Top 40+ CPT Surgery Interview Questions & Answers for Medical Coders (2025 Update)

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Top CPT Surgery Interview Questions & Answers for Medical Coders (2025 Edition)

Hey hey! Welcome back to trainingicd10data.com – your favorite hangout if you’re a med coder who googles stuff at 2AM!

So today, let’s talk about something that always freaks out people during interviews: CPT Surgery Coding.
Yeah, it’s not as chill as diagnosis coding—this one need some serious brain juice.

But don’t worry. I got your back. Whether you’re prepping for an interview or just wanna flex your CPT muscles, this list gonna help you out for sure.

Let’s gooo!

CPT Surgery Interview Questions (Mixed – Just Like They Ask in Real Life)

Q: What’s a “Separate Procedure” in CPT?
Ans: Basically, it's a small procedure that’s not billed on its own unless it's done by itself or in some totally diff place. Otherwise it's bundled. Simple.

Q: What MUE even means?
Ans: Medically Unlikely Edit. CMS made it so you can’t just bill 10x for same thing in same day. If you do, rejection is coming.

Q: How to code elective intubation?
Ans: You don’t. Elective ones not billable separately. Only emergency ones (CPT 31500) count if it’s really a life/death situation.

Q: What’s this Global Surgical Package everyone talkin’ about?
Ans: It’s a full deal—pre-op, during, and post-op care. You can’t bill those bits separately unless something extra happens, like going back to OR or patient got unrelated issue.

Q: ASC stands for...?
Ans: Ambulatory Surgical Center. It’s like surgery spot, but no one sleeping overnight.

Q: RS&I – sounds cool but what is it?
Ans: Radiological Supervision & Interpretation. Usually billed separate if not bundled. Basically for when imaging guides the procedure.

Q: What’s PTP Edits?
Ans: Procedure-to-Procedure Edits. It's like “don’t bill these 2 codes together... unless you got a good modifier.”

Q: What if laparoscopy converted to open surgery?
Ans: Then forget lap one. Only report open surgery. CPT says no double-dipping.

Q: Full form of ABN?
Ans: Advance Beneficiary Notice. If Medicare probs won’t pay, you gotta tell the patient so they don’t get shocked later.

Q: Biopsy + Excision on same lesion. Can we bill both?
Ans: Nope—unless biopsy came first and it made the doc decide to do excision. If not, it's bundled.

Q: What is Downcoding?
Ans: Reporting something easier than what you actually did. You lose cash + accuracy. Not cool.

Q: How often AMA updates CPT codes?
Ans: Once a year. Every year CPT gets a makeover.

Q: What’s HCPCS and how’s it made?
Ans:

  • Level 1: CPT Codes
  • Level 2: Stuff like DME, ambulance, injections etc.

HCPCS = Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System btw.

Q: Is wound irrigation billable?
Ans: Nah. It’s part of the wound care, can’t bill it alone.

Q: EEG – what’s that?
Ans: Electroencephalogram. Used to check brain activity. Think seizures, epilepsy, etc.

Q: When to use Modifier 25?
Ans: When E/M and a minor procedure (0-10 day global) happens same day, and E/M was actually necessary and not just added for no reason.

Q: HIPAA – old but still important, what is it?
Ans: Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (1996). Keeps patient info private and standard.

Q: EMG – what it’s for?
Ans: Electromyography. Tests muscles and nerve connections. Used for neuro-muscular stuff.

Q: List some Global Surgery Modifiers

  • 24 – Unrelated E/M during post-op
  • 25 – E/M with minor procedure
  • 57 – E/M led to major surgery
  • 58 – Planned or related procedure
  • 78 – Return to OR for complication
  • 79 – New procedure during post-op

Q: What is Upcoding?
Ans: Opposite of downcoding. You bill something harder/more complex than what was done. Big no-no. Can get you audited or worse.

Q: Can you bill endoscopy + non-endoscopy together?
Ans: Only if they’re actually separate. If endoscopy just for checking or pre-surgery prep, then nope.

Q: OPPS – what’s that now?
Ans: Outpatient Prospective Payment System. Medicare uses it to pay hospitals fixed rate for outpatient services.

Q: When to use RT, LT or modifier 50?
Ans:

  • RT/LT = when procedure done on one side
  • Modifier 50 = if done on both sides (bilateral) and CPT code doesn’t already say it includes both

Q: Scout Endoscopy – sound like sci-fi, but?
Ans: It’s a quick look done before full surgery to map area. But if it leads right into the procedure, then not billable.

Q: Colectomy with laparotomy + adhesiolysis – can you bill all?
Ans: Nope. Those are part of the main surgery prep, so bundled in colectomy code.

Q: Modifier 57 use case?
Ans: When a same-day E/M leads to big surgery (90-day global). Use 57 to show E/M was necessary.

Q: Extra Tip – What about modifiers for complications?
Ans:

  • If issue is fixed without OR, no separate billing.
  • If patient needs to go back to OR = use Modifier 78.

Wrap It Up Like a Sterile Pack

Surgery coding = no joke. But once you get the hang of modifiers, edits, bundles and CPT flow... you’ll be unstoppable.

Still Want More?

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