AMCA MAAC study guide
AMCA MAAC · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The AMCA Medical Administrative Assistant Certification (MAAC) is a nationally recognized credential for people who handle the front-office side of healthcare: scheduling patient appointments, greeting and checking in patients, maintaining and updating medical records, compiling charts, reports and correspondence, billing patients and processing insurance information, and answering phones and patient inquiries using medical terminology. AMCA states that the MAAC is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA), and that certified medical administrative assistants work in hospitals, physician offices, outpatient clinics, medical and diagnostic laboratories, urgent care centers and specialty practices. The AMCA MAAC study guide has 8 sections and about 2,182 words.
01HIPAA and Compliance
HIPAA governs how protected health information (PHI) moves through a medical office. Know the Privacy Rule (who may use or disclose PHI, and the minimum-necessary standard) and the Security Rule (administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for electronic PHI).
305 words, about 2 min02Scheduling
Scheduling is a daily test of judgment: matching appointment type to time slot, protecting urgent patients, and keeping the provider's day efficient. Understand the basic appointment categories: new patient (longer, includes history and full exam), established patient (shorter), follow-up, procedure, and same-day or urgent add-on.
272 words, about 1 min03Medical Records
The medical record is the legal account of care. Understand what makes an entry defensible: date and time, author, objective findings, and clear documentation of what was done and why.
305 words, about 2 min04Other Administrative Knowledge
This domain covers the office systems that hold a practice together: front-desk workflow, communication, release of information, and professional boundaries. Know the registration sequence (verify identity, update demographics and insurance, collect copay, confirm consent and Notice of Privacy Practices) and why each step protects both patient and practice.
253 words, about 1 min05Insurance
Insurance knowledge centers on who pays, how much, and under what rules. Learn the vocabulary: premium (cost of coverage), deductible (amount paid before benefits begin), copay (fixed amount per visit), coinsurance (percentage of cost after deductible), and out-of-pocket maximum (annual cap).
270 words, about 1 min06Medical Billing and Coding
Billing and coding translate care into payment. Understand the two code systems: ICD-10-CM for diagnoses and CPT/HCPCS for procedures and services, plus modifiers that clarify or adjust a code.
254 words, about 1 min07Medical Terminology and Anatomy
Terminology questions reward a systematic approach. Build words from roots, prefixes, and suffixes: cardi/o (heart), gastr/o (stomach), nephr/o (kidney), hepat/o (liver), dermat/o (skin), and suffixes such as -itis (inflammation), -ectomy (removal), -otomy (incision), -ostomy (opening), -algia (pain), and -megaly (enlargement).
232 words, about 1 min08Emergency Care
Emergency care questions test recognition and sequence. Know the chain of survival: recognize the emergency and activate help, start CPR, use an AED, and hand off to advanced care.
291 words, about 1 min