AMT CMAS study guide
AMT CMAS · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Certified Medical Administrative Specialist (CMAS) is a credential offered by American Medical Technologists (AMT) for professionals in medical office administration. AMT is a not-for-profit association of allied health professionals that has provided certification since 1939 and holds NCCA accreditation. The AMT CMAS study guide has 6 sections and about 2,252 words.
01Medical Office Administration
Medical office administration covers the front-desk and back-office systems that keep a practice running: scheduling, patient registration, records management, telephone triage protocols, supply and inventory control, and the daily workflow that moves a patient from appointment to checkout. A candidate should understand the difference between administrative and clinical duties, the components of a complete patient registration (demographics, insurance, consent, emergency contact), the concept of the medical record as a legal document, and standard scheduling rules such as appointment types, buffer slots, and recall intervals.
328 words, about 2 min02Medical Terminology and Documentation
This domain tests word building and the documentation standards that make a record legally and clinically useful. Candidates should be fluent with prefixes, suffixes, and combining forms (e.g., cardi- , -itis , hyper- , -ectomy ), directional and positional terms (proximal, distal, superior, bilateral), and the standard charting formats: SOAP (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan), CHEDDAR, and narrative notes.
279 words, about 1 min03Medical Billing and Reimbursement
Billing and reimbursement is the revenue cycle: eligibility verification, charge capture, claim submission, adjudication, payment posting, denial management, and patient collections. Candidates must understand the difference between the charge (what the practice bills), the allowed amount (the contracted rate), and the payment (what the payer actually pays).
262 words, about 1 min04Medical Coding
Coding translates documentation into standardized codes for claims and statistics. Candidates should know the structure and purpose of ICD-10-CM (diagnoses), CPT (procedures and services), and HCPCS Level II (supplies, drugs, equipment).
288 words, about 1 min05Health Insurance and Managed Care
This domain covers payer types and the cost-control structures of managed care. Candidates should distinguish government payers (Medicare Parts A–D, Medicaid, TRICARE, CHAMPVA) from commercial payers, and understand plan models: HMO, PPO, POS, and EPO.
287 words, about 1 min06Professionalism
Professionalism in medical assisting blends conduct, appearance, reliability, and scope-of-practice awareness. Candidates should understand the boundaries of their role: performing only tasks within their training and state scope, escalating clinical questions to the provider, and maintaining confidentiality at all times.
808 words, about 4 min