AHIMA CCS Certification Sample Questions

The AHIMA Certified Coding Specialist Certification Sample Question Set on this page is designed to familiarize you with the actual AHIMA CCS exam format and question types. These sample questions help you understand how questions are structured and what to expect on test day. While they provide a useful starting point, they represent only a limited preview of the real exam experience.

These sample questions are intended for evaluation and familiarization only. To understand exam style, pacing, and reasoning patterns more clearly, we recommend trying our online sample practice environment. If you are preparing for the AHIMA Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) and want to assess your readiness more rigorously, structured, timed, scenario-based practice is recommended. This approach aligns with the cognitive demands and professional expectations typically associated with Medical coders, Health information management professionals, Coding auditors and related roles working in settings such as Hospitals, Health systems, Coding service organizations and related settings.

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The demo introduces core concepts, while full-length premium simulations provide deeper, scenario-based coverage that more closely reflects the actual cognitive demands of the AHIMA Certified Coding Specialist exam, particularly in areas such as ICD coding proficiency, Clinical documentation interpretation, Coding compliance and auditing. You can use these sample questions as a starting point, then progress to the AHIMA CCS Certification Practice Exam for stronger readiness. Our premium simulations are designed to mirror real exam conditions, helping you refine reasoning, pacing, and decision-making before your official exam attempt.

AHIMA CCS Sample Questions:

01. Which of the following is an example of a compliant "Yes/No" query?
a) "Based on the documentation of acute blood loss anemia, was this condition present on admission? Yes, No, or Clinically Undetermined?"
b) "The patient has a BMI of 40. Can you document morbid obesity? Yes or No?"
c) "The patient's WBC is 18k and heart rate is 115. Are you treating them for Sepsis? Yes or No?"
d) "Do you agree the patient has sepsis, which will increase the DRG weight? Yes or No?"

02. Under the MS-DRG system, the "CC Exclusions List" dictates that:
a) Major Complications (MCCs) are excluded from being billed.
b) A secondary diagnosis cannot act as a CC if it is closely related to the principal diagnosis.
c) Only surgical patients can have CCs.
d) Certain conditions cannot be coded at all.

03. In the Outpatient Prospective Payment System (OPPS), "packaging" refers to:
a) Wrapping surgical supplies in sterile plastic.
b) Charging the patient for the box their medication came in.
c) Including the cost of ancillary services (like anesthesia or recovery room) into the payment for the primary procedure.
d) Sending multiple claims in one envelope.

04. A physician documents a diagnosis as "possible pneumonia" at the time of discharge for an inpatient stay. The patient was treated with antibiotics from the day of admission. What POA indicator should be assigned to the pneumonia code?
a) Y (Yes, present on admission)
b) U (Unknown)
c) W (Clinically undetermined)
d) N (No, not present on admission)

05. A hospital’s "Days in AR" (Accounts Receivable) is 65 days. Industry "best practice" is typically under 45 days. What does a high Days in AR usually indicate?
a) The hospital has too many patients.
b) The hospital is collecting money very quickly.
c) There is a delay in getting claims paid, potentially due to high denial rates or slow coding./
d) The hospital’s charges are too low.

06. A claim for a patient who received "four" units of a specific medication is flagged by an edit because the maximum number of units allowed for that code on a single day is "two." This type of edit is known as a:
a) LCD (Local Coverage Determination)
b) PTP (Procedure-to-Procedure) Edit
c) NCD (National Coverage Determination)
d) MUE (Medically Unlikely Edit)

07. A patient is admitted from a nursing home with a documented "Stage 3 pressure ulcer of the sacrum." During the hospital stay, the ulcer worsens to "Stage 4." What POA indicator should be assigned to the Stage 4 pressure ulcer code?
a) W (Clinically undetermined)
b) U (Unknown)
c) Y (Present on admission)
d) N (Not present on admission)

08. After a claim is processed, the payer sends a document to the provider explaining the payment, any adjustments, or the reason for a denial. This document is called the:
a) Remittance Advice (RA)
b) Encounter Form
c) Advance Beneficiary Notice (ABN)
d) Explanation of Benefits (EOB)

09. A 12-year-old male with a history of asthma presents to the ED in "acute respiratory distress." The patient is wheezing and using accessory muscles to breathe. The ED physician provides an expanded problem-focused history and exam (E/M Level 3) and initiates three nebulizer treatments over the course of two hours. After the treatments, the physician documents "Acute Asthma Exacerbation" and "Pneumonia." The patient is stabilized and discharged home with prescriptions.
The physician documented "Pneumonia." Upon review, the coder sees a chest X-ray that was interpreted by the radiologist as "Infiltrate, possibly pneumonia." Can the coder assign the code for pneumonia?
a) Yes, because the radiologist confirmed it.
b) No, because the patient was not admitted.
c) No, because the radiologist used "uncertain" language.
d) Yes, because the ED physician documented it as a final diagnosis without uncertainty.

10. A 55-year-old male with a history of coronary artery disease (CAD) and a previous Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) five years ago presents for a scheduled screening colonoscopy. The procedure begins normally, but after the scope is inserted and advanced to the descending colon, the patient develops sudden-onset symptomatic bradycardia (heart rate 35) and hypotension. The gastroenterologist immediately terminates the procedure to stabilize the patient. The splenic flexure was not reached.
What should be the first-listed diagnosis for this encounter?
a) Bradycardia (R00.1)
b) Screening for malignant neoplasm of colon (Z12.11)
c) Complication of a procedure (T81.89XA)
d) Hypotension (I95.9)

Answers:

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Note: These sample questions are not official exam questions and are intended only for familiarization and study purposes. If you find any typos or data entry errors in these AHIMA Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) sample questions, please let us know by emailing us at feedback@medicoexam.com