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Resource CPC Exam Tips

Test Taking Tips and Strategies​


CCO Club members & students have access to the Bonus & Reference Material in the CCO Community.
If you're taking too long to answer questions, you need to review Laureen's videos on Time Management, The Art of Skipping and Process of Elimination. These methods will improve those skills.
The Test Taking Tips area is located here.
Also, please make sure you're taking timed practice exams. If you're finishing them with a score of 85% of higher and within time, then you're ready for the exam. You can see our full process explained here: https://www.cco.us/cco-proven-process/ It should take you one hour to complete 25-30 questions. And if you have to, try taking a small, digital kitchen timer so you can keep track of time during the actual test.

We have many free Practice exams available at this link.
We have paid Practice Exams available at https://www.cco.us/ under the Practice Exam menu item.
Practice Exams by the AAPC are also available.

















 
AAPC exam tips:

Tips for CPC Exam​

  • It is all about the guidelines: In preparation for the exam, review all coding guidelines and understand how they are applied. This pertains to all codebooks (CPT®, ICD-10-CM, HCPCS Level II). Coding conventions and guidelines for ICD-10-CM are found in the front of the codebook. CPT® guidelines are found in the introductory sections and throughout the codebook in selected subsections.
  • Get your materials organized: Well-marked codebooks can be extremely helpful during the exam. Because coding guidelines contain instructions for what can be reported and what cannot be reported, use different colored highlighters to quickly distinguish between the two.
  • Sequencing matters: Follow sequencing rules in coding guidelines and coding conventions. Example: A urine culture confirms the patient’s diagnosis of a UTI caused by E. coli. The correct codes and sequence are: 599.0, 041.49. There is a note instructing you to use an additional code to identify the organism, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli). If there are code options with the same codes in a different sequence, pay close attention to the coding conventions and guidelines to guide you in the right selection.
  • Parenthetical notes provide valuable information: Paying close attention to information in the CPT® parenthetical notes prevents you from making coding errors. Example: There is a parenthetical note following code 10030 which states "Do not report 10030 in conjunction with 75989, 76942, 77002, 77003, 77012, 77021. This alerts the coder that imaging guidance cannot be reported with the surgical procedure code.
  • Know your modifiers: Review the proper use for each modifier. Understand when each should be appended.
    Example: Modifier 26 is appended to codes with a professional and technical component to indicate the provider you are coding for only performed the professional component. If the question/scenario indicates the procedure is performed in the hospital setting, the coder will be alerted that modifier 26 should be appended to radiology procedures and medicine procedures that apply. If the code description includes professional component (e.g. 93010), you would not append modifier 26.
AAPC Tip #4 CCO

BHAT®​

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Secrets Revealed for Passing an AAPC Exam​


There is more to passing your credentialing exam than studying.

 
The AAPC Social Hour on Facebook Live, May 26, at 11 a.m. MT (1 p.m. ET) focused on how to prepare for and pass your upcoming certification exam. Moderator and AAPC Social Media Manager Alex McKinley (AAPC Alex) was joined by Dianne Estes, CPC, CPB, COC, CPMA, who had plenty of advice for making the most of your prep time and test time, having taken four certification exams herself. Estes is the Region 3 mid-Atlantic National Advisory Board (NAB) representative from Kentucky and has been working in billing and coding since she was 19 years old, on both the provider and payer side of healthcare.


 
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