Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Student: ___________________________________________________________________________
1. Which of the following pieces of office equipment is necessary for electronic data interchange?
A. Scanner
B. Transcriber
C. Modem
D. Photocopier
E. Postage meter
2. A supplier offers a 10% discount when ordering 12 or more items. Each item costs $40. How much will 12
items cost?
A. $108
B. $480
C. $396
D. $432
4. In a facility that has several procedure rooms and adequate personnel to staff them, which type of scheduling
can be used to build in flexibility?
A. Wave
B. Open hours
C. Grouping
D. Advance
E. Computerized
9. Bob Johnson goes to his participating HMO provider for a check-up and a flu shot. The allowed charge for a
check-up is $80, and the physician's usual fee is $85. The allowed charge for the flu shot is $50, and the
physician's usual fee is $40. How much is Mr. Johnson charged for the visit?
A. Nothing
B. $5
C. $15
D. $40
E. $130
10. Which accounting system uses the equation Assets [H11005] Liabilities [H11001] Owner Equity?
A. Pegboard
B. Single-entry
C. Double-entry
D. Daily log
E. Accounts receivable
12. In order to ensure the continuous accuracy of accounts, a medical assistant can
A. Transfer the amounts in each account from the journals to the ledgers
B. Keep track of write-offs
C. Bank electronically
D. Write only certified checks
E. Take a trial balance
14. All of the following calls will require the physician's personal attention except
A. Requests for prescription renewals that have not been preauthorized
B. Reports from patients concerning unsatisfactory progress or abnormal test results
C. Calls from insurance companies
D. Calls from other doctors
E. Personal calls
15. The fee an individual physician most frequently charges for a service is called the
A. Usual fee
B. Customary fee
C. Reasonable fee
D. Standard fee
E. Prevailing charge
16. When you have 300 flyers and circulars to mail out, which mail category should you use?
A. Standard Mail (A)
B. Standard Mail (B)
C. First-Class Mail
D. Periodicals
E. Bound Printed Matter
18. Michelle Columbus is a patient at your medical facility. She has both Medicare and a type of Medigap
insurance. When you file her insurance claim, where should you send the claim?
A. The claim must be filed with the Medigap insurance carrier first
B. The claim is not filed at all, because payments from both policies are automatic on a month-to-month basis
C. The claim must be filed with Medicare first
D. The charges must be filed with both insurance carriers at once
E. None of these
19. Medicaid is
A. A secondary carrier when the patient has Medicare
B. Always the primary carrier
C. A type of Medigap insurance policy
D. A governmental insurance plan with which all physicians must comply
E. Both A and C
20. How can you protect your computerized medical office records against both fires and computer viruses?
A. Do not open attachments from people you don't know
B. Do not open e-mail messages from people you don't know
C. Make backup copies of all files nightly
D. Store backup files off the premises
E. Both C and D
21. Which of the following types of information is often stored on a medical database?
A. Provider data
B. Patient data
C. Diagnosis codes
D. Transactions
E. All of these
23. When filing patient records, which of the following should be filed first?
A. Paul Edward Jr.
B. Paul Edward Sr.
C. Paul J. Edward Sr.
D. P. Travis Edward Jr.
E. P. Travis Edward Sr.
24. Physicians are required to keep payroll data for how many years?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
25. Employers must submit a report of all taxes owed by a business at least
A. Every week
B. Every 2 weeks
C. Monthly
D. Quarterly
E. Annually
26. HCPCS is the abbreviation for the Health Care Procedural Coding System, mandated by Congress for
A. Medicare
B. Medicaid
C. Blue Cross
D. CHAMPVA
E. TRICARE
27. When you have to file an insurance claim for a procedure that is not listed in the Physicians' Current
Procedural Terminology, what should you do?
A. File a claim for the procedure that is closest to the unlisted one
B. Look for a code in the ICD-9-CM
C. Read the guidelines for such procedures in each section, and file a special report that describes and explains
the extent and reasons for service
D. You cannot file a claim for an unlisted procedure
E. Consult the Health Care Financing Administration
32. A method of identifying and separating items to be filed into smaller subunits is called
A. Indexing
B. Creating tickler files
C. Numerical filing
D. Coding
E. Subject filing
33. When using a computer, a list of commands or options that can be selected is called a
A. Protocol
B. Menu
C. Window
D. Link
E. Character
34. The medical assistant responsible for coding should attend at least
A. One CPT class each year
B. One ICD-9 class each year
C. One ICD-9 and one CPT class each year
D. One CPT and one ICD-9 class every two years
E. One CPT and one ICD-9 class every three years
36. What is the maximum size of an item you can mail through the U.S. Postal Service?
A. Letters should not weigh more than 13 ounces, and parcels should not weigh more than 25 pounds
B. There are size limits only on envelopes, not on Parcel Post
C. There are no size limits on items mailed
D. A combined length and girth of 130 inches and weight of no more than 108 pounds
E. A combined length and girth of 108 inches and weight of no more than 70 pounds
37. Which of the following terms is used to describe the medical records of patients who have not been in the
office for several years?
A. Reserved
B. Restricted
C. Purged
D. Closed
E. Inactive
39. Which of the following is considered the best type of filing system because it is designed to reduce the
misfiling of patient files?
A. Numerical
B. Subject based
C. Geographical
D. Color coded
E. Cross referenced
40. Which of the following is a federation of nonprofit organizations offering private insurance plans?
A. CHAMPVA
B. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
C. TRICARE
D. DEERS
E. Medicare
44. A certain patient often comes to your office for cancer treatment. When this patient comes in with a sore
throat caused by the flu, what is the primary diagnosis according to the ICD-9-CM?
A. Cancer
B. Flu
C. Sore throat
D. Coughing
E. Fever
45. Placing area rugs in the reception area of a medical office is an example of
A. Quality assurance
B. Quality improvement
C. A safety hazard
D. Universal precautions
E. Receptionist duties
47. The place where transactions are first recorded is called the
A. General journal
B. Charge journal
C. Daysheet
D. Daily log
E. All of these
50. The process of checking transcribed materials for accuracy and clarity is called
A. Formatting
B. Proofreading
C. Word processing
D. Transcription
E. Dictation
51. Which of the following plans covers spouses of veterans with permanent, service-related disabilities?
A. Medigap
B. Medicare
C. Medicaid
D. CHAMPUS
E. CHAMPVA
53. Which of the following types of insurance cover medical expenses for patients who are injured on the
physician's property?
A. Special risk
B. Overhead
C. Liability
D. Workers' compensation
E. Disability
55. To maximize communication with children, all of the following guidelines are good practices except
A. To take their feelings seriously
B. To work directly with their parents
C. Explain all procedures, even basic ones, in simple terms
D. To let them examine instruments
E. To be truthful
57. Amounts of money owed to a medical practice for professional services rendered are
A. Usual fees
B. Actual charges
C. Major medical expenses
D. Accounts receivable
E. Accounts payable
59. A system of payment used by managed care plans in which physicians and hospitals are paid a fixed, per
capita amount for each patient enrolled over a stated period of time, regardless of the type and number of
services provided, is called
A. Premium
B. Capitation
C. Medigap
D. Control plan
E. Fee management
62. Under the old mail classification system, manuscript copies and circulars were sent as
A. First Class Mail
B. Second Class Mail
C. Third Class Mail
D. Fourth Class Mail
E. None of these
64. Guidelines that dictate the day-to-day workings of an office are called
A. Procedures
B. Planning
C. Outlines
D. Policies
E. Protocols
68. In which letter style are all lines flush left except for the dateline, complimentary closing, and signature?
A. Full-block
B. Modified-block
C. Simplified
D. Center-block
E. Left-block
69. The term used for the authorization to an insurance company to make payment directly to the physician is
A. Reasonable fee
B. Fee schedule
C. Assignment of benefits
D. Fee compliance
E. Accepting fees
71. If you want an envelope to be processed electronically, how should you print the address?
A. Use single spacing
B. Use all capital letters
C. Do not use punctuation
D. Put the company name first, followed by the Attention line
E. All of these
73. When dealing with an angry patient, you must learn how to
A. Return to your work
B. Stop the patient from talking
C. Break off communication
D. Remain calm
E. Both A and D
75. Which of the following is a correct form for an inside street address of a business letter?
A. Fourth Street
B. 5th Street
C. One Twelfth Street
D. 3 Seventh St
E. Nine Eleventh Dr
80. Which of the following envelope sizes is the most commonly used in the medical office?
A. Number 10
B. Number 7
C. Number 6
D. Number 5
E. Both A and C
81. On an envelope, the return address for the sender should always be placed in the
A. Upper left corner
B. Middle on the left side
C. Lower right corner
D. Lower left corner
E. Center of the envelope
82. All of the following types of file cabinets are used in the medical office except
A. Movable
B. Circular
C. Open-shelf
D. Vertical
E. Both A and C
83. Which device is used to transfer information from one computer to another by means of telephone lines and
servers?
A. Modem
B. Scanner
C. Mouse
D. Monitor
E. Windows
84. Which of the following diagnosis categories are coded on insurance claim forms?
A. Probable
B. Possible
C. Established
D. Suspected
E. Unknown
87. Which of the following determinants can measure the effectiveness of the billing system?
A. Collection summary
B. Collection calls
C. Collection letters
D. Collection assistance
E. Collection ratio
91. When appointments are made weeks or months in advance, the medical office is using
A. Advance scheduling
B. Future scheduling
C. Wave scheduling
D. Predictive scheduling
E. Forward scheduling
93. Carol Jones is a patient with Medicare at your medical office. She has come in for treatment for which the
usual fee is $175; however, the MFS allows only $140 for such a service. Carol's copayment is 10% of any
treatment. How much do you bill Carol?
A. $17.50
B. $14
C. $49
D. $3.50
E. $35
94. Mark Winston's insurance carrier provides an 80:20 plan. When Mark goes to a physician for a service that
costs $200, how much will Mark have to pay?
A. $40
B. $160
C. $80
D. $20
E. None of these
96. According to the ICD-9-CM, which of the following codes are used to classify factors that influence the
patient's health status and contact with health services?
A. E codes
B. V codes
C. A codes
D. K codes
E. M codes
97. Steps toward having a positive attitude include all of the following except
A. Smiling
B. Accepting tips from patients
C. Using positive statements
D. Saying something pleasant
E. Being constructive and refraining from complaining
98. Which of the following mail items may need to be opened by the physician?
A. Insurance forms
B. Checks for deposit
C. Laboratory test results
D. Letters from attorneys
E. Bills from suppliers
99. Who keeps a running account of a patient's deductible, and where can you find information on this
deductible in order to charge the patient correctly?
A. The physician keeps a running account of the deductible on the patient superbill
B. The insurance carrier keeps a running account on the patient superbill
C. The patient keeps a running account on the explanation of benefits document
D. The insurance carrier keeps a running account on the explanation of benefits document
E. None of these
100. The amount due from the patient for covered services from a nonparticipating provider is
A. The difference between the physician's fee and the deductible plus copayment
B. The difference between the allowed charge and the physician's fee plus any coinsurance or copayment
C. The difference between the deductible and the copayment
D. The physician's fee plus copayment and a deductible
E. Nothing
101. You should file business and organizational records based on the
A. Date of birth
B. Subject or topic
C. Patient identification number
D. Address of the business
E. Patient name
102. A check written by a bank against its funds in another bank is called a
A. Voucher check
B. Money order
C. Certified check
D. Third-party check
E. Bank draft
103. Hospice programs were developed to provide care for patients who are
A. Postoperative
B. Rehabilitative
C. Terminally ill
D. Chronically ill
E. Acutely ill
104. A patient's medical fees come to a total of $90 from a participating provider. What can you bill the patient
if the EOB lists the following itemization?
Charges: $90
Not Eligible for Payment: $12
Allowed Charge: $78
Applied to Deductible: $30
Copayment: $10
Amount Due from Carrier: $38
A. $38
B. $10
C. $40
D. $30
E. $42
105. Which of the following is the most secure way to mail something through the U.S. Postal Service?
A. Certified Mail
B. Insured Mail
C. Registered Mail
D. First Class Mail
E. Priority Mail
107. Which special service assures that mail is delivered only to a specific addressee or to someone authorized
in writing to receive mail for the addressee?
A. Registered mail
B. Restricted delivery
C. Address service
D. Insured mail
E. COD
108. What action can you take when you realize that you have mailed something you did not intend to?
A. Nothing; once an item is mailed, it will be delivered
B. Ask the carrier to give you the item back
C. Fill out a written application at the post office to recall the mail, and attach an identically addressed envelope
D. Intercept it before it gets delivered to the addressee
E. Present a receipt of mailing or Certificate of Mailing at the addressee's post office
110. Which of the following proofreaders' symbols means "move text to the right"?
A. ?
B. ^
C. Ic
D. ]
E. [
111. On January 1, the petty cash account balance was $150. On January 18, the balance of the petty cash
account is $85. How much should the petty cash vouchers total on January 18?
A. $35
B. $65
C. $75
D. $95
E. $135
112. Which of the following is a scheduling method in which patients sign in and are seen on a first-come, firstserved basis?
A. Numerical
B. Subject
C. Alphabetical
D. Chronological
E. Geographical
113. According to the American Medical Association, how long should you keep patient records after the
patient's final visit?
A. 5 years
B. 10 years
C. 3 years
D. 7 years
E. Permanently
114. Which of the following acts provides federal income tax advantages to individuals who buy certain longterm care insurance policies?
A. The Patient Self-Determination Act
B. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
C. The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act
D. The Health Maintenance Organization Act
E. The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act
115. Which of the following notations indicates a V code that can only be used as a secondary diagnosis?
A. MSP
B. PDX
C. NOS
D. SDx
E. DEF
118. Which of the following steps should you take when you receive new supplies?
A. Inventory all supplies
B. Send back old supplies to the supplier
C. Throw out all old supplies
D. Place them in the front of the supply area
E. Place them in the back of the supply area
120. Which of the following is a slow type of memory that uses the hard disk?
A. Virtual
B. ROM
C. RAM
D. Cache
E. None of these
121. Which of the following features of a transcription machine is most useful when the physician speaks
quickly?
A. Tone control
B. Speed of the typist
C. Indicator strip
D. Volume control
E. Stop-and-start control
123. Which of the following is used for recording the difference between the debit and credit columns?
A. Balance column
B. Adjustment column
C. Trial balance
D. Credit balance
E. Journal column
124. In each journal entry in a double-entry accounting system, the dollar amount of a debit must be equal to the
dollar amount of a
A. Receivable
B. Credit
C. Balance
D. Equity
E. None of these
126. Which of the following extensions is used in the website address for the American Association of Medical
Assistants?
A. .net
B. .org
C. .edu
D. .com
E. .gov
128. An unpredictable small cash expenditure, such as buying a cup of coffee for a visiting physician, can be
covered by a(n)
A. Superbill
B. Emergency bill
C. Petty cash fund
D. Bank draft
E. Money order
129. If an insurance company has rejected a claim because no preauthorization was obtained, what should your
medical office do?
A. Write a letter of appeal, and review the patient's contract
B. Bill the patient
C. Resubmit the claim with proper preauthorization
D. Call the carrier, and take the company to court if necessary
E. Write off the claim as a loss
130. Which of the following statements is true about Medicare claims processing?
A. Providers are encouraged but not required to use the CMS-1500 form
B. Medicare forms are signed only by the patient
C. Nonparticipating providers are required to accept assignment
D. The allowable payment to nonparticipating providers is less than the allowable payment to participating
providers
E. None of these
133. Which of the following types of information is included in office policy manuals?
A. Specifications for personal appearance
B. Employer insurance contributions
C. Employee health records
D. Employee salaries
E. Employee progress reports
134. Which of the following mail types will guarantee overnight delivery?
A. Special Delivery First-Class
B. Registered First-Class
C. Certified First-Class
D. Priority
E. Express
135. According to the Truth in Lending Act, a written agreement is required if a patient agrees to pay his or her
debt in a minimum of how many installments?
A. Two
B. Three
C. Four
D. Five
E. Six
138. Medicare claims must be filed by which of the following dates for services rendered during the previous
year?
A. February 28
B. March 31
C. June 15
D. September 30
E. December 31
139. What percentage of a practice's gross income should be devoted to purchasing supplies?
A. Not more than 3%
B. Not more than 20%
C. Not more than 6%
D. Not more than 15%
E. Not more than 50%
141. The most common scheduling system used in urgent care centers is
A. Open booking
B. Wave
C. Modified wave
D. Stream
E. Cluster
142. Scheduling two or more patients in the same time slot is called
A. Wave scheduling
B. Advance scheduling
C. Double booking
D. Modified wave scheduling
E. Doubled open hours
143. Which of the following statements is true of workers' compensation claims processing?
A. Records of a workers' compensation case should be kept with the patient's regular medical records
B. The medical office bills the patient, who then is responsible for submitting claims to the insurance carrier
C. The injured person's records must be personally signed by the physician
D. The insurance carrier gets only a claim but no other records
E. The injured person pays the medical bills and can file claims with the insurance company later
144. When you receive a monthly statement from the practice's bank, you should first
A. Initial and file the statement with other financial records
B. Reconcile the bank statement with the practice's own checkbook balances and contact the bank if you notice
any discrepancies
C. Note when the account was opened and compare this date to the date listed in your records
D. Review the caption for the total value of checks processed, the total amount of deposits made, the account's
beginning and ending balance, and that month's closing date
E. Both B and D
145. A patient whose 65th birthday was yesterday arrives at your medical office. Under the guidelines of the
Social Security Act, she is now entitled to receive benefits under which of the following programs?
A. Workers' compensation
B. CHAMPUS
C. Medicaid
D. Medicare Part A
E. Medicare Part B
146. Which of the following types of filing systems is most appropriate for the research materials maintained by
a physician
A. Tickler
B. Numerical
C. Subject
D. Alphabetical
E. Geographical
148. A nonnegotiable check issued for the payment of debts by an insurance company is called a
A. Warrant
B. Voucher check
C. Bank draft
D. Limited check
E. Money order
149. When you receive a check as payment from a patient, you should
A. Endorse it immediately and write "For deposit only" on its back
B. Endorse it and deposit it as soon as possible
C. Use a qualified endorsement by writing Without recourse above the signature
D. Write for deposit only on the back and deposit it with your bank
E. None of these
150. What should a medical office do when its collection efforts have failed?
A. Collect through the court system
B. Collect through a collection agency
C. Keep sending bills to the patient and also allow a collection agency to follow up with the account
D. Write off the debt
E. Either A or B
152. Which of the following acts requires that creditors provide applicants with accurate and complete credit
costs and terms, clearly and obviously?
A. Truth in Lending Act
B. Fair Credit Reporting Act
C. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
D. Equal Credit Opportunity Act
E. Reasonable Collection and Credit Act
153. Which of the following accounts is the most typical for patients of a medical practice?
A. Written-contract account
B. Single-entry account
C. Open-book account
D. Standard payment account
E. Double-entry account
155. Educational charts, sound recordings, and films are often sent as
A. Special Standard Mail
B. Standard Mail (C)
C. Library Mail
D. Standard Mail (A)
E. Parcel Post
157. The nonremovable magnetic medium inside a computer where information is stored is called a
A. Hard drive
B. Keyboard
C. Modem
D. Mouse
E. CD-ROM
158. The amounts a physician owes to others for equipment and services are called
A. Payrolls
B. Accounts payable
C. Accounts receivable
D. Delinquent accounts
E. Payments
159. Which of the following tools is useful in showing the status of each account at a glance?
A. Single-entry account list
B. Collection ratio
C. Accounts receivable ratio
D. Aging accounts receivable
E. Open-book account list
160. All of the following are advantages of electronic banking over traditional banking except
A. Increased productivity
B. Increased accuracy
C. Greater control of cash flow
D. Ease of depositing checks
E. Computerized check access
161. According to the CPT, when coding an insurance claim for a tonsillectomy, the code should be listed under
which of the following body systems?
A. Integumentary
B. Respiratory
C. Reproductive
D. Endocrine
E. Cardiovascular
163. Which of the following systems is the least structured of all the scheduling systems?
A. Open hours
B. Wave scheduling
C. Advance scheduling
D. Modified wave scheduling
E. Double booking
164. Which act requires credit bureaus to supply correct and complete information to businesses to use in
evaluating a person's application for credit?
A. Equal Credit Opportunity Act
B. Fair Credit Reporting Act
C. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
D. Truth in Lending Act
E. All of these
165. Being firm and standing up for oneself while showing respect for others is called
A. Rapport
B. Prejudice
C. Communication
D. Argumentativeness
E. Assertiveness
166. The most appropriate filing system for organizing and storing medical research material is
A. Tickler
B. Alphabetical
C. Subject
D. Numerical
E. Chronological
168. Which of the following abbreviations refers to a procedural code book using a numerical system updated
annually by the American Medical Association?
A. HCPCS
B. HCFA
C. ICD-9-CM
D. CPT
E. UCR
169. Which of the following types of file cabinet is the least efficient?
A. Movable
B. Open-shelf
C. Vertical
D. Office
E. Upright
170. What will happen when a physician in contract with an HMO plan exceeds the utilization norms set by the
HMO?
A. The physician will not receive a withheld portion of the capitation payment
B. The physician will lose the contract with the HMO
C. The physician will have to switch to a fee-for-service payment option
D. All of these
E. None of these
171. In a network, a common connection point for the devices containing ports is called a
A. Microprocessor
B. Touch pad
C. Mouse
D. Control unit
E. Hub
172. Which of the following is determined by comparing the actual fee charged by physicians in the same
specialty?
A. Fee schedule
B. Accepting assignment
C. Usual fee
D. Usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR) fee
E. Resource-Based Relative Value Scale
174. Encouraging patients to think through and answer their own questions and concerns is called
A. Focusing
B. Restating
C. Reflecting
D. Stressing
E. Completing
175. When using ICD-9-CM codes, which of the following will occur when the fourth and fifth digits are
omitted?
A. Third-party downcoding
B. Third-party upcoding
C. Faster payments
D. Increased payments
E. Claim denials
176. Which type of filing cabinet requires the least amount of room?
A. Vertical
B. Movable
C. Four-drawer
D. Open-shelf
E. None of these
178. A single computer that can be accessed by other computers over a network is called a(n)
A. Server
B. Software-driven computer
C. Operating system
D. Modem computer
E. Application computer
184. How long should copies of all bills and order forms for supplies be kept on file, in case the practice is
audited by the IRS?
A. 1 year
B. 3 years
C. 5 years
D. 10 years
E. Indefinitely
186. Which of the following programs may offer the highest level of benefits to enrollees when they obtain
services from a designated physician, hospital, or other health provider?
A. Health maintenance organization
B. Preferred provider organization
C. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
D. Independent practice association
E. Indemnity policy
187. Which portion of the CMS-1500 form contains physician or supplier information?
A. The first part
B. The middle part
C. The last part
D. Both A and B
E. The form does not include physician or supplier information
188. After opening the mail, one of your duties as a medical assistant might be to
A. Enunciate
B. Proofread
C. Edit
D. Rewrite
E. Annotate
191. Each new employee must complete which of the following federal income tax forms at the time of hiring?
A. W-2
B. W-4
C. 941
D. 1099
E. 1094
193. Whose telephone calls require the immediate attention of the physician?
A. Pharmacists
B. Consulting physicians
C. Hospital staff nurses
D. The physician's family
E. Important patients
194. Which of the following types of correspondence can be signed by the medical assistant?
A. Consultation reports
B. Referral letters
C. Termination letters
D. Letters to other physicians
E. Insurance paperwork
195. Which of the following forms must be filed as the employer's quarterly federal tax return?
A. W-2
B. W-4
C. 941
D. 1099
E. 1094
197. Which of the following groups present the most common collection problem?
A. Patients with hardship cases
B. Younger adults
C. Partially insured individuals
D. Male patients
E. Foreign patients
201. In an accounting system, how should a debit balance on a patient ledger card be entered?
A. Income
B. Accounts receivable
C. Payment
D. Charge
E. Debit
203. When a patient away from home on vacation consults a physician, the patient most likely is given
A. An open account
B. A single-entry account
C. A one-time account
D. A vacation account
E. A holiday account
204. The numerals appearing in the lower left corner of a check, which are printed in magnetic ink, represent
which of the following codes or numbers?
A. NSF
B. ABA number
C. MICR code
D. Dollars
E. Bank code name
205. All of the following insurance programs are sponsored by the federal government except:
A. TRICARE
B. CHAMPVA
C. Medicaid
D. Workers' compensation
E. Medicare
207. Which of the following ratios measures how fast outstanding accounts are being paid?
A. Collection ratio
B. Payment ratio
C. Accounts receivable ratio
D. Delinquency ratio
E. Percentage
209. In the color-coded filing system, purple includes which part of the alphabet?
A. E through H
B. I through N
C. O through Q
D. R through Z
E. A through L
210. Which of the following devices can convert printed matter and images into information that can be
interpreted by the computer?
A. Touch screen
B. Modem
C. Keyboard
D. Hard drive
E. Scanner
211. On letters and packages, handling instructions such as Personal or Confidential are printed
A. Two lines above the address
B. Three lines below the postage
C. Three lines below the return address
D. Across from the address, on the same line
E. Anywhere on the envelope where there might be room
212. Which of the following is a correct way to write the date on a letter?
A. December 5, 02
B. Dec. 5, 2002
C. 12/5/02
D. 12/05/2002
E. December 5, 2002
215. Which of the following information is most important to give to a new patient?
A. Policy on prescription refills
B. Office hours and payment requirements
C. List of local specialists
D. List of local pharmacies
E. List of local hospitals
216. When you need to divide a word in a business letter, which of the following rules can you apply?
A. You can divide after a prefix
B. You can divide according to pronunciation
C. You can divide between two consonants that appear between vowels
D. All of these
E. None of these
217. Which of the following terms refers to computer software operations that obtain a saved file?
A. Retrieving
B. Formatting
C. Editing
D. Creating
E. Merging
221. Which of the following guidelines applies to writing business letters in a medical office?
A. The text in the body of the letter should always be double-spaced
B. Insert an extra line between paragraphs
C. On the second page, use letterhead and put the name of the addressee, the page number, the date, and the
subject in a header
D. Both A and C
E. All of these
223. Which of the following keys are used to activate the calculator function on a computer keyboard?
A. Shift/F1
B. Shift/F4
C. Num Lock
D. Ctrl/Tab
E. Ctrl/Alt/Delete
224. Bill Joentis went to a participating provider to receive a single treatment for which the provider usually
charges $300. The allowed charge for such a service as prescribed by Bill's insurance carrier is $280, and Bill's
copayment is $10 for each visit. How much is the provider allowed to charge Bill?
A. $10
B. $30
C. $20
D. $28
E. $38
225. According to the Labor Standards Act, employee health records should be kept for
A. 1 year
B. 2 years
C. 3 years
D. 5 years
E. 7 years
226. The process of removing outdated data from computer disks or drives is called
A. Retrieving
B. Word processing
C. Transcribing
D. Booting
E. Purging
227. Mimicking the behavior of another person in order to cope with feelings of inadequacy is called
A. Introjection
B. Identification
C. Projection
D. Compensation
E. Regression
229. In patient charting, which of the following abbreviations is used to note a prescription?
A. RS
B. Pt
C. Rx
D. P&P
E. CBC
230. Which of the following types of U.S. Postal Service mail guarantees overnight delivery?
A. Priority
B. Registered
C. First class
D. Express
E. Certified
231. The diseases within the Tabular List of the ICD-9-CM are organized
A. Alphabetically
B. By symptoms
C. Chronologically
D. By the external cause of injury
E. By body system
232. Which of the following is the most common pointing device for a computer?
A. Keyboard
B. Trackball
C. Mouse
D. Motherboard
E. Hard drive
233. Which of the following postal abbreviations is used to represent North Carolina?
A. NA
B. NB
C. NC
D. ND
E. NH
234. According to OSHA, how often must an exposure control plan be reviewed and updated?
A. Every month
B. Every 6 months
C. Every 9 months
D. Every 12 months
E. Every 18 months
235. Which of the following computer keys moves the cursor to a preset position?
A. Tab
B. Shift
C. Insert
D. Enter
E. Spacebar
236. In the CPT, which of the following codes refers to Evaluation and Management?
A. 00100
B. 10040
C. 70010
D. 90281
E. 99201
237. A detailed outline prepared for the physician that includes the trip location, date of arrival, and
confirmation of hotel reservations is known as a(n)
A. Written confirmation
B. Reservation
C. Itinerary
D. Agenda
E. Statement
238. Which of the following business letter closures is considered the most appropriate for a medical office?
A. Sincerely yours
B. Respectfully
C. Yours truly
D. Best wishes
E. Regards
240. If a medical record has been temporarily removed, it should be replaced by a(n)
A. Out guide
B. Index card
C. Post-it note
D. Cross-referenced card
E. Divider guide
242. Which of the following patient information is essential to organizing and filing patient records in all types
of filing systems?
A. Social Security number
B. Name
C. Address
D. Signs and symptoms
E. Date of birth
246. If you are processing payroll, which of the following should be calculated first?
A. Net pay
B. Federal income tax
C. Social Security taxes
D. Gross wages
E. 401K
247. Which of the following postal abbreviations should be used for an envelope that is being sent to Phoenix?
A. AK
B. AR
C. AZ
D. AL
E. NM
248. Which of the following forms is filed with an employee's state income tax return?
A. W-2
B. W-4
C. W-9
D. 940
E. 940A
249. Which of the following federal statutes protects debtors from harassment?
A. Federal Wage Garnishment Law
B. Equal Credit Opportunity Act
C. Fair Credit Reporting Act
D. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
E. Americans With Disabilities Act
250. Which of the following patient information must be recorded when you are scheduling an appointment for
a patient?
A. Social Security number
B. Age
C. Telephone number
D. Mailing address
E. Date of birth
1. Which of the following pieces of office equipment is necessary for electronic data interchange?
A. Scanner
B. Transcriber
C. Modem
D. Photocopier
E. Postage meter
A modem is necessary for electronic data interchange. Modem-to-modem connections provide secure and
reliable high-speed, continuous transmissions.
2. A supplier offers a 10% discount when ordering 12 or more items. Each item costs $40. How much will 12
items cost?
A. $108
B. $480
C. $396
D. $432
$40 [H11003] 12 [H11005] $480. You then need to deduct 10% of $480 to find the discounted price. 10% of
$480 [H11005] $48. Subtract $48 from $480 to find the discounted price of $432, which is the cost of the 12
items.
4. In a facility that has several procedure rooms and adequate personnel to staff them, which type of scheduling
can be used to build in flexibility?
A. Wave
B. Open hours
C. Grouping
D. Advance
E. Computerized
Wave scheduling can provide flexibility to accommodate unforeseen situations, such as a patient who requires
more time or a patient who arrives late. For wave scheduling to work, the medical facility should have multiple
procedure rooms and adequate personnel.
9. Bob Johnson goes to his participating HMO provider for a check-up and a flu shot. The allowed charge for a
check-up is $80, and the physician's usual fee is $85. The allowed charge for the flu shot is $50, and the
physician's usual fee is $40. How much is Mr. Johnson charged for the visit?
A. Nothing
B. $5
C. $15
D. $40
E. $130
In managed care, a participating provider agrees to accept allowed charges in return for various incentives, such
as fast payment. If a participating provider charges more for a service than the allowed charge, the physician
must write off the difference. The patient, like Mr. Johnson, may not be billed for this amount.
10. Which accounting system uses the equation Assets [H11005] Liabilities [H11001] Owner Equity?
A. Pegboard
B. Single-entry
C. Double-entry
D. Daily log
E. Accounts receivable
The double-entry system is based on the accounting equation: Assets [H11005] Liability [H11001] Owner
Equity. This system requires more extensive knowledge of accounting procedures than the simpler single-entry
or pegboard systems.
12. In order to ensure the continuous accuracy of accounts, a medical assistant can
A. Transfer the amounts in each account from the journals to the ledgers
B. Keep track of write-offs
C. Bank electronically
D. Write only certified checks
E. Take a trial balance
Taking a trial balance is a method of checking the accuracy of accounts. It should be done once a month after all
posting has been completed and before preparing the monthly statements. The purpose of a trial balance is to
disclose any discrepancies between the journal and the ledger.
14. All of the following calls will require the physician's personal attention except
A. Requests for prescription renewals that have not been preauthorized
B. Reports from patients concerning unsatisfactory progress or abnormal test results
C. Calls from insurance companies
D. Calls from other doctors
E. Personal calls
Generally, calls from insurance companies will not require the physician's personal attention.
15. The fee an individual physician most frequently charges for a service is called the
A. Usual fee
B. Customary fee
C. Reasonable fee
D. Standard fee
E. Prevailing charge
The usual fee is what an individual physician most frequently charges for a service to private patients. The
customary fee is a range of fees charged by most physicians in the community for a particular service. For
example, the range of fees for a check-up could be from $40 to $50 in a community. The prevailing charges are
fees most frequently charged in an area. For example, for a check-up, fees could range from $40 to $50;
however, upon closer investigation an insurance company could learn that 10 physicians in the community
charge $45, three charge $40, one charges $42, and four charge $50. In this case, the prevailing fee would be
$45.
16. When you have 300 flyers and circulars to mail out, which mail category should you use?
A. Standard Mail (A)
B. Standard Mail (B)
C. First-Class Mail
D. Periodicals
E. Bound Printed Matter
Standard Mail (A) is designed for printed matter, flyers, circulars, advertising, newsletters, bulletins, catalogs,
and small parcels. All Standard Mail (A) must be mailed in bulk. There must be at least 200 pieces of mail or 50
pounds of mail to get this low rate. The periodicals classification is designed for newspapers, magazines, and
other periodical publications whose primary purpose is transmitting information to an established list of
subscribers or requesters. Periodicals must be published at regular intervals at least four times a year from a
known office of publication and be formed of printed sheets. There are specific standards for, among other
things, circulation, record keeping, and advertising limits. There is a nonrefundable application fee to become
authorized for Periodicals mailing privileges.
18. Michelle Columbus is a patient at your medical facility. She has both Medicare and a type of Medigap
insurance. When you file her insurance claim, where should you send the claim?
A. The claim must be filed with the Medigap insurance carrier first
B. The claim is not filed at all, because payments from both policies are automatic on a month-to-month basis
C. The claim must be filed with Medicare first
D. The charges must be filed with both insurance carriers at once
E. None of these
Medigap policies are private insurance contracts that supplement regular Medicare coverage. They often pay for
the beneficiary's deductibles, coinsurance, and in some cases for services not covered by Medicare. If the
subscriber has Medigap insurance, Medicare is still the primary payer, which means claims must be filed with
Medicare first.
19. Medicaid is
A. A secondary carrier when the patient has Medicare
B. Always the primary carrier
C. A type of Medigap insurance policy
D. A governmental insurance plan with which all physicians must comply
E. Both A and C
Medicaid is a health cost assistance program for needy individuals. Coverage may vary from month to month
based on the recipient's income. Physicians are not obligated to treat Medicaid patients, but if they do accept
Medicaid patients, they also accept Medicaid reimbursement for covered services and they cannot bill the
patients for any differences in cost. Medicaid is always a secondary carrier to Medicare.
20. How can you protect your computerized medical office records against both fires and computer viruses?
A. Do not open attachments from people you don't know
B. Do not open e-mail messages from people you don't know
C. Make backup copies of all files nightly
D. Store backup files off the premises
E. Both C and D
In order to protect essential computerized information, it is important to make regular back ups of files onto
disks, CD-ROMs, or zip drives. It's also important to store these back-up files off premises. While not opening
an email attachment from someone you don't know or an attachment you did not expect to receive provides
good protection against certain computer viruses, it will definitely not protect your computer from a fire.
Opening an email is usually harmless, since viruses are usually programs sent as an attachment to emails.
Another good way to protect your computers from viruses is by purchasing an up-to-date virus detection and
protection program.
21. Which of the following types of information is often stored on a medical database?
A. Provider data
B. Patient data
C. Diagnosis codes
D. Transactions
E. All of these
Provider data, patient data, insurance carriers, diagnosis codes, procedure codes, and transactions are usually
stored on large medical databases. A database is a collection of related data organized within a specific
structure. For example, the procedures code database would contain data needed to create charges such as the
Physician's Current Procedural Terminology, as well as place of service. The source of these codes is often the
patient superbill.
23. When filing patient records, which of the following should be filed first?
A. Paul Edward Jr.
B. Paul Edward Sr.
C. Paul J. Edward Sr.
D. P. Travis Edward Jr.
E. P. Travis Edward Sr.
Out of the given list of names, Paul Edward Jr. would be the first patient record filed.
24. Physicians are required to keep payroll data for how many years?
A. 1
B. 2
C. 3
D. 4
E. 5
The physician is required by law to keep payroll data for 4 years. The records should include the employee's
Social Security number, the number of withholding allowances claimed, gross salary, and deductions for Social
Security tax; Medicare tax; federal; state and other tax; state disability insurance; and state unemployment tax.
25. Employers must submit a report of all taxes owed by a business at least
A. Every week
B. Every 2 weeks
C. Monthly
D. Quarterly
E. Annually
An employer must file and submit a quarterly federal tax return.
26. HCPCS is the abbreviation for the Health Care Procedural Coding System, mandated by Congress for
A. Medicare
B. Medicaid
C. Blue Cross
D. CHAMPVA
E. TRICARE
HCPCS, pronounced "hic-pics," is mandated by Congress for Medicare claims and updated annually. It is a
five-digit alphanumerical coding system that can accommodate the addition of modifiers.
27. When you have to file an insurance claim for a procedure that is not listed in the Physicians' Current
Procedural Terminology, what should you do?
A. File a claim for the procedure that is closest to the unlisted one
B. Look for a code in the ICD-9-CM
C. Read the guidelines for such procedures in each section, and file a special report that describes and explains
the extent and reasons for service
D. You cannot file a claim for an unlisted procedure
E. Consult the Health Care Financing Administration
If a procedure is unlisted, the insurance form has guidelines at the beginning of each section on what codes to
use. In these cases, a special report must be attached to the claim to describe and explain the extent of and
reasons for service. ICD-9-CM refers to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical
Modification, which is used to list what is wrong with the patient and what initially brought the patient to see
the doctor.
32. A method of identifying and separating items to be filed into smaller subunits is called
A. Indexing
B. Creating tickler files
C. Numerical filing
D. Coding
E. Subject filing
Indexing refers to a method of deciding where to file a letter or paper. Indexing is an organized method of
identifying and separating items to be filed into small subunits. Each unit is identified according to unit number.
The key individual's unit, unit 1, is the individual's last name. Unit 2 is the individual's first name. Unit 3 is the
middle initial. Unit 4 is a title or special name such as Mrs. or Dr.
33. When using a computer, a list of commands or options that can be selected is called a
A. Protocol
B. Menu
C. Window
D. Link
E. Character
A menu is a list of commands or options that can be selected when using a computer. For example, the File
menu of most word processing programs includes the commands New File, Open File, Close File, and Save
File.
34. The medical assistant responsible for coding should attend at least
A. One CPT class each year
B. One ICD-9 class each year
C. One ICD-9 and one CPT class each year
D. One CPT and one ICD-9 class every two years
E. One CPT and one ICD-9 class every three years
The medical assistant responsible for coding should attend at least one CPT and one ICD-9 class each year.
36. What is the maximum size of an item you can mail through the U.S. Postal Service?
A. Letters should not weigh more than 13 ounces, and parcels should not weigh more than 25 pounds
B. There are size limits only on envelopes, not on Parcel Post
C. There are no size limits on items mailed
D. A combined length and girth of 130 inches and weight of no more than 108 pounds
E. A combined length and girth of 108 inches and weight of no more than 70 pounds
The maximum size for mail pieces is 108 inches in combined length and girth. The maximum mailable weight
of any mail piece is 70 pounds. Items mailed as Parcel Post can have a maximum combined length and girth of
130 inches.
37. Which of the following terms is used to describe the medical records of patients who have not been in the
office for several years?
A. Reserved
B. Restricted
C. Purged
D. Closed
E. Inactive
Inactive is the term used to describe the medical records of patients who have not been in the office for several
years.
39. Which of the following is considered the best type of filing system because it is designed to reduce the
misfiling of patient files?
A. Numerical
B. Subject based
C. Geographical
D. Color coded
E. Cross referenced
A color-coded filing system is the best type of filing system because it is designed to reduce the misfiling of
patient folders. An out-of-place file folder is easily seen because the color tab attached to it breaks the color
sequence of the surrounding files.
40. Which of the following is a federation of nonprofit organizations offering private insurance plans?
A. CHAMPVA
B. Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
C. TRICARE
D. DEERS
E. Medicare
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association is a nationwide federation of local nonprofit service organizations
that offer prepaid health-care services to subscribers.
44. A certain patient often comes to your office for cancer treatment. When this patient comes in with a sore
throat caused by the flu, what is the primary diagnosis according to the ICD-9-CM?
A. Cancer
B. Flu
C. Sore throat
D. Coughing
E. Fever
The primary diagnosis refers to the main condition for which a patient is treated. When a cancer patient comes
in with the flu, the primary diagnosis will be the flu, not cancer.
45. Placing area rugs in the reception area of a medical office is an example of
A. Quality assurance
B. Quality improvement
C. A safety hazard
D. Universal precautions
E. Receptionist duties
Placing area rugs in the reception area of a medical office is an example of a safety hazard. Area rugs may be
tripping hazards because of turned-up corners and the potential of patients to slip when walking on them.
47. The place where transactions are first recorded is called the
A. General journal
B. Charge journal
C. Daysheet
D. Daily log
E. All of these
The general journal is known also as the daily log, daybook, daysheet, daily journal, and charge journal. This
journal is where all transactions are first recorded.
50. The process of checking transcribed materials for accuracy and clarity is called
A. Formatting
B. Proofreading
C. Word processing
D. Transcription
E. Dictation
The process of checking transcribed materials for accuracy and clarity is referred to as proofreading.
Proofreading business letters and transcribed documents helps to reduce the possibility of medication, legal, or
information errors that could result in medical malpractice charges or problems with patient care.
51. Which of the following plans covers spouses of veterans with permanent, service-related disabilities?
A. Medigap
B. Medicare
C. Medicaid
D. CHAMPUS
E. CHAMPVA
CHAMPVA covers spouses of veterans with permanent, service-related disabilities. Survivors of veterans who
died from service-related injuries or in the line of duty are also covered.
53. Which of the following types of insurance cover medical expenses for patients who are injured on the
physician's property?
A. Special risk
B. Overhead
C. Liability
D. Workers' compensation
E. Disability
Liability insurance covers medical expenses for patients who are injured on the physician's property. For
example, in Florida, the law limits a doctor's liability for injuries occurring to patients in the medical facility to
$750,000 in most cases.
55. To maximize communication with children, all of the following guidelines are good practices except
A. To take their feelings seriously
B. To work directly with their parents
C. Explain all procedures, even basic ones, in simple terms
D. To let them examine instruments
E. To be truthful
To maximize communication with children, you must work directly with them, rather than communicating
through parents.
57. Amounts of money owed to a medical practice for professional services rendered are
A. Usual fees
B. Actual charges
C. Major medical expenses
D. Accounts receivable
E. Accounts payable
Accounts receivable are the amounts owed to a business for services or goods supplied.
59. A system of payment used by managed care plans in which physicians and hospitals are paid a fixed, per
capita amount for each patient enrolled over a stated period of time, regardless of the type and number of
services provided, is called
A. Premium
B. Capitation
C. Medigap
D. Control plan
E. Fee management
Capitation is a reimbursement type often used in group-model HMOs. A fixed fee is paid to the physician
monthly regardless of the number of times the patient visits the physician.
62. Under the old mail classification system, manuscript copies and circulars were sent as
A. First Class Mail
B. Second Class Mail
C. Third Class Mail
D. Fourth Class Mail
E. None of these
Under the old classification system, Third Class Mail included books and catalogues of 24 or fewer bound
pages, manuscript copies, identification cards, circulars, and other printed materials, as well as all other matter
weighing less than 16 ounces that was not sent First or Second Class.
64. Guidelines that dictate the day-to-day workings of an office are called
A. Procedures
B. Planning
C. Outlines
D. Policies
E. Protocols
Guidelines that dictate the day-to-day workings of an office are policies.
68. In which letter style are all lines flush left except for the dateline, complimentary closing, and signature?
A. Full-block
B. Modified-block
C. Simplified
D. Center-block
E. Left-block
When using a modified-block letter style, begin all lines at the left margin, with the exception of the date line,
complimentary closure, and keyed signature, which usually begin at the center position.
69. The term used for the authorization to an insurance company to make payment directly to the physician is
A. Reasonable fee
B. Fee schedule
C. Assignment of benefits
D. Fee compliance
E. Accepting fees
Assignment of benefits is the authorization to the insurance company to make payments directly to the
physician.
71. If you want an envelope to be processed electronically, how should you print the address?
A. Use single spacing
B. Use all capital letters
C. Do not use punctuation
D. Put the company name first, followed by the Attention line
E. All of these
The address must be typed on the envelope using single spacing and all capital letters with no punctuation. Put
the addressee's name on the first line, the department on the second line, and the company name on the third
line. If the letter is being sent to someone's attention at the company, put the company name first and
ATTENTION : [ NAME ] on the second line. The last line in the address must include the city, the two-digit state
code, and the zip code.
73. When dealing with an angry patient, you must learn how to
A. Return to your work
B. Stop the patient from talking
C. Break off communication
D. Remain calm
E. Both A and D
As a medical assistant, you must learn how to remain calm when you deal with an angry patient.
75. Which of the following is a correct form for an inside street address of a business letter?
A. Fourth Street
B. 5th Street
C. One Twelfth Street
D. 3 Seventh St
E. Nine Eleventh Dr
On the inside address of a business letter, spell out numerical names of streets but use numerals for the street
address except for single numbers one through nine, which should be spelled out. Also spell out the words
Street, Drive, Boulevard, Place, and so on.
80. Which of the following envelope sizes is the most commonly used in the medical office?
A. Number 10
B. Number 7
C. Number 6
D. Number 5
E. Both A and C
The most common types of envelopes used in the medical office are the Number 6 and Number 10.
81. On an envelope, the return address for the sender should always be placed in the
A. Upper left corner
B. Middle on the left side
C. Lower right corner
D. Lower left corner
E. Center of the envelope
A return address for the sender should always be placed in the upper lefthand corner.
82. All of the following types of file cabinets are used in the medical office except
A. Movable
B. Circular
C. Open-shelf
D. Vertical
E. Both A and C
There are three types of file cabinets used in the medical office: vertical, lateral, and movable file cabinets.
83. Which device is used to transfer information from one computer to another by means of telephone lines and
servers?
A. Modem
B. Scanner
C. Mouse
D. Monitor
E. Windows
Modems may be used to transfer information from one computer to another by means of telephone lines and
servers.
84. Which of the following diagnosis categories are coded on insurance claim forms?
A. Probable
B. Possible
C. Established
D. Suspected
E. Unknown
Established diagnoses are coded on insurance claim forms.
87. Which of the following determinants can measure the effectiveness of the billing system?
A. Collection summary
B. Collection calls
C. Collection letters
D. Collection assistance
E. Collection ratio
The collection ratio measures the effectiveness of the billing system.
91. When appointments are made weeks or months in advance, the medical office is using
A. Advance scheduling
B. Future scheduling
C. Wave scheduling
D. Predictive scheduling
E. Forward scheduling
Advanced scheduling refers to when appointments are made weeks or months in advance.
93. Carol Jones is a patient with Medicare at your medical office. She has come in for treatment for which the
usual fee is $175; however, the MFS allows only $140 for such a service. Carol's copayment is 10% of any
treatment. How much do you bill Carol?
A. $17.50
B. $14
C. $49
D. $3.50
E. $35
Carol Jones can be billed for only 10% of the set fee, which is $140. Therefore, her bill would be for $14. The
physician, by accepting Medicare patients, accepts the Medicare fee schedule, and the medical office may not
bill the patient for any difference between usual fees and the Medicare assigned fee.
94. Mark Winston's insurance carrier provides an 80:20 plan. When Mark goes to a physician for a service that
costs $200, how much will Mark have to pay?
A. $40
B. $160
C. $80
D. $20
E. None of these
An 80:20 plan means that the insurance carrier will pay for 80% of all medical fees, making the subscriber,
Mark, responsible for coinsurance, 20% of all medical fees. Twenty percent of 200 equals $40. An easy way to
calculate this without a calculator is to first determine 10% by moving the decimal point one space to the left
(10% of $200 is $20). Then multiply the 10% figure by 2.
96. According to the ICD-9-CM, which of the following codes are used to classify factors that influence the
patient's health status and contact with health services?
A. E codes
B. V codes
C. A codes
D. K codes
E. M codes
According to the ICD-9-CM, V codes are used to classify factors that influence the patient's health status and
contact with health services. These codes are updated frequently and become more specific to new diseases
every year.
97. Steps toward having a positive attitude include all of the following except
A. Smiling
B. Accepting tips from patients
C. Using positive statements
D. Saying something pleasant
E. Being constructive and refraining from complaining
Steps toward having a positive attitude include using positive statements instead of negative statements, smiling
instead of frowning, and saying something pleasant instead of complaining.
98. Which of the following mail items may need to be opened by the physician?
A. Insurance forms
B. Checks for deposit
C. Laboratory test results
D. Letters from attorneys
E. Bills from suppliers
Some physicians prefer to open letters from attorneys or accountants. Mail such as routine office expense bills,
insurance forms, and checks for deposit may not need to be opened by the physician. Personal letter or letters
marked Confidential also should not be opened unless you have the expressed permission of the addressee. It's
always good to check with the physician to find out what mail falls under your responsibility and what mail he
or she prefers to open.
99. Who keeps a running account of a patient's deductible, and where can you find information on this
deductible in order to charge the patient correctly?
A. The physician keeps a running account of the deductible on the patient superbill
B. The insurance carrier keeps a running account on the patient superbill
C. The patient keeps a running account on the explanation of benefits document
D. The insurance carrier keeps a running account on the explanation of benefits document
E. None of these
The explanation of benefits is a document that the medical practice receives from the insurance carrier, and it
shows how the amount of the benefit was determined. The insurance carrier keeps a running account of the
deductible, and this deductible will be listed on the explanation of benefits. Until the deductible has been met,
the physician may bill the patient for the amount listed as the deductible on the explanation of benefits.
100. The amount due from the patient for covered services from a nonparticipating provider is
A. The difference between the physician's fee and the deductible plus copayment
B. The difference between the allowed charge and the physician's fee plus any coinsurance or copayment
C. The difference between the deductible and the copayment
D. The physician's fee plus copayment and a deductible
E. Nothing
When a patient goes to a nonparticipating provider, the patient is responsible for any difference between the
allowed charge and the physician's usual fee as well as any deductible, co-payment, or coinsurance. If the
patient had gone to a participating provider, the physician would not be able to bill the patient for any difference
between the physician's usual fee and the allowed charge. Any difference would have to become a write-off for
the physician.
101. You should file business and organizational records based on the
A. Date of birth
B. Subject or topic
C. Patient identification number
D. Address of the business
E. Patient name
Filing business and organizational records is based on subject and topic.
102. A check written by a bank against its funds in another bank is called a
A. Voucher check
B. Money order
C. Certified check
D. Third-party check
E. Bank draft
Bank drafts are checks written by a bank against its funds in another bank.
103. Hospice programs were developed to provide care for patients who are
A. Postoperative
B. Rehabilitative
C. Terminally ill
D. Chronically ill
E. Acutely ill
Hospice programs were developed to provide care for patients who are terminally ill. Most hospices service all
patients, regardless of their ability to pay.
104. A patient's medical fees come to a total of $90 from a participating provider. What can you bill the patient
if the EOB lists the following itemization?
Charges: $90
Not Eligible for Payment: $12
Allowed Charge: $78
Applied to Deductible: $30
Copayment: $10
Amount Due from Carrier: $38
A. $38
B. $10
C. $40
D. $30
E. $42
The patient cannot be charged the difference between the allowed charge and the physician's usual fees. So the
$12 difference will be a write-off for the practice. However, the patient is responsible for the deductible and the
co-payment. The allowed charge is $78 and the carrier will pay $38 of that. The difference is $40, which is the
total of the copayment and the deductible.
105. Which of the following is the most secure way to mail something through the U.S. Postal Service?
A. Certified Mail
B. Insured Mail
C. Registered Mail
D. First Class Mail
E. Priority Mail
Registered Mail is the most secure service offered by the post office. Registered Mail provides insurance
coverage for valuable items and is controlled from the point of mailing to the point of delivery. This service
should be reserved for mailing items of tangible value, such as gifts or items that cannot be replaced in case of
loss or damage. Both First Class Mail and Priority Mail can be registered.
107. Which special service assures that mail is delivered only to a specific addressee or to someone authorized
in writing to receive mail for the addressee?
A. Registered mail
B. Restricted delivery
C. Address service
D. Insured mail
E. COD
Restricted delivery means that the mail is delivered only to a specific addressee or someone authorized in
writing to receive mail for the addressee. Restricted delivery is available only for Registered Mail, Certified
Mail, COD mail, and mail insured for more than $50.
108. What action can you take when you realize that you have mailed something you did not intend to?
A. Nothing; once an item is mailed, it will be delivered
B. Ask the carrier to give you the item back
C. Fill out a written application at the post office to recall the mail, and attach an identically addressed envelope
D. Intercept it before it gets delivered to the addressee
E. Present a receipt of mailing or Certificate of Mailing at the addressee's post office
You can recall mail by filling out a written application at the post office and by giving it to the post office along
with an envelope that is addressed identically to the one you want to recall. A mail carrier is not permitted to
simply give mail back to you.
110. Which of the following proofreaders' symbols means "move text to the right"?
A. ?
B. ^
C. Ic
D. ]
E. [
In proofreading, the direction to "move text to the right" is symbolized by the following character: ]
111. On January 1, the petty cash account balance was $150. On January 18, the balance of the petty cash
account is $85. How much should the petty cash vouchers total on January 18?
A. $35
B. $65
C. $75
D. $95
E. $135
The easiest way to determine what the petty cash vouchers should total on January 18 is to subtract the $85
balance from the balance on January 1, which was $150; the difference between these two is $65. Therefore, the
vouchers should show that $65 was taken out of petty cash.
112. Which of the following is a scheduling method in which patients sign in and are seen on a first-come, firstserved basis?
A. Numerical
B. Subject
C. Alphabetical
D. Chronological
E. Geographical
Patients seen on a first-come, first-served basis are scheduled chronologically. Chronological means "in order of
date or time."
113. According to the American Medical Association, how long should you keep patient records after the
patient's final visit?
A. 5 years
B. 10 years
C. 3 years
D. 7 years
E. Permanently
According to the American Medical Association and the American Hospital Association, patient records should
be kept for 10 years after the patient's final visit.
114. Which of the following acts provides federal income tax advantages to individuals who buy certain longterm care insurance policies?
A. The Patient Self-Determination Act
B. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
C. The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act
D. The Health Maintenance Organization Act
E. The Uniform Anatomical Gift Act
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) gives some federal income tax advantages to
individuals who buy certain long-term care insurance policies. As a result of HIPAA, qualifying persons who
purchase long-term care policies can deduct the premiums when medical expenses exceed 7.5% of their
adjusted gross income.
115. Which of the following notations indicates a V code that can only be used as a secondary diagnosis?
A. MSP
B. PDX
C. NOS
D. SDx
E. DEF
SDx is a notation that indicates a V code that can only be used as a secondary diagnosis. S stands for secondary
and Dx stands for diagnosis.
118. Which of the following steps should you take when you receive new supplies?
A. Inventory all supplies
B. Send back old supplies to the supplier
C. Throw out all old supplies
D. Place them in the front of the supply area
E. Place them in the back of the supply area
When new supplies are received, you should place them in the back of the supply area.
120. Which of the following is a slow type of memory that uses the hard disk?
A. Virtual
B. ROM
C. RAM
D. Cache
E. None of these
Virtual memory is the slowest type of memory that uses the hard disk to store programs and data when all the
RAM has been used.
121. Which of the following features of a transcription machine is most useful when the physician speaks
quickly?
A. Tone control
B. Speed of the typist
C. Indicator strip
D. Volume control
E. Stop-and-start control
The stop-and-start control on a transcription machine is useful when the physician speaks quickly.
123. Which of the following is used for recording the difference between the debit and credit columns?
A. Balance column
B. Adjustment column
C. Trial balance
D. Credit balance
E. Journal column
A balance column is used for recording the difference between the debit and credit columns.
124. In each journal entry in a double-entry accounting system, the dollar amount of a debit must be equal to the
dollar amount of a
A. Receivable
B. Credit
C. Balance
D. Equity
E. None of these
In a journal entry, the dollar amount of debit must be equal to the dollar amount of the credit. For example, an
amount owed by a patient to the medical facility is a debit for the patient and a credit to the facility.
126. Which of the following extensions is used in the website address for the American Association of Medical
Assistants?
A. .net
B. .org
C. .edu
D. .com
E. .gov
The AAMA's website address is www.aama.org
128. An unpredictable small cash expenditure, such as buying a cup of coffee for a visiting physician, can be
covered by a(n)
A. Superbill
B. Emergency bill
C. Petty cash fund
D. Bank draft
E. Money order
The petty cash fund is maintained to pay small, unpredictable cash expenditures.
129. If an insurance company has rejected a claim because no preauthorization was obtained, what should your
medical office do?
A. Write a letter of appeal, and review the patient's contract
B. Bill the patient
C. Resubmit the claim with proper preauthorization
D. Call the carrier, and take the company to court if necessary
E. Write off the claim as a loss
Your best course of action is to write a claim appeal, a written request to the insurance carrier to review the
reimbursement. Perhaps the patient's condition was an emergency and there was no time to obtain
preauthorization. It is best to review the patient's contract with the insurance carrier. You should bill the patient
when a claim is rejected for the reasons that the patient's coverage has been canceled or the physician provided
services before the patient's health insurance went into effect. If the claim is rejected because the insurance
company considers the physician's procedure experimental, your office might request a peer review or call the
carrier to discuss options.
130. Which of the following statements is true about Medicare claims processing?
A. Providers are encouraged but not required to use the CMS-1500 form
B. Medicare forms are signed only by the patient
C. Nonparticipating providers are required to accept assignment
D. The allowable payment to nonparticipating providers is less than the allowable payment to participating
providers
E. None of these
Claims for Medicare must be filed by December 31 of the year following that in which the services were
rendered. Medicare forms must be signed by both the patient and the physician. Nonparticipating providers are
not required to accept assignment of benefits, and the allowable payment to nonparticipating providers is less
than the payments to participating providers. Providers are required by law to file the CMS-1500 for all eligible
patients.
133. Which of the following types of information is included in office policy manuals?
A. Specifications for personal appearance
B. Employer insurance contributions
C. Employee health records
D. Employee salaries
E. Employee progress reports
Specifications for personal appearance are included in office policy manuals. Generally, these specifications
indicate conservative, professional clothing, hairstyles, makeup, and jewelry.
134. Which of the following mail types will guarantee overnight delivery?
A. Special Delivery First-Class
B. Registered First-Class
C. Certified First-Class
D. Priority
E. Express
Express mail is available seven days a week and it guarantees overnight delivery of an item. Federal Express
and the United Parcel Service also offer next-day delivery.
135. According to the Truth in Lending Act, a written agreement is required if a patient agrees to pay his or her
debt in a minimum of how many installments?
A. Two
B. Three
C. Four
D. Five
E. Six
For installment payments (such as for prenatal care), administrative medical assistants need to know the
conditions of the Truth in Lending Act. Patients who pay their bill in more than 4 installments must have a
written contract with their physician.
138. Medicare claims must be filed by which of the following dates for services rendered during the previous
year?
A. February 28
B. March 31
C. June 15
D. September 30
E. December 31
Claims for Medicare must be filed by December 31 of the year following that in which the services were
rendered.
139. What percentage of a practice's gross income should be devoted to purchasing supplies?
A. Not more than 3%
B. Not more than 20%
C. Not more than 6%
D. Not more than 15%
E. Not more than 50%
The average medical practice spends 4% to 6% of its annual gross income on supplies. If costs exceed 6%,
reevaluate the office's spending practices and impose some cost-saving measures.
141. The most common scheduling system used in urgent care centers is
A. Open booking
B. Wave
C. Modified wave
D. Stream
E. Cluster
Open booking is the most common scheduling system used in urgent care centers. Some types of treatment
provided in urgent care facilities cover work-related injuries, sprains, fractures, and lacerations.
142. Scheduling two or more patients in the same time slot is called
A. Wave scheduling
B. Advance scheduling
C. Double booking
D. Modified wave scheduling
E. Doubled open hours
Double booking means two or more patients are scheduled into the same time slot.
143. Which of the following statements is true of workers' compensation claims processing?
A. Records of a workers' compensation case should be kept with the patient's regular medical records
B. The medical office bills the patient, who then is responsible for submitting claims to the insurance carrier
C. The injured person's records must be personally signed by the physician
D. The insurance carrier gets only a claim but no other records
E. The injured person pays the medical bills and can file claims with the insurance company later
The records of the workers' compensation case should be kept separate from the patient's regular history. The
insurance carrier is entitled to receive copies of all records pertaining to the industrial injury. The injured
person's records must be personally signed by the physician. The insurance carrier may provide its own billing
forms. The patient is not billed.
144. When you receive a monthly statement from the practice's bank, you should first
A. Initial and file the statement with other financial records
B. Reconcile the bank statement with the practice's own checkbook balances and contact the bank if you notice
any discrepancies
C. Note when the account was opened and compare this date to the date listed in your records
D. Review the caption for the total value of checks processed, the total amount of deposits made, the account's
beginning and ending balance, and that month's closing date
E. Both B and D
The bank statement's caption provides a summary of account activity that has taken place during the month up
to the closing date. It includes the beginning balance, total value of checks processed, total amount of deposits
made, service charges, and an ending balance. You should reconcile this statement with the practice's own
records.
145. A patient whose 65th birthday was yesterday arrives at your medical office. Under the guidelines of the
Social Security Act, she is now entitled to receive benefits under which of the following programs?
A. Workers' compensation
B. CHAMPUS
C. Medicaid
D. Medicare Part A
E. Medicare Part B
Under the guidelines of the Social Security Act, a patient who has had his or her 65th birthday is entitled to
receive benefits under Medicare Part A.
146. Which of the following types of filing systems is most appropriate for the research materials maintained by
a physician
A. Tickler
B. Numerical
C. Subject
D. Alphabetical
E. Geographical
There are many reasons why material would be filed using a system of subjects in a medical office. If
physicians are doing research, they might wish to index research according to disease.
148. A nonnegotiable check issued for the payment of debts by an insurance company is called a
A. Warrant
B. Voucher check
C. Bank draft
D. Limited check
E. Money order
A warrant is a nonnegotiable check, issued to indicate that a debt should be paid, for example, by an insurance
company.
149. When you receive a check as payment from a patient, you should
A. Endorse it immediately and write "For deposit only" on its back
B. Endorse it and deposit it as soon as possible
C. Use a qualified endorsement by writing Without recourse above the signature
D. Write for deposit only on the back and deposit it with your bank
E. None of these
When you accept a check, immediately endorse it and write the words For deposit only on the back.
150. What should a medical office do when its collection efforts have failed?
A. Collect through the court system
B. Collect through a collection agency
C. Keep sending bills to the patient and also allow a collection agency to follow up with the account
D. Write off the debt
E. Either A or B
Before writing off the amount, you can try to collect through the court system or through a collection agency.
After an account has been released to a collection agency, your medical office should make no further attempts
to collect the debt.
152. Which of the following acts requires that creditors provide applicants with accurate and complete credit
costs and terms, clearly and obviously?
A. Truth in Lending Act
B. Fair Credit Reporting Act
C. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
D. Equal Credit Opportunity Act
E. Reasonable Collection and Credit Act
The Truth in Lending Act requires creditors to provide applicants with accurate and complete credit costs and
terms, clearly and obviously.
153. Which of the following accounts is the most typical for patients of a medical practice?
A. Written-contract account
B. Single-entry account
C. Open-book account
D. Standard payment account
E. Double-entry account
Open-book accounts are the most typical accounts for patients of a medical practice.
155. Educational charts, sound recordings, and films are often sent as
A. Special Standard Mail
B. Standard Mail (C)
C. Library Mail
D. Standard Mail (A)
E. Parcel Post
Special Standard Mail is generally used for books (at least 8 pages long), film (16mm or narrower), printed
music, printed test materials, sound recordings, play scripts, educational charts, loose-leaf pages, binders
consisting of medical information, and computer-readable material.
157. The nonremovable magnetic medium inside a computer where information is stored is called a
A. Hard drive
B. Keyboard
C. Modem
D. Mouse
E. CD-ROM
The magnetic medium inside the computer where information is permanently stored for later retrieval is known
as the hard drive.
158. The amounts a physician owes to others for equipment and services are called
A. Payrolls
B. Accounts payable
C. Accounts receivable
D. Delinquent accounts
E. Payments
Accounts payable refers to the accounts a physician owes to others for equipment and services.
159. Which of the following tools is useful in showing the status of each account at a glance?
A. Single-entry account list
B. Collection ratio
C. Accounts receivable ratio
D. Aging accounts receivable
E. Open-book account list
Aging accounts receivable is a procedure that classifies accounts by age from the first date of billing. It should
list all patient account balances, when charges were incurred, the most recent payment date, and any notes
regarding the account. The age analysis is a good tool to show the status of each account at a glance.
160. All of the following are advantages of electronic banking over traditional banking except
A. Increased productivity
B. Increased accuracy
C. Greater control of cash flow
D. Ease of depositing checks
E. Computerized check access
Productivity, accuracy, and cash flow are advantages of electronic banking over traditional banking. A medical
assistant is still responsible for recording and depositing checks.
161. According to the CPT, when coding an insurance claim for a tonsillectomy, the code should be listed under
which of the following body systems?
A. Integumentary
B. Respiratory
C. Reproductive
D. Endocrine
E. Cardiovascular
According to the CPT, when coding an insurance claim for a tonsillectomy, the code should be listed under the
respiratory system.
163. Which of the following systems is the least structured of all the scheduling systems?
A. Open hours
B. Wave scheduling
C. Advance scheduling
D. Modified wave scheduling
E. Double booking
Some providers do not schedule appointments; they prefer to conduct their practices with open office hours.
This system is the least structured.
164. Which act requires credit bureaus to supply correct and complete information to businesses to use in
evaluating a person's application for credit?
A. Equal Credit Opportunity Act
B. Fair Credit Reporting Act
C. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
D. Truth in Lending Act
E. All of these
The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) requires credit bureaus to supply correct and complete information to
businesses to use in evaluating a person's application for credit, insurance, or a job. If an applicant sues the
practice in federal court for violating the FCRA, the practice may have to pay damages, punitive damages, court
costs, and lawyers' fees.
165. Being firm and standing up for oneself while showing respect for others is called
A. Rapport
B. Prejudice
C. Communication
D. Argumentativeness
E. Assertiveness
Assertiveness means someone being firm and standing up for oneself while showing respect for others.
166. The most appropriate filing system for organizing and storing medical research material is
A. Tickler
B. Alphabetical
C. Subject
D. Numerical
E. Chronological
The subject system is the most appropriate filing system for organizing and storing medical research material. In
this system, documents are grouped and filed alphabetically by related subjects. Information retrieval is very
fast because all related information is stored together.
168. Which of the following abbreviations refers to a procedural code book using a numerical system updated
annually by the American Medical Association?
A. HCPCS
B. HCFA
C. ICD-9-CM
D. CPT
E. UCR
Physicians' Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) is a procedural code book using a numerical system
updated annually by the American Medical Association.
169. Which of the following types of file cabinet is the least efficient?
A. Movable
B. Open-shelf
C. Vertical
D. Office
E. Upright
Vertical file cabinets are the least efficient type of cabinet because half of the filing time goes into opening and
closing drawers.
170. What will happen when a physician in contract with an HMO plan exceeds the utilization norms set by the
HMO?
A. The physician will not receive a withheld portion of the capitation payment
B. The physician will lose the contract with the HMO
C. The physician will have to switch to a fee-for-service payment option
D. All of these
E. None of these
The "withhold" is the portion of the monthly capitation payment to physicians retained by an HMO until the end
of the year to create an incentive for efficient care. If the physician exceeds the utilization norms, he or she will
not receive this portion.
171. In a network, a common connection point for the devices containing ports is called a
A. Microprocessor
B. Touch pad
C. Mouse
D. Control unit
E. Hub
In a network, a common connection point for the devices containing ports is called a hub. Hubs are often used
to connect segments of a local-area network (LAN) and contain multiple ports. They allow information to be
shared among LAN users.
172. Which of the following is determined by comparing the actual fee charged by physicians in the same
specialty?
A. Fee schedule
B. Accepting assignment
C. Usual fee
D. Usual, customary, and reasonable (UCR) fee
E. Resource-Based Relative Value Scale
The usual, customary, and reasonable fee is determined by comparing the actual fee charge by physicians in the
same geographical area and specialty.
174. Encouraging patients to think through and answer their own questions and concerns is called
A. Focusing
B. Restating
C. Reflecting
D. Stressing
E. Completing
Reflecting means encouraging patients to think through and answer their own questions and concerns.
175. When using ICD-9-CM codes, which of the following will occur when the fourth and fifth digits are
omitted?
A. Third-party downcoding
B. Third-party upcoding
C. Faster payments
D. Increased payments
E. Claim denials
When using ICD-9-CM codes, claim denials will occur when the fourth and fifth digits are omitted. It is
essential to make sure that the complete set of digits is used so that claims are processed efficiently.
176. Which type of filing cabinet requires the least amount of room?
A. Vertical
B. Movable
C. Four-drawer
D. Open-shelf
E. None of these
Movable file units allow easy access to large record systems and require less space than either the vertical or
lateral (open-shelf) files.
178. A single computer that can be accessed by other computers over a network is called a(n)
A. Server
B. Software-driven computer
C. Operating system
D. Modem computer
E. Application computer
A server is a single computer that can be accessed by other computers over a network.
184. How long should copies of all bills and order forms for supplies be kept on file, in case the practice is
audited by the IRS?
A. 1 year
B. 3 years
C. 5 years
D. 10 years
E. Indefinitely
Copies of all bills and order forms for supplies should be kept on file for 10 years in case the practice is audited
by the IRS.
186. Which of the following programs may offer the highest level of benefits to enrollees when they obtain
services from a designated physician, hospital, or other health provider?
A. Health maintenance organization
B. Preferred provider organization
C. Kaiser Foundation Health Plan
D. Independent practice association
E. Indemnity policy
Preferred provider organizations can offer the highest level of benefits to enrollees when they obtain services
from a physician, hospital, or other health provider.
187. Which portion of the CMS-1500 form contains physician or supplier information?
A. The first part
B. The middle part
C. The last part
D. Both A and B
E. The form does not include physician or supplier information
The CMS-1500 is divided into two main sections. Blanks 1 through 13 are used for patient and insured
information. Blanks 14 through 33 are used for the physician or supplier information.
188. After opening the mail, one of your duties as a medical assistant might be to
A. Enunciate
B. Proofread
C. Edit
D. Rewrite
E. Annotate
Annotate means you must highlight key points of the letter and write comments in the margins.
191. Each new employee must complete which of the following federal income tax forms at the time of hiring?
A. W-2
B. W-4
C. 941
D. 1099
E. 1094
A W-4 form must be completed at the time of hiring.
193. Whose telephone calls require the immediate attention of the physician?
A. Pharmacists
B. Consulting physicians
C. Hospital staff nurses
D. The physician's family
E. Important patients
Consulting physicians should always be transferred to the physician.
194. Which of the following types of correspondence can be signed by the medical assistant?
A. Consultation reports
B. Referral letters
C. Termination letters
D. Letters to other physicians
E. Insurance paperwork
The medical assistant may sign claim forms to insurance carriers and other vendors.
195. Which of the following forms must be filed as the employer's quarterly federal tax return?
A. W-2
B. W-4
C. 941
D. 1099
E. 1094
Form 941 must be filed to report employers' quarterly federal tax returns.
197. Which of the following groups present the most common collection problem?
A. Patients with hardship cases
B. Younger adults
C. Partially insured individuals
D. Male patients
E. Foreign patients
Patients who are poor, uninsured, under-insured, or elderly and on a limited income are known as hardship
cases. Collecting on these types of accounts is one of the most common collection problems in health care.
Physicians sometimes decide to treat hardship cases for a reduced fee or for free.
201. In an accounting system, how should a debit balance on a patient ledger card be entered?
A. Income
B. Accounts receivable
C. Payment
D. Charge
E. Debit
The accounts receivable balance represents the debit balance.
203. When a patient away from home on vacation consults a physician, the patient most likely is given
A. An open account
B. A single-entry account
C. A one-time account
D. A vacation account
E. A holiday account
A single-entry account is an account with only one charge, as, for example, when a vacationer consults a
physician for illness.
204. The numerals appearing in the lower left corner of a check, which are printed in magnetic ink, represent
which of the following codes or numbers?
A. NSF
B. ABA number
C. MICR code
D. Dollars
E. Bank code name
The magnetic ink character recognition code (MICR code) appears on the bottom of a check and consists of
numbers and characters printed in magnetic ink.
205. All of the following insurance programs are sponsored by the federal government except:
A. TRICARE
B. CHAMPVA
C. Medicaid
D. Workers' compensation
E. Medicare
Government-sponsored insurance coverage for eligible individuals includes Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE,
and CHAMPVA.
207. Which of the following ratios measures how fast outstanding accounts are being paid?
A. Collection ratio
B. Payment ratio
C. Accounts receivable ratio
D. Delinquency ratio
E. Percentage
An accounts receivable measures how fast outstanding accounts are being paid. The formula for figuring out the
accounts receivable ratio is to divide the current accounts receivable balance by the average gross monthly
charges.
209. In the color-coded filing system, purple includes which part of the alphabet?
A. E through H
B. I through N
C. O through Q
D. R through Z
E. A through L
Color coding filing breaks the alphabet up into five different colors: red, yellow, green, blue, and purple. The
last color, purple, covers the letters from R through Z.
210. Which of the following devices can convert printed matter and images into information that can be
interpreted by the computer?
A. Touch screen
B. Modem
C. Keyboard
D. Hard drive
E. Scanner
A scanner is a device that can convert printed matter and images to information that can be interpreted by the
computer.
211. On letters and packages, handling instructions such as Personal or Confidential are printed
A. Two lines above the address
B. Three lines below the postage
C. Three lines below the return address
D. Across from the address, on the same line
E. Anywhere on the envelope where there might be room
Handling instructions should be placed three lines below the return address.
212. Which of the following is a correct way to write the date on a letter?
A. December 5, 02
B. Dec. 5, 2002
C. 12/5/02
D. 12/05/2002
E. December 5, 2002
You should always completely write out the date.
215. Which of the following information is most important to give to a new patient?
A. Policy on prescription refills
B. Office hours and payment requirements
C. List of local specialists
D. List of local pharmacies
E. List of local hospitals
A new patient must be familiar with office hours and payment requirements.
216. When you need to divide a word in a business letter, which of the following rules can you apply?
A. You can divide after a prefix
B. You can divide according to pronunciation
C. You can divide between two consonants that appear between vowels
D. All of these
E. None of these
You can divide according to pronunciation, compound words between the two words, hyphenated compound
words at the hyphen, after a prefix, before a suffix, between two consonants that appear between vowels, and
being -ing unless the last consonant id doubled, in which case divide before the second consonant. Do not
divide such suffixes as -sion, -tial, and -gion. Also do not divide a word so that only one letter is left on a line.
217. Which of the following terms refers to computer software operations that obtain a saved file?
A. Retrieving
B. Formatting
C. Editing
D. Creating
E. Merging
Retrieving is the term used when computer software obtains a saved file. This process is also sometimes
referred to as accessing.
221. Which of the following guidelines applies to writing business letters in a medical office?
A. The text in the body of the letter should always be double-spaced
B. Insert an extra line between paragraphs
C. On the second page, use letterhead and put the name of the addressee, the page number, the date, and the
subject in a header
D. Both A and C
E. All of these
The body of the letter should be single-spaced. Between paragraphs, use double spacing. For multipage letters,
use letterhead only for the first page and blank quality bond paper for the second page. The second page should
contains the name of the addressee, page number, date, and subject in the header.
223. Which of the following keys are used to activate the calculator function on a computer keyboard?
A. Shift/F1
B. Shift/F4
C. Num Lock
D. Ctrl/Tab
E. Ctrl/Alt/Delete
The Num Lock key must be pressed to activate the calculator function on a computer keyboard. When that key
is not pressed, the calculator pad key area functions to move the cursor around the screen and cannot perform
any calculations.
224. Bill Joentis went to a participating provider to receive a single treatment for which the provider usually
charges $300. The allowed charge for such a service as prescribed by Bill's insurance carrier is $280, and Bill's
copayment is $10 for each visit. How much is the provider allowed to charge Bill?
A. $10
B. $30
C. $20
D. $28
E. $38
A participating provider is not allowed to charge the patient for any differences between the actual charges and
allowed charge. The patient is responsible for the copayment, coinsurance, and deductible.
225. According to the Labor Standards Act, employee health records should be kept for
A. 1 year
B. 2 years
C. 3 years
D. 5 years
E. 7 years
The Labor Standards Act requires that you should keep employee health records on file for 3 years.
226. The process of removing outdated data from computer disks or drives is called
A. Retrieving
B. Word processing
C. Transcribing
D. Booting
E. Purging
Purging is the process of removing outdated data from computer disks or drives. Purging essentially erases data,
completely removing outdated files from the disk or drive.
227. Mimicking the behavior of another person in order to cope with feelings of inadequacy is called
A. Introjection
B. Identification
C. Projection
D. Compensation
E. Regression
Mimicking the behavior of another person in order to cope with feelings of inadequacy is referred to as
identification. Identification is a common defense mechanism.
229. In patient charting, which of the following abbreviations is used to note a prescription?
A. RS
B. Pt
C. Rx
D. P&P
E. CBC
In patient charting, Rx is the abbreviation used to note a prescription.
230. Which of the following types of U.S. Postal Service mail guarantees overnight delivery?
A. Priority
B. Registered
C. First class
D. Express
E. Certified
Express Mail, which is offered by the United States Postal Service, guarantees overnight delivery. It is always a
good idea to verify when your package will arrive by asking the postal clerk.
231. The diseases within the Tabular List of the ICD-9-CM are organized
A. Alphabetically
B. By symptoms
C. Chronologically
D. By the external cause of injury
E. By body system
Diseases within the Tabular List of the ICD-9-CM are organized by body system.
232. Which of the following is the most common pointing device for a computer?
A. Keyboard
B. Trackball
C. Mouse
D. Motherboard
E. Hard drive
The most common pointing device for a computer is the mouse. It is favored by the majority of computer users
worldwide.
233. Which of the following postal abbreviations is used to represent North Carolina?
A. NA
B. NB
C. NC
D. ND
E. NH
The postal abbreviation for North Carolina is NC. The other choices stand for the following states: ND is the
abbreviation for North Dakota and NH for New Hampshire. NA and NB are not USPS state abbreviations.
234. According to OSHA, how often must an exposure control plan be reviewed and updated?
A. Every month
B. Every 6 months
C. Every 9 months
D. Every 12 months
E. Every 18 months
According to OSHA, an exposure control plan must be reviewed and updated every 12 months.
235. Which of the following computer keys moves the cursor to a preset position?
A. Tab
B. Shift
C. Insert
D. Enter
E. Spacebar
The Tab key is used to move the cursor to a preset position. The user can instruct the computer to set tab stops at
any point across the page that is being created.
236. In the CPT, which of the following codes refers to Evaluation and Management?
A. 00100
B. 10040
C. 70010
D. 90281
E. 99201
In the CPT, 99201 is the code that refers to Evaluation and Management.
237. A detailed outline prepared for the physician that includes the trip location, date of arrival, and
confirmation of hotel reservations is known as a(n)
A. Written confirmation
B. Reservation
C. Itinerary
D. Agenda
E. Statement
An itinerary is a detailed trip outline that includes the trip location, date of arrival, and a confirmation of hotel
reservations.
238. Which of the following business letter closures is considered the most appropriate for a medical office?
A. Sincerely yours
B. Respectfully
C. Yours truly
D. Best wishes
E. Regards
The most appropriate business letter closure for a medical office is "Sincerely yours." The other choices may be
acceptable in some offices, but "Sincerely yours" is considered the most appropriate business letter closure
overall.
240. If a medical record has been temporarily removed, it should be replaced by a(n)
A. Out guide
B. Index card
C. Post-it note
D. Cross-referenced card
E. Divider guide
An out guide should replace a medical record if it has been temporarily removed. When all or part of a file is
removed, an out guide is put in its place.
242. Which of the following patient information is essential to organizing and filing patient records in all types
of filing systems?
A. Social Security number
B. Name
C. Address
D. Signs and symptoms
E. Date of birth
The patient's name is essential to organizing and filing charts in all types of filing systems.
246. If you are processing payroll, which of the following should be calculated first?
A. Net pay
B. Federal income tax
C. Social Security taxes
D. Gross wages
E. 401K
If you are processing payroll, gross wages should be calculated first. Gross wages is the amount earned by each
employee before taxes (withholding) are deducted.
247. Which of the following postal abbreviations should be used for an envelope that is being sent to Phoenix?
A. AK
B. AR
C. AZ
D. AL
E. NM
The city of Phoenix is located in Arizona. Therefore, the correct postal abbreviation is AZ. The other choices
stand for the following states: AK is the abbreviation for Alaska, AR for Arkansas, AL for Alabama, and NM for
New Mexico.
248. Which of the following forms is filed with an employee's state income tax return?
A. W-2
B. W-4
C. W-9
D. 940
E. 940A
A W-2 form is filed with an employee's state income tax return.
249. Which of the following federal statutes protects debtors from harassment?
A. Federal Wage Garnishment Law
B. Equal Credit Opportunity Act
C. Fair Credit Reporting Act
D. Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
E. Americans With Disabilities Act
The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act protects debtors from harassment.
250. Which of the following patient information must be recorded when you are scheduling an appointment for
a patient?
A. Social Security number
B. Age
C. Telephone number
D. Mailing address
E. Date of birth
The most important information that you must record when scheduling an appointment for a patient is the
patient's telephone number.