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CERTIFIED CODING ASSOCIATE 2026
EXAMINATION COMPLETE (155) CURRENT
TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
EXPLANATIONS|GUARANTEED PASS.
CODING
Prepare for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Examination with
practice questions covering medical coding guidelines, ICD and CPT
coding systems, healthcare documentation, reimbursement
procedures, and compliance standards. This study guide helps
reinforce essential coding concepts and supports effective
certification exam preparation. Designed to improve accuracy and
boost confidence in medical coding and billing practices. Suitable for
healthcare, medical coding, and health information management
students and professionals.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION A: ICD-10-CM DIAGNOSIS CODING (Questions 1-40)
Question 1
A patient is diagnosed with essential hypertension and chronic kidney disease stage 3.
What is the correct ICD-10-CM code?
A) I12.9
B) I12.0
C) I13.0
D) I10
Answer: B) I12.0
*Rationale: I12.0 (Hypertensive chronic kidney disease with stage 3 chronic kidney disease
or unspecified chronic kidney disease). Combination code I12.0 captures hypertension
with CKD stage 3. I13.- requires hypertensive heart disease. I10 is essential hypertension
alone.*
Question 2
A patient presents with acute appendicitis with generalized peritonitis. What is the correct
code?
A) K35.80
B) K35.89
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C) K35.30
D) K35.20
Answer: D) K35.20
Rationale: K35.20 is Acute appendicitis with generalized peritonitis, without perforation.
K35.30 is with perforation. The documentation must specify perforation to assign K35.30.
Question 3
A diabetic patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus presents with diabetic neuropathy. What is
the correct sequencing?
A) E11.40, G62.9
B) E11.42
C) E11.40
D) G62.9, E11.9
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Answer: B) E11.42
Rationale: E11.42 (Type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic polyneuropathy) is a combination
code that captures both conditions. Do not code neuropathy separately unless it's a
different type.
Question 4
A patient is seen for severe sepsis due to pneumonia caused by Streptococcus
pneumoniae. What is the correct principal diagnosis?
A) J15.4
B) A40.3
C) R65.20
D) A41.9
Answer: A) J15.4
Rationale: In sepsis due to a localized infection (pneumonia), the underlying infection
(pneumonia) is sequenced first, followed by the sepsis code (A41.3 for Streptococcus
pneumoniae sepsis or Rc5.20 if severe). The principal diagnosis is the condition after study.
Question 5
A patient with COPD and acute exacerbation is admitted. What is the correct ICD-10-CM
code?
A) J44.0
B) J44.1
C) J44.9
D) J43.9
Answer: A) J44.0
Rationale: J44.0 (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory
infection). Use J44.1 if exacerbation is not specified as due to infection. Code also identifies
infection if known.
Question 6
A patient has a basal cell carcinoma of the skin of the nose. What is the correct code?
A) C44.311
B) C44.312
C) D48.5
D) C43.31
Answer: A) C44.311
*Rationale: C44.311 (Basal cell carcinoma of skin of nose). C43.- is melanoma. D48.5 is
neoplasm of uncertain behavior.*
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Question 7
A patient falls from a ladder while at work, sustaining a fracture of the left radius. What
external cause code is sequenced as principal diagnosis?
A) W11.XXXA
B) W11.XXXD
C) Not sequenced as principal
D) Y92.89
Answer: C) Not sequenced as principal
*Rationale: External cause codes (V00-Y99) are never sequenced as the principal
diagnosis. They are secondary codes. The fracture itself (S52.5-) is the principal diagnosis.*
Question 8
A patient is admitted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) of the anterior wall. On day 2,
the patient develops a subsequent AMI of the inferior wall. What codes are assigned?
A) I21.09, I21.19
B) I21.09 only
C) I22.1
D) I21.19, I22.8
Answer: C) I22.1
Rationale: I22.1 (Subsequent ST elevation myocardial infarction of inferior wall). Code I22 is
used for AMI occurring within 4 weeks (28 days) of a previous AMI. Do not code the initial
AMI after day 0.
Question G
A patient is diagnosed with pneumonia due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA). What is the correct code?
A) J15.212
B) J15.21
C) J15.20
D) A41.02
Answer: A) J15.212
Rationale: J15.212 (Pneumonia due to Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus). The
combination code captures both the pneumonia and the specific organism. Do not code
A41.02 (MRSA sepsis) unless documented.
Question 10
A patient with cerebral infarction due to occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery is seen.
What codes are needed?
CERTIFIED CODING ASSOCIATE 2026
EXAMINATION COMPLETE (155) CURRENT
TESTING QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED
EXPLANATIONS|GUARANTEED PASS.
CODING
Prepare for the Certified Coding Associate (CCA) Examination with
practice questions covering medical coding guidelines, ICD and CPT
coding systems, healthcare documentation, reimbursement
procedures, and compliance standards. This study guide helps
reinforce essential coding concepts and supports effective
certification exam preparation. Designed to improve accuracy and
boost confidence in medical coding and billing practices. Suitable for
healthcare, medical coding, and health information management
students and professionals.
MULTIPLE CHOICE.
SECTION A: ICD-10-CM DIAGNOSIS CODING (Questions 1-40)
Question 1
A patient is diagnosed with essential hypertension and chronic kidney disease stage 3.
What is the correct ICD-10-CM code?
A) I12.9
B) I12.0
C) I13.0
D) I10
Answer: B) I12.0
*Rationale: I12.0 (Hypertensive chronic kidney disease with stage 3 chronic kidney disease
or unspecified chronic kidney disease). Combination code I12.0 captures hypertension
with CKD stage 3. I13.- requires hypertensive heart disease. I10 is essential hypertension
alone.*
Question 2
A patient presents with acute appendicitis with generalized peritonitis. What is the correct
code?
A) K35.80
B) K35.89
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C) K35.30
D) K35.20
Answer: D) K35.20
Rationale: K35.20 is Acute appendicitis with generalized peritonitis, without perforation.
K35.30 is with perforation. The documentation must specify perforation to assign K35.30.
Question 3
A diabetic patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus presents with diabetic neuropathy. What is
the correct sequencing?
A) E11.40, G62.9
B) E11.42
C) E11.40
D) G62.9, E11.9
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Answer: B) E11.42
Rationale: E11.42 (Type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic polyneuropathy) is a combination
code that captures both conditions. Do not code neuropathy separately unless it's a
different type.
Question 4
A patient is seen for severe sepsis due to pneumonia caused by Streptococcus
pneumoniae. What is the correct principal diagnosis?
A) J15.4
B) A40.3
C) R65.20
D) A41.9
Answer: A) J15.4
Rationale: In sepsis due to a localized infection (pneumonia), the underlying infection
(pneumonia) is sequenced first, followed by the sepsis code (A41.3 for Streptococcus
pneumoniae sepsis or Rc5.20 if severe). The principal diagnosis is the condition after study.
Question 5
A patient with COPD and acute exacerbation is admitted. What is the correct ICD-10-CM
code?
A) J44.0
B) J44.1
C) J44.9
D) J43.9
Answer: A) J44.0
Rationale: J44.0 (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with acute lower respiratory
infection). Use J44.1 if exacerbation is not specified as due to infection. Code also identifies
infection if known.
Question 6
A patient has a basal cell carcinoma of the skin of the nose. What is the correct code?
A) C44.311
B) C44.312
C) D48.5
D) C43.31
Answer: A) C44.311
*Rationale: C44.311 (Basal cell carcinoma of skin of nose). C43.- is melanoma. D48.5 is
neoplasm of uncertain behavior.*
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Question 7
A patient falls from a ladder while at work, sustaining a fracture of the left radius. What
external cause code is sequenced as principal diagnosis?
A) W11.XXXA
B) W11.XXXD
C) Not sequenced as principal
D) Y92.89
Answer: C) Not sequenced as principal
*Rationale: External cause codes (V00-Y99) are never sequenced as the principal
diagnosis. They are secondary codes. The fracture itself (S52.5-) is the principal diagnosis.*
Question 8
A patient is admitted for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) of the anterior wall. On day 2,
the patient develops a subsequent AMI of the inferior wall. What codes are assigned?
A) I21.09, I21.19
B) I21.09 only
C) I22.1
D) I21.19, I22.8
Answer: C) I22.1
Rationale: I22.1 (Subsequent ST elevation myocardial infarction of inferior wall). Code I22 is
used for AMI occurring within 4 weeks (28 days) of a previous AMI. Do not code the initial
AMI after day 0.
Question G
A patient is diagnosed with pneumonia due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus
aureus (MRSA). What is the correct code?
A) J15.212
B) J15.21
C) J15.20
D) A41.02
Answer: A) J15.212
Rationale: J15.212 (Pneumonia due to Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus). The
combination code captures both the pneumonia and the specific organism. Do not code
A41.02 (MRSA sepsis) unless documented.
Question 10
A patient with cerebral infarction due to occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery is seen.
What codes are needed?
