Certified Medical Assistant (CMA AAMA) practice questions
224 free questions with answers and explanations.
- 101.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal site. Which of the following needle lengths is most appropriate for an average-sized adult?Pharmacology
- 102.A patient receives a document from her insurance company after a claim is processed, detailing the billed amount, the allowed amount, what the insurer paid, and the patient's remaining financial responsibility. What is this document called?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 103.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an oral medication to an elderly patient who has difficulty swallowing pills. Which of the following actions is most appropriate?Pharmacology
- 104.A medical assistant is preparing to administer 0.25 mL of purified protein derivative (PPD) for a tuberculin skin test. Which of the following sites is the most appropriate for this injection?Pharmacology
- 105.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection to an adult patient. The medication is oil-based and requires a slow absorption rate. Which of the following needle gauges is most appropriate for this administration?Pharmacology
- 106.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an immunization to a 9-month-old infant. Which of the following intramuscular injection sites is most appropriate for this age group?Pharmacology
- 107.A medical assistant is educating a patient about a new prescription for an antibiotic. The patient states they only plan to take the medication until their symptoms improve. Which of the following instructions is most important for the medical assistant to emphasize?Pharmacology
- 108.A physician orders furosemide 60 mg PO daily. The pharmacy dispenses tablets labeled 20 mg. How many tablets should the medical assistant instruct the patient to take per dose?Pharmacology
- 109.A patient is prescribed amlodipine for hypertension. The medical assistant explains that this medication helps to relax blood vessels and reduce the heart's workload. Amlodipine belongs to which drug classification?Pharmacology
- 110.A physician prescribes cefazolin 500 mg IV every 8 hours. The pharmacy supplies cefazolin 1 gram powder for reconstitution. The instructions state to reconstitute with 5 mL of sterile water to yield 200 mg/mL. How many milliliters should the medical assistant administer per dose?Pharmacology
- 111.A patient is prescribed warfarin 5 mg PO daily. The pharmacy dispenses 2.5 mg tablets. How many tablets should the medical assistant instruct the patient to take per dose?Pharmacology
- 112.A physician orders levothyroxine 0.1 mg PO daily for a patient with hypothyroidism. The medication is available in 50 mcg tablets. How many tablets should the medical assistant administer?Pharmacology
- 113.A medical assistant is preparing to administer 0.5 mL of a vaccine intramuscularly to an adult patient. Which of the following needle lengths is most appropriate for a deltoid injection?Pharmacology
- 114.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an intradermal injection. Which of the following angles of insertion is appropriate for this route?Pharmacology
- 115.A biller notices that a physician's claim reports a single comprehensive CPT code for a lab panel as several separate individual component codes instead, resulting in higher reimbursement. What billing practice does this represent?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 116.A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's medication list and notes a prescription for a statin. The medical assistant knows that statins are primarily used to treat which of the following conditions?Pharmacology
- 117.A physician's office receives a subpoena duces tecum requesting a patient's complete medical record for a pending lawsuit. What is the medical assistant's most appropriate first action?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 118.A physician's office wants to report data on quality performance measures, such as tobacco screening rates, without affecting reimbursement. Which CPT code category should be used for this purpose?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 119.A patient calls the clinic reporting severe nausea and vomiting after starting a new course of antibiotics. The medical assistant should advise the patient to:Pharmacology
- 120.A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's medication list and notes a prescription for metformin. Which of the following conditions is metformin primarily prescribed to treat?Pharmacology
- 121.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an immunization to a 6-month-old infant. Which of the following is the most appropriate site for intramuscular injection in this patient?Pharmacology
- 122.A medical assistant is educating a patient about taking a new prescription for an antibiotic. The patient asks if they should take the medication with food. Which of the following general instructions is most appropriate for the medical assistant to provide?Pharmacology
- 123.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an influenza vaccine subcutaneously to an adult patient. Which of the following angles of insertion is appropriate?Pharmacology
- 124.A Medicare patient is scheduled for a service that the physician believes may not be considered medically necessary by Medicare. Which document should the office provide to the patient before the service is rendered so the patient can be informed of potential financial responsibility?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 125.A patient reports taking St. John's Wort for depression. The medical assistant should be aware that this herbal supplement can have a significant interaction with which of the following classes of medications?Pharmacology
- 126.A physician orders phenobarbital 60 mg PO daily for a patient. The pharmacy dispenses phenobarbital 15 mg tablets. How many tablets should the medical assistant administer per dose?Pharmacology
- 127.A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's medication list and notices a prescription for an antibiotic that causes photosensitivity. Which of the following instructions should the medical assistant provide to the patient?Pharmacology
- 128.A medical assistant is preparing to administer an intramuscular injection into the deltoid muscle of an adult patient. Which of the following needle gauges is most appropriate for this procedure?Pharmacology
- 129.A medical assistant is preparing to submit a claim for a patient who had an office visit and several laboratory tests performed in-house. Which of the following forms is universally accepted for submitting professional claims to payers?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 130.A medical assistant is documenting a patient's visit in an Electronic Health Record (EHR). The patient reports a new symptom of intermittent dizziness. Which section of the SOAP note should this information be recorded?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 131.A medical assistant is preparing a claim for a patient who has Medicare as her primary insurance and a Medigap policy as her secondary. After Medicare has processed the claim, what is the next step for submitting the remaining balance to the Medigap policy?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 132.A medical assistant is scheduling a follow-up appointment for a patient who needs to see a specialist within the next 2-3 weeks. The patient has a preferred day of the week but is flexible with the time. Which of the following scheduling methods would be most appropriate to accommodate this patient's needs while optimizing the specialist's schedule?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 133.A medical assistant is auditing medical records to ensure compliance with documentation standards. Which of the following is the most critical element to verify for every entry in a patient's chart?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 134.A medical assistant is performing charge entry for a patient who received an influenza vaccine. The vaccine product was 0.5 mL of Fluzone Quadrivalent. Which code set is primarily used to report the vaccine product itself?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 135.A medical assistant is preparing to submit a claim for a patient with a laceration repair. The physician performed a simple repair of a 3.5 cm laceration on the patient's arm. The wound required local anesthesia and simple closure. Which CPT code category would this procedure fall under?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 136.A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's chart for an outpatient visit. The physician documented 'possible pneumonia' but ordered further tests, and the final diagnosis is pending. According to ICD-10-CM guidelines for outpatient coding, how should 'possible pneumonia' be coded?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 137.A medical assistant is preparing to submit a claim for a patient with Medicare Part B. The patient's total charges are $300, and the Medicare allowable amount is $200. The patient has already met their annual deductible. Medicare Part B typically pays 80% of the allowable amount. What is the patient's coinsurance responsibility for this visit?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 138.A medical assistant is reviewing a claim denial for a patient's annual physical exam, which was coded with CPT 99395. The insurance company denied the claim, stating 'service not covered.' Which of the following is the most likely reason for this denial?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 139.A medical assistant is reconciling payments for the day. A patient's Explanation of Benefits (EOB) shows a 'coinsurance' amount of $20.00. The patient's plan has an 80/20 coinsurance. The allowed amount for the service was $100.00, and the deductible has already been met. How much did the insurance company pay?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 140.A medical assistant is auditing patient accounts and notices several claims for office visits were denied due to 'lack of prior authorization.' Which of the following is the most effective proactive measure to prevent future denials of this type?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 141.A medical assistant is processing a claim for a patient who received an influenza vaccination. The patient also had an office visit for a chronic condition on the same day. Which CPT modifier should be considered when billing for both services to indicate they are distinct?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 142.A medical assistant is reviewing a patient's superbill after an office visit. The patient was seen for a new complaint, and the physician performed a comprehensive examination and ordered several tests. Which of the following is the primary purpose of the superbill?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 143.A medical assistant is reviewing a claim denial where the insurance company states the patient's coverage was terminated prior to the date of service. Which of the following is the most appropriate initial action?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 144.A medical assistant is processing a claim for a patient who underwent a minor surgical procedure in the physician's office. The procedure has a 10-day global period. If the patient returns for a routine post-operative check-up related to the surgery within this 10-day period, how should the follow-up visit be billed?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 145.A medical assistant is scheduling a new patient for an initial consultation. The physician prefers to see new patients for 45 minutes to allow for a comprehensive history and examination. Which scheduling method allocates specific time slots for different types of appointments?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 146.A medical assistant is performing a charge entry for a patient who received an influenza vaccination during an office visit. The physician administered the vaccine. Which of the following CPT codes would be needed to accurately bill for this service?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 147.A medical assistant is abstracting information for coding from a patient's record. The patient was admitted to the hospital with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and subsequently developed congestive heart failure (CHF) as a direct result. How should these conditions be coded according to ICD-10-CM guidelines?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 148.A medical assistant is assigning an ICD-10-CM code for a patient who presents with chronic low back pain. The physician's documentation states, 'Patient has chronic low back pain, likely degenerative disc disease, but exact cause not fully determined.' Which coding guideline is most important to follow in this situation?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 149.A medical assistant is managing the schedule for a busy orthopedic practice. The physician regularly performs complex fracture repairs that can take unpredictable amounts of time. To minimize patient wait times and prevent the schedule from running significantly behind, which scheduling method would be most effective for these types of procedures?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling
- 150.A medical assistant is reviewing a denial for a claim submitted for a patient's annual wellness visit. The reason for denial states 'lack of medical necessity.' The physician's documentation clearly indicates the patient's eligibility for the service. Which of the following is the most likely reason for this denial?Administrative: Billing, Coding and Scheduling