CPB Certified Professional Biller Certification Practice Exam

Which coding category is identified by a five-digit CPT code?

1. Category II Codes

2. Category III Codes

3. Category I Codes

4. Insurance Codes

The correct answer is: Category I Codes

The coding category identified by a five-digit CPT code is Category I Codes. These codes are used to represent a wide range of services and procedures performed by healthcare providers, including evaluation and management services, surgical procedures, radiological procedures, and laboratory testing. Each five-digit code corresponds to a specific service, making it easier for healthcare providers and billers to identify the procedures performed. The structure of Category I Codes is designed for consistent and universal understanding across the healthcare industry, facilitating communication, billing, and data collection. This is essential for proper reimbursement and maintaining accurate medical records. Category I Codes are the most commonly used codes in the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) coding system, which is essential for healthcare billing practices. Category II Codes, while also part of the CPT system, are supplementary codes used for performance measurement and quality improvement initiatives, not specifically for billing services. Category III Codes are temporary codes used for emerging technologies, services, and procedures and typically relate to services that are not yet widely accepted or have not been assigned a permanent Category I code. Insurance Codes do not correspond to a specific coding system but refer more generally to codes used in insurance claims, which can include various coding systems like ICD for diagnosis and CPT for procedures.