CAMC Part 1 Exam study plan

Build a personal anatomy reference sheet covering the body systems most tested on the exam (integumentary, musculoskeletal, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, genitourinary, nervous, endocrine) with 5-8 key structures and 2-3 common pathologies per system

Define and correctly spell 120 medical word parts (prefixes, suffixes, combining forms) and use them to decode 40 unfamiliar terms without a dictionary

Explain the difference between a sign, a symptom, an acute condition, a chronic condition, and a sequela, and give two clinical examples of each

Read the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Chapter 1 (certain infectious and parasitic diseases) and Chapter 2 (neoplasms) and write a one-page summary of the sequencing rules for sepsis, HIV, and malignancy

Complete 30 practice diagnosis-coding items drawn only from Chapters 1-2 and log every miss with the reason it was missed

Apply the ICD-10-CM general coding guidelines on laterality, combination codes, and 'code also' versus 'use additional code' notes across 25 practice cases

Distinguish principal diagnosis, first-listed diagnosis, primary diagnosis, and admitting diagnosis and select the correct one in 15 outpatient and inpatient scenarios

Code 20 cases requiring two or more diagnosis codes and verify correct sequencing using the tabular list instructional notes

Summarize the Chapter 3-14 guideline sections (blood, endocrine, nervous, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, skin, musculoskeletal, genitourinary, pregnancy, perinatal, congenital, symptoms) in a comparison table of special sequencing rules

Explain how the alphabetic index and tabular list are used together, including the role of the tabular list in verifying code specificity

Describe the structural difference between ICD-10-PCS (7 characters, alphanumeric, no punctuation) and CPT (5 digits plus modifiers) and state what type of facility or setting uses each

Identify the seven characters of an ICD-10-PCS code (section, body system, root operation, body part, approach, device, qualifier) in 25 sample procedures

Map the 31 ICD-10-PCS root operations into their groups (e.g., take out, put in, alter, inspection, repair) and match 20 procedure descriptions to the correct root operation

Explain CPT code sections and the purpose of Category I, II, and III codes, and identify the correct section for 15 described services

Define the surgical package (global period) concept and explain what is included in a global surgical service versus separately reportable services

Break down the three E/M components (history, examination, medical decision making) and identify what documentation supports each level in 10 sample encounter notes

Compare the 1995/1997 E/M documentation guidelines with the current office/outpatient E/M framework based on medical decision making or time, and explain when time may be used to select a level

Assign E/M levels to 15 office visit vignettes and justify each level with the specific MDM elements (number and complexity of problems, data reviewed, risk) or total time

Trace the reimbursement pathway from patient registration through charge capture, claim submission, payer adjudication, remittance advice, and patient responsibility

Explain the difference between allowed amount, contractual adjustment, co-pay, co-insurance, deductible, and write-off, and calculate patient responsibility in 8 worked examples

Identify the major payer types (Medicare, Medicaid, commercial, TRICARE, workers' compensation) and one coverage or billing rule unique to each

Describe the purpose and structure of the CMS-1500 claim form and the UB-04 claim form, and identify which form is used for professional versus institutional claims

Explain National Correct Coding Initiative (NCCI) edits, including procedure-to-procedure edits and medically unlikely edits, and apply them to 10 code-pair scenarios

Explain modifier use in claims processing (e.g., modifier 25, 59, and the X{EPSU} modifiers) and select the appropriate modifier in 10 coding scenarios

Define fraud, waste, and abuse and give two exam-style examples of each, distinguishing intent from error

Summarize the key provisions of the False Claims Act, Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, and Civil Monetary Penalties Law, including what each prohibits and the general penalty exposure

Explain the role of a compliance program, the seven elements of an effective compliance program, and how internal audits and the OIG Work Plan fit into coding compliance

Apply the HIPAA Privacy Rule to 12 scenarios involving minimum necessary, treatment/payment/operations, authorization, and incidental disclosures

Distinguish the HIPAA Privacy Rule, Security Rule, and Breach Notification Rule and state what each requires of a covered entity

Identify the required elements of the medical record and the documentation standards (authentication, timeliness, legibility, amendments, late entries, corrections) in 10 record-review examples

Explain the legal concepts of informed consent, advance directives, release of information, and record retention, and describe how each affects coding and HIM workflow

Describe how audits use documentation to validate code assignment and list three common documentation deficiencies that lead to downcoding or denials

Explain the role of the coding professional in responding to payer audits and appeals, including how to write a clear appeal rationale

Complete 40 timed mixed-domain coding items covering diagnosis, procedure, and E/M coding and record accuracy and elapsed time for each

Re-code the 15 highest-miss items from weeks 1-6 from scratch and explain in writing why the correct answer is correct and the original answer was wrong

Practice looking up 20 diagnoses and 20 procedures using only the index-to-tabular workflow, timing each lookup and noting where time is lost

Review the current ICD-10-CM and CPT coding changes relevant to the exam and summarize the most testable updates in a one-page update sheet

Identify three personal error patterns (e.g., missed laterality, wrong root operation, under-leveled E/M) and write a specific corrective strategy for each

Work through 10 full case-application scenarios that combine a clinical note, diagnosis coding, procedure coding, and E/M leveling, and produce a complete coded record for each

Evaluate data quality in 5 coded records by identifying missing, conflicting, or unsupported elements and stating the query or correction needed

Complete a full-length timed practice exam under exam conditions and score it by domain to identify remaining weak areas

Review the two lowest-scoring domains from the practice exam and re-study the specific guideline or rule behind each missed item

Recite the exam-day strategy: time allocation per question, flagging and returning to hard items, and how to eliminate distractors in coding scenarios