The requirement of medical coders is increasing day by day. If you are visiting AAPC website, you can check in their monthly newsletters, the number of CPC-A, CPC. COC, CIRCC etc. newly certified coders with their names. The number of certified coder increasing every month. Majority of coders are clearing CPC Certification exam. So, the demand for coders is growing in the market, may be because of the implementation of ICD 10 codes and due to pandemic of COVID-19 (coronavirus). Yes, due to pandemic the business has been affected badly and now due to vaccines, things are getting normal. In 2025, AAPC certification exams will consist of 100 questions in which you’ll be given 4 hours to answer.
Due to the transition from ICD 9 to ICD 10, their is a huge requirement for CPC or AAPC certified coders. AHIMA credential are also important, but I would recommend to first go for CPC Certification exam, which can be cleared in First attempt, if followed the coding guidelines. Earlier I have shared some of the tips for Clearing CPC exam in 2025. Now, from October 2022, again few updates in diagnosis will be added in ICD 10. Hence, we should now start thinking about how we should prepare and clear CPC Certification exam in 2025. Also, learn about all the updates regarding ED (Emergency Department) Facility coding changes happened in 2025, to prepare for medical coding certification exams.
CPC coding Certification exam syllabus
Breakdown of the 100-question CPC exam
Passing the CPC exam requires you to correctly answer a minimum of 70 questions from the domains below. The CPC test will rely on a level of understanding that enables you to identify the domain.
Medical terminology (4 questions)
These questions will assess your knowledge of medical terminology for all systems in the human body.
Anatomy (4 questions)
These questions will assess your knowledge of anatomy for all systems in the human body.
Compliance and regulatory (3 questions)
This section will test your knowledge of compliance and regulations which pertain to services covered under Medicare Parts A, B, C, and D; applying coding to payment policy; place of service reporting; fraud and abuse; NCCI edits; NCDs/LCDs; HIPAA; ABNs; and RVUs.
Coding guidelines (7 questions)
This section will address the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, CPT® coding guidelines and parenthetical notes, and modifier use.
ICD-10-CM (5 questions)
This area will test your proficiency in diagnosis coding within all the chapters of ICD-10-CM, as well as thorough knowledge of the ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting. Additionally, diagnosis questions will appear in other sections of the exam from the CPT® categories.
HCPCS Level II (3 questions)
This section will test your knowledge on HCPCS Level II coding and includes questions focusing on modifiers, supplies, medications, and professional services for Medicare patients.
CPT®
10000 series codes (6 questions)
The 10,000 series CPT® part of the exam relates to surgical procedures performed on the integumentary system, which includes skin, subcutaneous, and accessory structures, as well as nails, pilonidal cysts, repairs, destruction, and breast.
20000 series codes (6 questions)
The 20000 series CPT® portion will home in on surgical procedures performed on the musculoskeletal system from head to toe. Specifically, these areas include the head, neck, back and flank, spine, abdomen, shoulder, arm, hand and fingers, pelvis and hip, leg, foot, and toes.
30000 series codes (6 questions)
The 30000 series CPT® section focuses on surgical procedures performed on the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, the hemic and lymphatic systems, and the mediastinum and diaphragm.
40000 series codes (6 questions)
Your knowledge of the 40000 series CPT® section covers surgical procedures performed on the digestive system, which will focus on these areas: lips, mouth, palate and uvula, salivary gland and ducts, pharynx, adenoids, and tonsils, esophagus, stomach, intestines, appendix, rectum, anus, liver, biliary tract, pancreas, abdomen, peritoneum, and omentum.
50000 series codes (6 questions)
The 50000 series CPT® section tests your knowledge pertaining to surgical procedures performed on the urinary system, the male reproductive system, the female reproductive system, including maternity and delivery, and the endocrine system.
60000 series codes (6 questions)
The 60000 series CPT® section involves surgical procedures performed on the nervous system and will include codes pertaining to the skull, meninges, brain, spine, spinal cord, extracranial nerves, peripheral nerves, autonomic nervous system.
Radiology codes (6 questions)
These questions will focus on both diagnostic and interventional radiology, including diagnostic ultrasound, radiologic guidance, mammography, bone and joint studies, radiation oncology, and nuclear medicine.
Pathology and laboratory codes (6 questions)
This section will test your knowledge of organ and disease panels, drug testing, therapeutic drug assays, evocation/suppression testing, consultations, urinalysis, molecular pathology, MAAA, chemistry, hematology and coagulation, immunology, transfusions, microbiology, anatomic pathology, cytopathology, cytogenetic studies, surgical pathology, in vivo and reproductive.
Medicine (6 questions)
This will cover numerous specialty-specific coding scenarios, as well as immunizations, biofeedback, dialysis, central nervous system assessments, health and behavior assessments, hydration, medical nutrition, therapeutic and diagnostic administration, chemotherapy administration, photodynamic therapy, osteopathic manipulative treatment, patient education and training, non-face-to-face nonphysician services, and moderate sedation.
E/M (6 questions)
This area will assess your coding proficiency related to place and level of services, such as office/other outpatient, hospital observation, hospital inpatient, consultations, emergency department, critical care, nursing facility, domiciliary and rest homes, and home services. It will also include questions directed at preventive medicine, non-face-to-face services, neonatal and pediatric critical care, intensive care, prolonged services, chronic care, transitional care, case management, and care plan oversight.
Anesthesia (4 questions)
The questions related to anesthesia will pertain to time reporting, qualifying circumstances, physical status modifiers, anesthesia for surgical, diagnostic and obstetric services.
Cases (10 cases, 1 question each)
Each case will test your ability to accurately code medical record documentation using CPT®, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II codes.
Ten cases will test your ability accurately code medical record documentation using CPT, ICD-10-CM, and HCPCS Level II. The cases will cover 10000 series, 20000 series, 30000 series, 40000 series, 50000 series, 60000 series, medicine, anesthesia, radiology, pathology and laboratory, and evaluation and management services. Medical terminology, anatomy, compliance, and regulatory information may also be tested in the cases.
Become Perfect in ICD 10 coding for CPC Certification test
In 2025, the main game changer in CPC Certification exam will be CPT codes. Due to new updates in 2025 for ICD 10 and CPT codes, the AAPC exam in 2025 will be little challenging. So, do remain updated with all the changes for 2025. Avoid committing the common mistakes in ICD 10 coding. Due to the increase in the number of diagnosis codes in ICD 10, coders need to be alert while searching for the codes. Also, the E/M coding guidelines changes in 2023, should be also focused to avoid any error in this AAPC certification exam.
Though, the guidelines of ICD 9 and ICD 10 is almost same, but the alphanumeric ICD 10 codes are not easy to memorize. Hence, do check twice while coding the ICD 10 codes. There are few topics which I would like to discuss for preparation of CPC exam, in ICD 10. If you perfect in these topics, you can gain 95% to 100% in ICD 10 coding questions.
Since majority of the CPC test question paper will be more focused on the CPT codes, hence coder needs to have be very well prepared with CPT coding guidelines. The vascular coding for selective and non-selective catheterization should be not confusing anymore. E/M CPT codes are now easy to code with new updates in 2025. Surgery CPT codes need to filtered carefully from answers, since many codes are getting bundled every year. Please do solve some sample charts on surgery to clear your doubts.
COVID-19 Diagnosis & CPT codes
COVID 19 Diagnosis and procedure codes should be more focused now. Due to the pandemic their has been lot of updates for coding or capturing the correct diagnosis and procedure for Coronavirus. Hence, the coders have to very active in this section. I have share lot of post on COVID-19 diagnosis and procedures, which will surely help you to prepare for the AAPC coding certification exam.
Practice More on CPC Certification exam model Question Paper
CPC Certification exam was very lengthy. But, from 2022, the questions have been decreased and now only 100 Multiple choice questions (includes 10 cases) should be finished in 4 hours . Hence, to manage the time used in CPC exam, you have first practice on Sample CPC question papers. You need to finish you CPC exam before 1 hour or half an hour of your exam time. If you have sufficient time at the end of the exam, you can go back and check your answers once again. I always come across a wrong answer or a un-attempted question while checking my finished paper. So, do practice all these techniques if you want to clear your Certification exam in 2025.
New CPT and ICD 10 of 2025
It is really important for medical coders to remain updated with the CPT and ICD 10 codes. The procedures codes get updated in January and ICD codes in October every year. Hence, it is very important for medical coders to remain updated with new changed CPT and ICD 10 codes for 2025. The updated CPT codes sometimes will be easy to learn compared to old or deleted CPT codes. Now, every new CPT code is bundled and include services, which were coded separately previously. Hence, if you are updated you have high chances of clearing the CPC exam.
Be Cool during CPC Certification exam
Many of us are scared with the name of EXAM. If you are scared of something, that will always try to dominate you. So, be calm and cool with the difficulties in your life. Be relax while writing CPC exam. If you have studied and prepared, you will surely clear CPC exam. If you not at all prepared, then all the fear of exam will go in your head. Confidence only come from your exam preparation. If you don’t study regularly, even a simple question will be difficult for you. Hence, prepare for exam nicely and clear the CPC exam with good percentage.