# CIRCC questions



## chembree (May 31, 2012)

I am thinking about taking the CIRCC exam. I have some questions for those of you who have taken it before. 

I have 4 years experience coding interventional charts. However, I have not coded coronary before and don’t have a lot of experience with HCPCs because we are physician based. 



So my questions are… how much HCPCs knowledge do I need? What about coronary? What was the hardest part of the exam for you? What would best prepare me for the exam? Any tips are greatly appreciated!


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## Jim Pawloski (Jun 5, 2012)

chembree said:


> I am thinking about taking the CIRCC exam. I have some questions for those of you who have taken it before.
> 
> I have 4 years experience coding interventional charts. However, I have not coded coronary before and don't have a lot of experience with HCPCs because we are physician based.
> 
> ...



Cardiac cath coding is easier now, since the changes of the codes a couple of years back.  Instead of looking for five codes for a left heart cath, it's now one.  As for HCPCS, you would need to know what the codes are for drug-eluting stents, bare metal stents, mechanical thrombectomy.  The hardest part for me, I think, was the  vascular catheterizations and some of the procedures that are considered Interventional Radiology, but are not usually done in a vascular lab.  Also know your aortic stent grafts.

Good Luck,
Jim Pawloski, CIRCC


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## heatheralayna (Jun 5, 2012)

I also have only worked physician based.  I bought the exam study guide and literally went through every bullet point and wrote them in my CPT book.  As long as you have a HCPC book and a general knowledge of how it works, you can do it.

I took that exam in 2011.  Yes, it is the most difficult exam I have ever done, but I so appreciate the knowledge I gained from the studying.  It really enforced what I knew and taught me even more.

HTH

Heather Shaw, CPC, CIRCC


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## ptrautner (Jun 6, 2012)

That's what i am working on right now...writing notes from the study exam in my book and reading the bible(dr z's book that is 700 pages long!)...i will learn far more by preparing than where i work as we do very limited IR stuff. Lots to learn my test is in september i bellieve i will be ready thanks for sharing the tips.


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## lisagarza29@yahoo.com (Jun 15, 2012)

*Circc exam*

How did you guys document the info in your CPT Code books? Like how did you organize it? I have already taken it twice and got a 67 last time and 69 the first time. I'm borderline and think if I add a few notes I will pass this next time I take it in August. My email is eligarza@missionrmc.org will you please email me and give me some pointers as to how I can organize my notes in my book for when I take the exam.

Thanks,

Lisa


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## Jim Pawloski (Jun 19, 2012)

eligarza@missionrmc.org said:


> How did you guys document the info in your CPT Code books? Like how did you organize it? I have already taken it twice and got a 67 last time and 69 the first time. I'm borderline and think if I add a few notes I will pass this next time I take it in August. My email is eligarza@missionrmc.org will you please email me and give me some pointers as to how I can organize my notes in my book for when I take the exam.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Lisa



What I did, using post-it-notes, was to label in the CPT book where the vascular codes (36000 area), also the biliary, nephrostomy, gastrostomy, cardiac catheterization, cardiac intervention, and radiology.  It allowed me to find the codes I needed a little quicker.
HTH,
Jim Pawloski


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## jtuominen (Jun 20, 2012)

I made the book a little faster use also by writing in all of the RS&I codes (7XXXX series) codes next to the surgical codes (for example, I wrote 75978 next to 35476 in my book and highlighted it). That way I knew what pairs of codes went together quickly.


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## hwilcox07 (Jun 21, 2012)

Are we allowed to write notes in our book regarding modifiers and bundled codes?


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## allaire_s (Jun 22, 2012)

Yes, we are! I have written all over my CPT book and I have highlighted a lot, too! And tabbed it!


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## jtuominen (Jun 25, 2012)

oh yes, my book is full of notes. Alot of times when I listen to webinars, I just write my notes in my book instead of on slide handout pages. I listened to quite a few webinars before I took my test and had those notes in there, it was a lifesaver. I think the rule is that you just cannot have anything taped or pasted into the book.

Tabs are great too, I tabbed the whole book practically.


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## jtuominen (Jun 25, 2012)

oh yes, my book is full of notes. Alot of times when I listen to webinars, I just write my notes in my book instead of on slide handout pages. I listened to quite a few webinars before I took my test and had those notes in there, it was a lifesaver. I think the rule is that you just cannot have any resources taped or pasted into the book.

Tabs are great too, I tabbed the whole book practically.


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## donna.christian@providence.org (Jul 2, 2012)

*CIRRC Exam Occlusive Device Question*

I got 66% when I took the CIRCC exam and am not going to give up!  Notes and tabs really help. My question is about the HCPCS: 'G0269' for placement of occlusive device..., how do I know when to code it or not?  Most of the CPT descriptions say occlusive device is included with the procedure.


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## Jim Pawloski (Jul 3, 2012)

donna.christian@providence.org said:


> I got 66% when I took the CIRCC exam and am not going to give up!  Notes and tabs really help. My question is about the HCPCS: 'G0269' for placement of occlusive device..., how do I know when to code it or not?  Most of the CPT descriptions say occlusive device is included with the procedure.



If the case is a Heart Cath, I would not use G0269.  But if the question is a arteriogram, and there is a closure device, I would code G0269.  In reality, G0269 is a tracking code.   Usually not paid.
HTH,
Jim Pawloski, CIRCC


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## kbazarte@yahoo.com (Jul 15, 2012)

there are numerous pages in the cpt, ICD-9 and hcpcs books that are not informational, WHITE them out, makes lots of room for notes, I used several bottles of white out.  From the Z-health book you can write on these new blank pages the pertinient charge sheets (angio, veno, endograf,etc charge sheets), it makes looking up your codes much easier, you go to that charge sheet versus trying to find the codes.  You can also bring with you anatomy charts as long as you do not write notes on them, helps bunches with cath placements, these are also in the Z-health book.  Practice with time management on the op notes.  Know your IVR coding rules, also in the front of the Z-health book.  If there are any you have trouble remembering, put these in your notes.  Good luck on you test


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