CPC study kit
Cheatsheet, term cards, never-miss list, and a seven-day plan. Original study material.
The rule
Index, then Tabular. Code only what the record supports at the stated specificity. This drill never uses AMA-licensed procedure codes.
If laterality, episode, or the procedure itself is missing, query. Do not guess the side or complete a cancelled service.
Never miss
- Never code from the Alphabetic Index alone.
- Excludes1 is mutually exclusive. Excludes2 allows both when documented.
- Outpatient uncertain diagnoses are not coded as confirmed.
- CMS office E/M is medical decision making or time, not history-and-exam bullets.
- A modifier that means distinct service needs a documented distinct service.
- HCPCS Level II is the CMS public set for supplies, drugs, and DME concepts.
Traps
- Coding a cancelled procedure as completed.
- Picking the side that groups better.
- Reporting family history as the active disease.
- Bypassing every NCCI edit with the same modifier.
Shortcuts
- Highest documented character, then stop.
- Integral signs sit inside the confirmed diagnosis.
- Queries are non-leading.
Memory hooks
- INDEX-THEN-TABULAR. Find it, then verify it The official ICD-10-CM motion.
- -ectomy / -ostomy / -itis / -scopy. Removal / opening / inflammation / looking High-yield suffixes.
This product's coding roadmap is fundamentals, not CPC prep.
- Day 1Terminology and anatomyRead the Terminology and anatomy terms, then the never-miss lines that touch this domain.
- Day 2ICD-10-CM guidelinesRead the ICD-10-CM guidelines terms, then the never-miss lines that touch this domain.
- Day 3HCPCS and CMS E/M conceptsRead the HCPCS and CMS E/M concepts terms, then the never-miss lines that touch this domain.
- Day 4Compliance and NCCI logicRead the Compliance and NCCI logic terms, then the never-miss lines that touch this domain.
- Day 5Documentation integrityRead the Documentation integrity terms, then the never-miss lines that touch this domain.
- Day 6Mixed recallRun the term cards, then a short drill. Restate the one-line rule out loud.
- Day 7Full drillSit the 15-question exam and review every miss against this kit.