American Academy of Professional Coders (AAPC) Practice Exam

Which system is commonly used for coding outpatient procedures?

1. ICD-10-PCS

2. HCPCS

3. CPT

4. CDT

The correct answer is: CPT

The system most commonly utilized for coding outpatient procedures is the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT). CPT codes are specifically designed to represent medical, surgical, and diagnostic services and procedures performed by healthcare providers. They are essential for outpatient settings, as they help accurately describe the services rendered to patients, facilitate billing, and assist in medical record documentation. CPT codes provide a standardized way of reporting physician services across various settings and are crucial for insurance reimbursement processes. This makes them particularly valuable in outpatient contexts, where services are typically more varied and can include everything from office visits to minor surgical procedures. While the other coding systems have their own applications—such as ICD-10-PCS, which is used for inpatient hospital procedures, and HCPCS, which covers a variety of medical supplies and non-physician services—the focus of this question is on outpatient procedures, where CPT clearly holds primary importance. CDT codes are specifically related to dental procedures and are therefore not applicable in this scenario.