ACDIS Updated CCDS Exam Questions and Answers by skyler

The fracture occurred after inpatient admission as the result of a hospital fall, placing it within CMS's Hospital-Acquired Condition category for Falls and Trauma when the applicable fracture code is included in the HAC code list. CMS's FY 2026 MS-DRG Definitions Manual continues to identify qualifying fracture codes within HAC 05.

The fracture must still be coded; therefore, option D is incorrect. Because it clearly developed after admission, it would not appropriately receive POA indicator “U,” which indicates insufficient documentation to determine whether the condition was present on admission.

For qualifying HAC diagnoses that are not POA, CMS payment logic prevents the hospital from receiving the higher MS-DRG payment that would otherwise result solely from the condition's CC/MCC status. Thus, option B expresses the intended payment effect.

This distinction is central to CDI practice: a hospital-acquired diagnosis does not disappear from the record or coding. It remains reportable for clinical and quality purposes, but certain qualifying HACs are treated differently in MS-DRG payment calculations.

CCDS Reference Topics: HACs; POA indicators; Falls and Trauma; MS-DRG payment adjustment.

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The most compliant approach is to present the patient-specific clinical indicators objectively and request clarification using clinically reasonable choices without predetermining the diagnosis.

Neither the CDI specialist nor coder independently diagnoses sepsis from fever, leukocytosis, tachycardia, cultures, or antibiotic therapy. These findings create a legitimate clarification opportunity, but the responsible provider must determine whether the patient has sepsis, bacteremia, a localized infection, contamination, another condition, or no definitive diagnosis.

Option A is leading because it instructs the provider to document a specific diagnosis. Option B is problematic because a yes/no format would effectively introduce a new diagnosis that has not previously been documented. Option D violates basic coding principles because treatment alone does not establish a provider diagnosis.

The August 2026 ACDIS/AHIMA guidance is the current foundational standard for compliant query practice and supersedes earlier versions. It applies across inpatient and other healthcare environments and emphasizes defensible documentation clarification processes.

CCDS Reference Topics: Compliant queries; missing diagnosis; multiple-choice queries; clinical indicators; provider independence.

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A query should not be issued solely because a diagnosis would increase reimbursement when the record contains no clinical basis for that diagnosis.

The 2026 ACDIS/AHIMA compliant-query guidance establishes that CDI clarification must be grounded in the patient's clinical record and directed toward ensuring accurate representation of clinical status. The updated guidance supersedes all previous versions and applies across CDI and coding environments.

Financial impact may occur as a consequence of accurate documentation, but it cannot be the clinical rationale for introducing an unsupported condition. A query containing a single unsupported diagnosis would also risk being leading or otherwise noncompliant.

Likewise, a coder cannot provisionally manufacture a diagnosis simply because it would affect the MS-DRG. Code assignment depends on the documented clinical record and applicable coding conventions.

This principle applies equally in the opposite direction: if clarification could reduce reimbursement but is necessary to correct inaccurate, conflicting, or unsupported documentation, CDI should still pursue clarification. Effective CDI programs protect the integrity of the health record, not a predetermined financial outcome.

CCDS Reference Topics: Ethics; query compliance; clinical support; reimbursement neutrality; documentation integrity.

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This scenario requires a clinical validation query. The diagnosis of respiratory failure is documented, but the remainder of the record lacks clinical evidence supporting it. CDI should not automatically accept the diagnosis solely because it appears in a progress note, nor should the specialist unilaterally remove or invalidate the provider's diagnosis.

The appropriate process is to present relevant patient-specific clinical information objectively and ask the responsible provider to clarify whether respiratory failure remains clinically appropriate. A compliant validation query should permit the provider to confirm the diagnosis, document another condition, indicate that it was ruled out, or provide another clinically appropriate response.

Looking only for CPAP documentation is inadequate because CPAP can be used for multiple conditions and its presence or absence does not independently determine whether respiratory failure exists. Similarly, simply refusing to code the diagnosis without seeking clarification bypasses the provider's clinical judgment and the organization's validation process.

The 2026 ACDIS/AHIMA query guidance is now the current foundational standard and supersedes earlier versions of the practice brief.

CCDS Reference Topics: Clinical validation; compliant querying; unsupported diagnoses; documentation integrity.

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