Free CDIP exam Practice Questions

Sample Practice Questions

Try these 10 sample questions from the CDIP exam practice bank. Each includes the answer and explanation. Continue with the interactive practice above to review the full question set.

1. 1When locating an ICD-10-CM code for a documented diagnosis, which reference workflow is required?

   1. A. Select the Alphabetic Index entry without checking the Tabular List.
   2. B. Locate the term in the Alphabetic Index, then verify the code in the Tabular List.
   3. C. Begin with the Tabular List and ignore any Index instructional notation.
   4. D. Use the Index only when the Tabular List lacks a full code.

   Answer: B

   Explanation: The guidelines say to "first locate the term in the Alphabetic Index, and then verify the code in the Tabular List." Both references and their instructional notes are needed for code assignment.

   Reference: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027 — Page 12 of 121, General Coding Guidelines, Locating a code in the ICD-10-CM

2. 2Which approach helps promote CDI efforts when introducing the program to medical staff?

   1. A. Involve physicians early and find champions in medical leadership.
   2. B. Limit program communication to coding staff until all queries close.
   3. C. Avoid data updates so providers are not influenced by performance information.
   4. D. Begin only after physician documentation practices have stabilized.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The AHIMA brief lists "Getting physicians involved early in the process" and "Finding champions within the medical leadership" as engagement objectives. They support early organizational promotion.

   Reference: Impact of Physician Engagement on Clinical Documentation Improvement Programs — Opening objectives of physician engagement

3. 3Which feature of a clinical note makes its diagnostic meaning ambiguous for CDI review?

   1. A. It fails to capture the provider's diagnostic interpretation clearly.
   2. B. It contains a diagnosis that is stated clearly and consistently.
   3. C. It records a clinical trend with its source and date.
   4. D. It contains an authenticated provider clarification.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The query brief defines ambiguous documentation as that which "fails to effectively capture the provider’s diagnostic interpretation." Such ambiguity can prevent accurate code assignment.

   Reference: Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query Practice (2026 Update) — Section II, Ambiguous documentation

4. 4Which measure does AHIMA identify as a lagging CDI indicator, rather than a leading signal of a future opportunity?

   1. A. Observed provider query response rate.
   2. B. Telehealth utilization by payer and service.
   3. C. Year-over-year variance in performance penalties.
   4. D. Population RAF score relative to expenditures.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: AHIMA lists "response rate" among lagging indicators. It separately gives telehealth utilization, penalty variance and RAF-to-expenditure ratio as possible leading indicators; these are different dashboard uses.

   Reference: Clinical Documentation Integrity Key Performance Indicators Practice Brief — Leading and lagging indicators

5. 5A requested code would increase payment, but the health record does not clearly support it. Which action fits AHIMA's ethical coding standard?

   1. A. Assign only codes clearly and consistently supported by documentation.
   2. B. Assign the code because financial impact proves clinical validity.
   3. C. Add the diagnosis to the provider's note without provider involvement.
   4. D. Suppress the unsupported finding while reporting the desired code.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: AHIMA directs professionals to "Assign and report, in any format, only the codes and data that are clearly and consistently supported by health record documentation." Payment does not replace record support.

   Reference: AHIMA Standards of Ethical Coding (2016 Version) — Standards of Ethical Coding, core standards

6. 6An Alphabetic Index entry ends with a dash. What should the coder do before assigning the ICD-10-CM code?

   1. A. Treat the dash as confirmation that the listed characters form a complete code.
   2. B. Replace the dash with an unspecified character without consulting another reference.
   3. C. Consult the Tabular List to identify required additional characters.
   4. D. Report the three-character category because the Index leaves the final character open.

   Answer: C

   Explanation: The guideline states, "A dash (-) at the end of an Alphabetic Index entry indicates that additional characters are required." The Tabular List supplies and verifies the full code.

   Reference: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2027 — Page 12 of 121, General Coding Guidelines, Locating a code in the ICD-10-CM

7. 7A CDI leader wants to explain the program's impact to administrators and physicians. Which communication best follows AHIMA's engagement guidance?

   1. A. Share data-driven results and provide regular updates.
   2. B. Circulate only individual anecdotes without trend information.
   3. C. Withhold results until every physician has perfect documentation.
   4. D. Describe reimbursement as the sole purpose of CDI.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The practice brief includes "Sharing data-driven results and providing regular updates" among its engagement objectives. This makes the program's progress visible without reducing CDI to payment alone.

   Reference: Impact of Physician Engagement on Clinical Documentation Improvement Programs — Opening objectives of physician engagement

8. 8Which record element can serve as a clinical indicator in documentation review?

   1. A. A documented treatment and related clinical trend.
   2. B. Only a provider's final diagnosis code.
   3. C. Only a payment estimate produced by a grouper.
   4. D. Only the CDI specialist's unsupported impression.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The brief says clinical indicators may include "provider assessments, diagnostic findings, treatments, medications, clinical trends" and relevant ancillary documentation. Treatment and trend are therefore potential indicators.

   Reference: Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query Practice (2026 Update) — Section II, Clinical indicators

9. 9A CDI dashboard reports case mix index for a group of inpatient discharges. What is being averaged?

   1. A. The MS-DRG relative weights of the discharges.
   2. B. The number of queries sent to each physician.
   3. C. The days between a query and response.
   4. D. The number of reviewed charts per specialist.

   Answer: A

   Explanation: The brief defines CMI as "The average of all MS-DRG relative weights for hospital inpatient discharges per a specified patient population." It is a grouping weight measure, not a query measure.

   Reference: Clinical Documentation Integrity Key Performance Indicators Practice Brief — Case Mix Index (CMI), definition

10. 10A CDI reviewer is asked to change a code narrative to make organizational results look better despite contradictory documentation. What ethical principle applies?

    1. A. Refuse changes intended to skew or misrepresent coded data.
    2. B. Make the change if an administrator requested it.
    3. C. Change the narrative first and query later only if audited.
    4. D. Keep the misleading narrative if the claim has not billed.

    Answer: A

    Explanation: AHIMA says to "Refuse to participate in, support, or change reported data and/or narrative titles" in activities intended to skew or misrepresent data. The request conflicts with that standard.

    Reference: AHIMA Standards of Ethical Coding (2016 Version) — Standards of Ethical Coding, core standards