CIC Inpatient Coding Practice Test

The CIC Inpatient Coding Practice Test is a free intermediate-level, 20-minute skill test from Science of Apps. Practice for AAPC's Certified Inpatient Coder (CIC) exam — selecting the principal diagnosis under the ICD-10-CM inpatient guidelines, secondary diagnoses, present-on-admission indicators and queries, ICD-10-PCS code structure, root operations and approaches, and MS-DRG grouping and compliance — written to the FY2026 ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines, CMS MS-DRG documentation and the AAPC CIC outline. Applies to US hospital inpatient coding. Score 70% or more on its 20 questions to earn a verifiable CIC Inpatient Coding Readiness certificate (SOA-CICX). Every question is based on published standards and research — including ICD-10-CM classification and guidelines (CDC National Center for Health Statistics), ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting 2026 (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services), MS-DRG classifications and software (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) — and each answer is explained with its source.

Yes. Science of Apps has a free CIC Inpatient Coding Practice Test built on the current exam outline for 2026 and 2027. It covers principal diagnosis, secondary diagnoses, POA and queries, ICD-10-PCS structure and root operations and MS-DRG and compliance, scores you instantly and issues a verifiable certificate.

Read the four skill areas on this page, then take the 20-minute test online — no fee, course or sign-up. You see every answer explained when you finish. Score 70% or more and you get a CIC Inpatient Coding Readiness certificate straight away, on screen, as a PDF and by email, with a credential ID anyone can verify.

Yes. The questions are original scenarios written by Science of Apps, and each one is based on a public source you can read: ICD-10-CM classification and guidelines (CDC National Center for Health Statistics); ICD-10-PCS Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting 2026 (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services); MS-DRG classifications and software (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services); Guidelines for Achieving a Compliant Query Practice (2022 update) (AHIMA and ACDIS); ICD-10 codes, files and guidelines (CM and PCS) (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). The source is shown under each question and linked in the answer review. Science of Apps doesn't copy questions from other tests.

Four skill areas with five questions each, drawn from a bank of 10 per area so a retake brings new questions: Principal Diagnosis (UHDDS definition, Sequencing and Uncertain diagnoses); Secondary Diagnoses, POA and Queries (Reportable conditions, POA and Queries); ICD-10-PCS Structure and Root Operations (Characters, Root operations and Approaches); MS-DRG and Compliance (Grouping, CC/MCC and Integrity). Every question is an original scenario written to the 2026–2027 standard, with the published source named under it.

Inpatient or facility coder, Clinical documentation integrity specialist, Coding auditor, Health information management professional and Outpatient coder moving to inpatient. It suits anyone who wants a quick, verifiable way to show Certified Inpatient Coder knowledge in 2026 and 2027, from students and career switchers to experienced professionals.

The CIC tests inpatient facility coding: ICD-10-CM diagnosis coding with inpatient rules, ICD-10-PCS procedure coding, MS-DRG concepts and inpatient reimbursement, plus coding case scenarios from hospital records.

In the inpatient setting, uncertain diagnoses documented at discharge as probable, suspected or likely are coded as if established. In outpatient settings they are not; coders report the signs and symptoms instead.

Yes. The test is online, in English and free everywhere — people take it from India, the US, the UK, Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Your certificate is dated with your own local date and can be verified from anywhere at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/.

20 questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — with a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

We rate it Intermediate: assumes hands-on experience in the role. It has 20 scenario questions — 5 from each of 4 skill areas — and a 20-minute limit. You need 70% (14 of 20) to pass and 90% for distinction.

Nothing. There is no fee to take a test, to receive the certificate, to have it emailed or to verify it, and no sign-up.

On our server, not in your browser. The answers never reach the page until you submit, so a certificate can only be earned by passing. Each certificate gets a unique credential ID stored by Science of Apps.

You see your score for each area and every question with the correct answer and why, with the published source behind it. You can retake after 30 minutes, and the retake draws questions you haven't seen yet.

No. Every certificate is dated, so it always shows when you passed. Retake a test any time for a newer date or a higher score.

Yes. After you pass, Add to LinkedIn opens the Licenses & certifications form with the certificate name, Science of Apps as the issuer, the issue date, your credential ID and the verification link filled in. You can also download it as a PDF or PNG, and it's emailed to you as a PDF.

Every certificate has a credential ID and a QR code. Scanning it, or entering the ID at scienceofapps.com/certification/verify/, shows the holder's name, the certification, the score and the issue date from our records.

No. They are Science of Apps' own assessments of applied skill. They aren't issued by a university or standards body, and they work best alongside a portfolio that shows the skills in real work.