Free NHA CEHRS practice questions with answers

Twenty-five original, source-verified NHA CEHRS questions with full answers and rationale below, free to read, no account required. A new set every day.

1. Question 1

   A patient calls confused about a balance shown on their monthly account statement. Which details should the statement already include so the patient can review the charge without needing to call?

   • A list of every other patient the practice billed on that same date.
   • The office's internal contract terms with its collection agency.
   • The date of service, the services provided, and the insurance and patient payments applied.Correct
   • The provider's total annual revenue from all patients combined.

   Why: A statement listing the date and services for each charge, alongside what insurance paid or adjusted and what the patient has already paid, gives the patient enough detail to see how the remaining balance was calculated. Total practice revenue is an internal financial figure that would never appear on an individual patient's statement. Other patients' billing information is confidential and could not lawfully appear on someone else's statement. A collection agency's contract terms are an internal business arrangement, not part of the charge detail a patient needs to understand their own balance. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 16, PDF p. 4.

2. Question 2

   A patient keeps her own digital file of immunizations, allergies, and recent lab results, compiled from several different providers and managed by her rather than by any single office. Which type of record is this?

   • A problem-oriented record
   • An electronic medical record
   • A personal health recordCorrect
   • A source-oriented record

   Why: A personal health record is drawn from multiple sources but is managed, shared, and controlled by the individual rather than by a healthcare organization, which matches a file the patient herself assembles and keeps. An electronic medical record instead belongs to and is confined within a single practice's own system. A source-oriented record and a problem-oriented record describe how a provider's chart is organized internally, not a file an individual patient controls outside any one office. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 10, PDF p. 2.

3. Question 3

   Which type of records-release request generally calls for extra scrutiny before anything is released?

   • A request for records less than a year old
   • A request made during normal business hours
   • A request from the patient's own regular provider
   • A request involving a minor patientCorrect

   Why: Release requests involving a minor deserve particularly close attention because parental rights, custody arrangements, and the minor's own confidentiality protections can all affect who is legally entitled to receive the information. A request from the patient's own provider, one made during business hours, or one for recent records does not raise the same kind of scrutiny. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 10, PDF p. 11.

4. Question 4

   To help prevent repetitive stress injuries, how often should a medical office employee change position at a computer workstation?

   • Position changes are not necessary if posture is correct
   • Every 4 hours
   • Only once during an entire shift
   • At least every 30 minutesCorrect

   Why: Changing position regularly, at least every 30 minutes, is recommended to help prevent repetitive stress injuries among computer users. Waiting an entire shift or four hours between position changes is far less frequent than recommended. Good posture alone does not remove the benefit of periodically changing position, since staying in one static posture for a long time contributes to strain regardless of alignment. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 6, PDF p. 5.

5. Question 5

   A patient with an outstanding balance passes away before the account is paid. To whom should the practice address the billing statement for this account?

   • The estate, care of executor/next of kinCorrect
   • The patient's former employer
   • No one; the balance must be written off immediately upon death
   • The county recorder's office directly

   Why: A bill owed by a deceased patient should be addressed to the estate of the patient, in care of a spouse, next of kin, or executor if known. The patient's former employer has no described role in receiving a billing statement for a deceased patient's account. The county recorder's office is instead a resource used to help identify the executor's name, not the party the statement itself is addressed to. The balance is also not automatically written off at death; it can still be billed to the estate for potential payment. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 16, PDF p. 10.

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7. Question 6

   Which of these is a recommended practice for preventing electrical fires in a medical office?

   • Avoid using electrical equipment near water and avoid overloading power stripsCorrect
   • Run extension cords under rugs to keep walkways clear
   • Continue operating equipment that seems to be overheating until the shift ends
   • Store flammable chemicals near any convenient electrical outlet

   Why: Recommended fire-prevention practices include not using electrical equipment near water and making sure power strips are not overloaded, since both create a fire or shock hazard. Running cords under rugs hides damage and heat buildup rather than preventing it. Continuing to operate equipment that appears to be overheating or malfunctioning is the opposite of the recommended response, which is to turn it off. Flammable chemicals should be stored according to manufacturer guidance away from ignition sources, not placed near an outlet for convenience. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 11, PDF p. 11.

8. Question 7

   An EHR screen offers radio buttons, drop-down menus, and an open free-text box for documentation. What should the medical assistant do with anything typed into the free-text box before it is submitted?

   • Proofread it for accuracyCorrect
   • Leave it as typed, since the system checks it automatically
   • Delete it, since only radio buttons should be used
   • Convert it into a drop-down selection first

   Why: Free-text entries are typed by the user rather than selected from a controlled list, so they carry a higher risk of typos or unclear wording and should be reviewed for accuracy before submission. Assuming the system will catch errors on its own, converting free text into a different input type, or simply avoiding the free-text box altogether are not the documented practice for handling this kind of entry. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 10, PDF p. 9.

9. Question 8

   After a patient's annual deductible has been met, the health plan and the patient continue to split the cost of covered services in a fixed percentage ratio, such as 80/20. Which term names this arrangement?

   • Copayment
   • Allowable charge
   • Co-insuranceCorrect
   • Deductible

   Why: Co-insurance is the percentage-based cost split between the insurer and the patient that applies once the deductible has already been met. A copayment is a flat, visit-based fee that does not vary by percentage. A deductible is the earlier threshold amount that must be paid first, not the ongoing percentage split that follows it. An allowable charge is the maximum an insurer will pay for a service, a different concept from how the remaining cost is divided. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 12, PDF p. 1. Cross-reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, PDF p. 15.

10. Question 9

    A signed authorization asks the office to release only the laboratory results from a specific date range. What should the medical assistant copy and send?

    • The patient's entire chart, to be thorough
    • Only the records specified in the releaseCorrect
    • Nothing, until the patient requests the complete chart
    • Only the most recent progress note

    Why: When a release names specific records, only those records should be copied and sent, since going beyond what was authorized discloses information the patient did not agree to share. Sending the entire chart, sending an unrelated single note, or refusing to act on a valid signed authorization all fail to match what the release actually specifies. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 10, PDF p. 12.

11. Question 10

    Which of these is a recommended strategy for securing a medical office against workplace violence?

    • Leaving employee entrance doors unlocked for a faster exit
    • Eliminating any separate areas set aside for de-escalating tense situations
    • Installing closed-circuit video and maintaining strong, effective lightingCorrect
    • Removing all signage from the reception area

    Why: Recommended strategies for securing a medical office against workplace violence include closed-circuit video monitoring and strong, effective lighting, along with physical barriers and controlled access. Removing signage is not one of the listed protective strategies. Leaving employee entrance doors unlocked works against the recommendation to keep such doors secured. Eliminating de-escalation areas contradicts the recommendation to maintain designated spaces for calming tense situations. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 11, PDF p. 10.

12. Question 11

    A provider gives a medical assistant a verbal medication order to enter into the EHR. Along with the medication name, dose, and route, which patient identifiers must the provider also give?

    • The patient's full name plus the insurance policy and group number
    • The patient's date of birth plus the current home mailing address
    • The patient's full name plus either the health record number or the date of birthCorrect
    • The patient's health record number plus a next-of-kin contact name

    Why: Pairing the patient's name with a second unique identifier, such as the health record number or date of birth, is what lets the order be matched to the correct chart without ambiguity. An insurance policy number is a billing identifier, not a way to confirm which patient the order belongs to. A home address or a next-of-kin name are not reliable, unique identifiers for matching a medication order to a specific patient record. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, PDF p. 11.

13. Question 12

    A new rule specifies the exact steps a state medical board must follow when investigating a complaint against a license holder, rather than defining the license holder's underlying rights. This rule is best classified as which type of law?

    • Case law
    • Procedural lawCorrect
    • Substantive law
    • Statutory law

    Why: Procedural law sets out the rules that parties and agencies must follow while investigating and prosecuting an alleged violation, which matches a rule governing the steps of a board investigation. Substantive law instead determines the underlying rights and obligations at stake, not the investigative process itself. Case law is derived from judicial precedent rather than agency investigation steps, and statutory law refers broadly to legislation, a category that does not specifically describe investigative procedure. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 3, PDF p. 3.

14. Question 13

    A revised set of OSHA rules requires employers to evaluate and adopt safer needle devices to reduce healthcare worker exposure to bloodborne pathogens. Which federal law required OSHA to make this update?

    • The federal Controlled Substances Act
    • The Needlestick Safety and Prevention ActCorrect
    • The Occupational Safety and Health Act
    • The HITECH Act of 2009

    Why: The Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act required OSHA to update its Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, which matches a revised OSHA rule requiring safer needle devices to reduce exposure risk. The Occupational Safety and Health Act is the earlier, broader law that created OSHA itself, not the specific later law that triggered this particular update. HITECH addresses health information technology and privacy, and the Controlled Substances Act addresses drug scheduling, so neither relates to bloodborne pathogen exposure standards. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 4, PDF p. 7.

15. Question 14

    Beyond keeping information secure and confidential, an EHR system must also confirm who is attempting to reach a record before letting them in. What requirement does this describe?

    • Unlimited staff access to every record
    • Identification and authentication for accessCorrect
    • A manual paper sign-out log only
    • Automatic offsite data backup

    Why: An EHR system is expected to require identification and authentication before granting access, which verifies who a user actually is before any record is opened. Automatic backup addresses data loss rather than who may view a record, giving every staff member unrestricted access would undermine confidentiality rather than protect it, and a manual sign-out log is a paper-record control, not how an EHR verifies a user's identity. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 10, PDF p. 16.

16. Question 15

    A physician office laboratory is certified to perform moderate-complexity testing under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments. How often is the laboratory subject to a routine CLIA inspection (survey)?

    • Every year
    • Every 5 years
    • Every 6 months
    • Every 2 yearsCorrect

    Why: Laboratories certified for moderate- or high-complexity testing are surveyed on a two-year certificate cycle, by CMS or a state survey agency or, for accredited laboratories, by the accrediting organization. A six-month or yearly interval is more frequent than that routine cycle, and five years is longer than it. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 46, PDF p. 4.

17. Question 16

    The equipment inventory list a medical assistant maintains is primarily used by which party when preparing the practice's tax paperwork?

    • The state health department
    • The patient's insurance company
    • The equipment manufacturer
    • The practice's accountantCorrect

    Why: The equipment inventory list a medical assistant keeps is used by the practice's accountant when preparing the practice's tax paperwork, since it documents what equipment the practice owns. The equipment manufacturer has no direct use for the practice's internal inventory records. Neither a state health department nor a patient's insurance company is described as using this internal business record for tax purposes. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 11, PDF p. 4.

18. Question 17

    An outside billing company is hired by a physician practice to process claims and, in doing so, is given access to patients' protected health information. Under HIPAA, what is this billing company considered?

    • A public health authority
    • A limited data set
    • A covered entity
    • A business associateCorrect

    Why: A business associate is an outside organization hired to perform a task for a covered entity, where that task happens to involve access to protected health information, which matches an outside billing company handling claims for a practice. The practice itself, not the billing company, is the covered entity in this relationship. A public health authority and a limited data set are unrelated concepts that do not describe a contracted service provider. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 4, PDF p. 3.

19. Question 18

    Why are entries traditionally written in pencil in a paper appointment book?

    • Pencil entries fade less over time than ink
    • So schedule changes can be made easilyCorrect
    • Because pencil prevents the book from ever being used as a legal record
    • Because state law requires pencil for all medical documentation

    Why: Pencil is used in an appointment book because it allows changes to be made easily as the schedule shifts throughout the day. The appointment system can still be used as a legal record even though pencil is used, so claiming pencil prevents that status is incorrect. There is no general rule requiring pencil for medical documentation as a whole, and pencil marks are actually more prone to fading or smudging than ink, not less. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 9, PDF p. 5.

20. Question 19

    A laboratory order includes only some, not all, of the individual tests that are bundled together under a particular CPT panel code. How should this order be coded?

    • No code should be submitted until the remaining tests are also performed
    • Each test performed should be billed using its own separate individual codeCorrect
    • The panel code should be used along with an unlisted procedure code
    • The panel code should still be used, since it is the closest match

    Why: A panel code may only be used when every test listed under that code was actually performed; otherwise, each individual test that was performed should be billed using its own separate code. Using the panel code anyway, just because it is the closest match, would misrepresent tests that were not actually done. Withholding any code until the remaining tests are performed is unnecessary, since the tests that were actually completed can still be billed individually right away. Pairing the panel code with an unlisted procedure code is not the corrective step described; the fix is to bill the individual tests separately, not to add an unrelated unlisted code. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 14, PDF p. 21.

21. Question 20

    When a caller reports a medical emergency, what should the medical assistant do regarding the phone call?

    • Place the caller on hold briefly to notify the provider
    • Never place the caller on hold and stay on the line until help arrivesCorrect
    • End the call once emergency services have been notified
    • Transfer the caller to voicemail if no staff are available

    Why: When a caller reports a medical emergency, the medical assistant should never place the call on hold and should remain on the line until EMTs or other help arrives, since the caller may need guidance or reassurance throughout. Placing the caller on hold, even briefly, could leave someone in crisis without support at a critical moment. Ending the call once emergency services are notified abandons the caller before help physically arrives, and transferring an emergency call to voicemail would leave no one available to assist at all. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 9, PDF p. 13.

22. Question 21

    When alphabetically indexing a patient's name for filing, which name is considered first, which second, and which third?

    • Last name first, middle name second, first name third
    • First name first, middle name second, last name third
    • Last name first, first name second, middle name or initial thirdCorrect
    • Middle name first, last name second, first name third

    Why: Alphabetic indexing considers the last name first, the first name second, and the middle name or initial third, which keeps records with the same surname grouped together and then sub-sorted by given name. Placing the first or middle name ahead of the last name, or reversing the order of the first and middle names, does not follow this indexing order. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 10, PDF p. 13.

23. Question 22

    A patient's wound requires a layered closure of the subcutaneous tissue and superficial (non-muscle) fascia, in addition to closing the skin itself, but does not require any more extensive work beyond that layered closure. Which level of repair does this describe?

    • Simple repair
    • Intermediate repairCorrect
    • Debridement only
    • Complex repair

    Why: An intermediate repair adds a layered closure of one or more deeper tissue layers, such as subcutaneous tissue and superficial (non-muscle) fascia, on top of the skin closure, matching this description. A simple repair instead applies to a superficial wound without significant involvement of deeper structures, so it would not require a layered closure at all. A complex repair requires more than layered closure, going beyond what is described here. Debridement alone refers to removing dead or contaminated tissue and is not itself the layered closure procedure being described. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 14, PDF p. 19.

24. Question 23

    When a medical assistant reconciles the practice's own records against the bank's records for the month, which document is compared against, since it reports the beginning balance, deposits, cleared checks, and ending balance for the period?

    • The patient encounter form.
    • The provider's fee schedule.
    • The accounts payable folder.
    • The bank statement.Correct

    Why: Reconciliation means comparing the practice's own record of its account activity against the bank's own report of what actually cleared, and that report is the bank statement, which lays out the starting balance, every deposit and cleared check, transfers, fees, and the closing balance. An encounter form documents the charges from a single patient visit and has nothing to do with the bank account. Unpaid vendor invoices are tracked for accounts payable, a separate process from confirming what has already moved through the bank account. A fee schedule sets prices for services and never reports account activity. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 16, PDF p. 16.

25. Question 24

    A clinic uses one software system to handle scheduling, billing, and insurance eligibility, and a separate EHR system for clinical documentation. For these two systems to share data properly, what must exist between them?

    • Identical user interfaces
    • Encryption
    • InteroperabilityCorrect
    • A shared power source

    Why: Practice management software and EHR software are separate systems that each handle a different side of running the office, so for one to work with the other, they must be interoperable and able to exchange data correctly. Encryption protects data rather than enabling two systems to exchange it, a shared power source has nothing to do with software compatibility, and the two systems do not need identical interfaces to interoperate. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 6, PDF p. 6.

26. Question 25

    Which of these is required documentation in an equipment maintenance log?

    • The patient volume seen on the equipment that day
    • The provider's personal license number
    • The insurance carrier associated with the practice
    • The signature of the person who performed the maintenanceCorrect

    Why: A maintenance log is expected to include the signature of whoever performed the maintenance activity, along with details like the date and time of service, so there is accountability for the work done. Patient volume for the day is unrelated to equipment maintenance documentation. The practice's insurance carrier and the provider's personal license number are not elements of an equipment maintenance record either. Primary reference: Kinn's The Medical Assistant, 15th Edition, Chapter 11, PDF p. 5.