The CPC (Certified Professional Coder) is a medical coding and health-information credential awarded by AAPC.
AAPC publishes the official exam outline, eligibility rules and fees — see AAPC's official page before you book.
In our 1041-card CPC deck the heaviest topics are Procedures (41%), Coding Guidelines (16%), Pathology (9%) — that is how this deck is weighted, not the official blueprint, so use it to plan practice and check AAPC's exam outline for the real weighting. This guide shows where the material gets hardest, which topics to practise first, and a 5-step plan built on active recall.
Start with the free CPC practice test
20 mixed questions with answers — find your weak topics before you plan around them →
Based on the 1041 flashcards in our CPC deck. Use it to budget study time, then confirm the official blueprint with the certifying body below.
| Topic | Cards | Share of deck | Practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Procedures | 430 | 41% | Free questions → |
| Coding Guidelines | 170 | 16% | Free questions → |
| Pathology | 90 | 9% | Free questions → |
| Anatomy | 80 | 8% | Free questions → |
| Management | 80 | 8% | Free questions → |
| Diagnostics | 50 | 5% | Free questions → |
| Regulations | 50 | 5% | Free questions → |
| Equipment | 20 | 2% | Free questions → |
| Pharmacology | 20 | 2% | in the full deck |
| Terminology | 20 | 2% | in the full deck |
| Basics | 10 | 1% | in the full deck |
Our CPC cards carry difficulty ratings. The spread tells you how much of the deck is quick recall versus genuinely demanding:
0
Easy cards
0% of deck
526
Medium cards
51% of deck
515
Hard cards
49% of deck
These are genuine cards from the heaviest-weighted topics above. Answer each one before you reveal it — that is what active recall means in practice.
How does a violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) impact a provider's liability under the False Claims Act (FCA)?
Show answer →A claim that includes items or services resulting from a violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) constitutes a false or fraudulent claim for purposes of the FCA. This is true even if the service provided was medically necessary and coded correctly. Exam Tip: Look for scenarios where a kickback or referral fee exists; this automatically taints the claim, making it an FCA violation when submitted to Medicare/Medicaid.
In the context of the HIPAA Security Rule, differentiate between \Required\ and \Addressable\ implementation specifications.
Show answer →Required specifications must be implemented as written. Addressable specifications allow the entity to: 1. Implement the standard as written, 2. Implement an equivalent alternative, OR 3. Not implement it if it is not reasonable/appropriate (must document why and how the risk is otherwise mitigated). Crucial Point: Addressable does NOT mean Optional. You cannot simply ignore an addressable specification; you must perform a risk assessment and document the decision. CPC Exam Tip: AAPC often tests the misconception that addressable means you can skip the rule if it costs too much.
A coder is terminated after reporting fraudulent Medicare billing to the OIG. Under FCA Section 3730(h), what specific financial remedy is provided for back pay?
Show answer →The whistleblower (Relator) is entitled to two times the amount of back pay plus interest. Other remedies include reinstatement at the same seniority level and compensation for special damages, including litigation costs and reasonable attorneys' fees. Exam Tip: Distinguish between the Treble Damages for the government's loss and Double Back Pay for the whistleblower's retaliation protection.
Eligibility, fees, question counts and the current blueprint live on the official AAPC site (linked below). Print the outline — it is the map for everything that follows.
These 3 topics alone account for roughly 66% of our 1041-card CPC deck. Time spent here pays off more than anywhere else.
Answer questions before flipping to the answer — that struggle is what builds retention. Start with the 30 free CPC cards, then work through the full deck one category at a time.
After a full pass, re-drill only the cards you missed. Small categories are quick wins — closing a weak topic can be an afternoon's work.
Our deck rates 515 cards as hard. If those feel comfortable in your final two weeks, you are studying above test level.
Put the plan into practice
Every topic in the table above, with progress tracking across devices.
One-time payment · less than 1¢ per card · 30-day money-back guarantee
Try 30 free CPC cards firstWeight your time toward the biggest topics: in our 1041-card CPC deck, Procedures has 430 cards (41%), Coding Guidelines has 170 cards (16%), Pathology has 90 cards (9%). Always cross-check against the official AAPC exam outline.
Question counts, time limits and fees change — always confirm them in the official AAPC handbook (linked on this page). For practice, our CPC deck has 1041 question-and-answer flashcards covering the listed topics.
Difficulty is personal, but our deck's ratings give a sense of the spread: 0 easy, 526 medium and 515 hard cards. If the hard cards feel manageable, you are in good shape.
Try the 30 free CPC flashcards — no sign-up needed. If the format works for you, the full 1041-card deck is a one-time $7.
Eligibility rules, fees, question counts and passing standards are set by the certifying body and change over time. Always confirm them at the source before you apply or schedule your exam — our flashcards are practice material, not the official handbook.