Exam 1: Free Coding Specialist

A 47-year-old male patient with advanced cancer of the lower left mandible presented to the hospital for surgical removal of the lower left jawbone with secondary insertion of mandibular prosthesis. In order to perform surgery, the patient had to be intubated through a tracheostomy. After anesthesia, the surgeon performed the tracheostomy by incising the cricothyroid membrane horizontally along the trachea and inserting the intubation device. The surgeon completed the primary surgical procedure on the patient's mandible. What is the correct code for the intubation?

Diaphragmatic hernia repair codes are divided based upon what?

Larry works at a cola bottling company and as one of his job duties, he is required to lift heavy boxes of syrup onto pallets. He is also required, by the safety department, to wear a back brace and hernia belt. Larry was lifting a large box of syrup on to a pallet when he suffered a severe abdominal hernia. Will worker's compensation insurance cover his medical costs?

A patient is injured in a motor-cross accident and shattered two of his vertebrae. Now he is paralyzed from the chest down and can move his arms, but not his legs. At what level is his injury?

A new patient was seen in the office complaining of ear pain, headache and a mild fever. The physician performed a problem-focused history assessment and an expanded problem-focused examination on the patient. The physician diagnosed the patient with an acute inner ear infection. This medical diagnosis was considered to be of low complexity. What is the correct E&M code for the service?

In the CPT manual, Appendix C lists clinical examples of:

When you are searching for a diagnosis code in the ICD-9 manual:

Debbie has Type II diabetes, and has been working with her physician to develop diet and exercise techniques that help control her symptoms. Today her doctor also put her on a new medication, which may help control her blood sugar levels better. What is the correct ICD-9 code for Debbie's diabetes?

An forensic pathologist performed a gross post=mortem examination on a stillborn infant. The exam included the infant's brain, but did not include the infant's spinal cord. How should the pathologist code for this service?

Sylvia was seen in the office and was diagnosed with acute bronchitis with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease. What is the correct ICD-9 diagnosis code for her condition?

A physician biopsied the skin on a 30-year-old woman's upper eyelid, with a possible fungal infection. Three sites were biopsied. How should the physician code for this procedure?

The diaphragm is the major muscle that controls breathing. Is this muscle voluntary or involuntary?

A 38-year-old female patient presented to the office for an extended ophthalmoscopy with retinal drawing. The physician also performed interpretation and report of the findings. The physician performing the procedure also performed the anesthesia service for the patient, due to the fact that the anesthesiologist was not available. What are the correct codes for the procedure?

The physician saw the disabled patient during a home visit. The patient recently moved to be closer to her family therefore she is considered a new patient. The physician performs a detailed history and an expanded problem-focused examination. Due to the lack of risk and small amount of data to be analyzed, the MDM is of low complexity. What is the correct evaluation and management service code?

Which of the following is always the payer of last resort?

A pacemaker or pacing cardioverter-defibrillator that has pacing and sensing functions in three or more chambers of the heart is considered a:

The external ear contains the:

Alma is a 32-weeks pregnant, Type I diabetic, who was diagnosed at 10-years-old. She has taken insulin continuously since her diagnosis. So far, Alma' diabetes has not significantly affected her pregnancy, but Alma and her physicians have closely monitored her pregnancy and diabetes. What are the correct ICD-9 diagnosis codes for Alma's condition?

What is the correct code for a complete chest x-ray?

PROCEDURAL NOTE PATIENT: Ortiz, Pamela AGE: 12 DATE: 04/16/2015 PREOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Obstructive Sleep Apnea POSTOPERATIVE DIAGNOSIS: Obstructive Sleep Apnea PROCEDURE: Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy The patient was anesthetized and placed on the operating table in a supine position. Her mouth was set open to allow access to the tonsils at the beginning of the pharynx. Both tonsils and adenoids appeared to be grossly enlarged. Using electrocautery, the patient's tonsils were dissected from the subcapsular plane and removed from the pharynx. Minimal bleeding was noted on the right side of the tonsillar excision, which was cauterized to stop the bleeding. Adenoids were dissected in the same manner and no bleeding was noted. Thrombin was applied to both sides of the tonsillar excision to induce clotting and stop any additional bleeding that might occur postoperatively. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was given a pain medication prescription for possible throat pain. The physician recommended that the patient only consume cold foods and liquids for postoperative pain management. The patient was scheduled for a follow-up exam in one week. How should you code this procedure?