CPC study plan

Map the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting by section and mark the sections that govern outpatient physician reporting

Apply the general coding guidelines on code specificity, acute versus chronic conditions, and combination codes to 30 short operative-note vignettes

Sequence principal and secondary diagnoses correctly in 20 practice cases involving two or more documented conditions

Explain the difference between the Alphabetic Index and Tabular List lookups and demonstrate the correct lookup order on 10 codes

Code 60 diagnoses drawn from at least six body-system chapters, verifying each code to full specificity in the Tabular List

Resolve 15 cases requiring seventh characters, laterality, or episode-of-care designators

Distinguish coding conventions such as 'code also', 'use additional code', 'excludes1', and 'excludes2' and apply each to three examples

Identify the ten codes you missed most often and write the index-to-tabular path for each

Navigate the CPT® sections and HCPCS Level II structure to locate 40 assigned codes within a timed drill

Apply the surgery section guidelines on global periods, separate procedures, and bundled components to 20 operative reports

Select correct modifiers for 15 scenarios involving bilateral, multiple, and discontinued procedures

Differentiate CPT® Category I, II, and III codes and identify when HCPCS Level II codes replace CPT® codes for supplies and drugs

Assign the correct E/M category and level for 25 encounters using current medical decision-making elements

Apply time-based level selection to 10 encounters where counseling or coordination dominates

Code 15 same-day procedure and E/M combinations, deciding when modifier 25 is supported by documentation

Document the elements that distinguish new from established patient visits and verify each against the vignette

Trace the full claim flow for physician and outpatient services, including place-of-service reporting for office, hospital outpatient, and ambulatory surgical center settings

Code 20 outpatient cases that require both diagnosis and procedure reporting on the same claim

Distinguish facility from non-facility reporting rules and apply the correct code set to each of 10 scenarios

Identify the documentation each setting requires before a same-day surgical case can be coded

Apply medical necessity, documentation, and coding-integrity requirements to 20 audit-style scenarios and flag each compliance risk

Explain the purpose of the National Correct Coding Initiative edits and identify 10 edit pairs relevant to common procedures

Describe the appeals and denial-management process and match five denial reasons to the correct corrective action

Audit 10 of your own previously coded cases against payer documentation rules and record each discrepancy

Complete two full-length timed practice examinations under exam conditions and record domain-level scores

Review every missed question and classify the cause as knowledge gap, guideline misapplication, or lookup error

Re-code 20 previously missed vignettes without notes to confirm retention

Drill the weakest domain for two focused sessions of 90 minutes each

Complete one final timed practice examination and compare domain scores against week 7

Review only the error log and personal top-ten lists from weeks 2 through 7

Recite the sequencing rules, modifier rules, and E/M level criteria from memory in a written self-quiz

Confirm exam-day logistics, permitted reference materials, and time allocation per question