) NEC
Correct Answer: a) ★ (asterisk)
*Rationale: The asterisk symbol (★) in the ICD-10-CM tabular list
indicates that the code is a manifestation code and cannot be
used as a principal diagnosis. Manifestation codes describe a
clinical manifestation of an underlying disease and must be
sequenced after the underlying disease code. The dagger (†) is
2
,used in ICD-10-CM to identify the etiology code in the ICD-10-
CM classification (though this is less common than in ICD-10).
Parentheses indicate nonessential modifiers. NEC (Not Elsewhere
Classifiable) is a notation in the index, not a symbol in the
tabular.*
3. The “Excludes1” note means:
a) Two conditions cannot occur together
b) Two conditions can be coded together
c) The code is not used for outpatient
d) The code requires a seventh character
Correct Answer: a) Two conditions cannot occur together
*Rationale: An Excludes1 note indicates that the two codes are
mutually exclusive. This means the condition represented by the
code cannot occur at the same time as the condition represented
by the excluded code. For example, an Excludes1 note under
3
, congenital pneumonia (P23) excludes acquired pneumonia (J12-
J18) because a newborn cannot have both congenital and
acquired pneumonia simultaneously. Excludes2 notes (which are
different) allow two conditions to be coded together if the
patient has both.*
4. A code with “unspecified” in the description should be used
when:
a) The provider documents “probably”
b) The provider does not have enough information for a specific
diagnosis
c) The condition is new
d) The patient requests it
Correct Answer: b) The provider does not have enough
information for a specific diagnosis
Rationale: Unspecified codes are used when the clinical
4
