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• The Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (CMAA) test contains 110 scored items and 20 pretest items.
• The exam time is 2 hours and 10 minutes.
• The CMAA Exam covers the following topics.
• Scheduling: 19 items
• Patient intake: 18 items
• Office logistics: 12 items
• Compliance: 16 items
• Patient education: 11 items
• General office policies and procedures: 15 items
• Basic medical terminology: 19 items

Scheduling

• 19 scored items pertain to scheduling
• 4 scored items pertain to evaluating different types of patient scheduling
• 4 scored items pertain to determining the scheduling needs of the facility, as well as new and established patients
• 4 scored items pertain to following protocol for no-show, missed, canceled, or follow-up appointments
• 4 scored items pertain to arranging for diagnostic testing and procedures
• 3 scored items pertain to confirming future appointments

Patient Scheduling Types

• Identify the patient using information like the same last name, same first and last name, or same date of birth.
• Interpret the purpose of the patient's visit
• Arrange the procedures in the scheduling book
• Knowledge of wave booking
• Knowledge of double-booking
• Knowledge of modified wave
• Knowledge of steam/time-specific
• Knowledge of open booking
• Knowledge of cluster or categorization booking

Scheduling Needs

• Input new patient information
• Identify the type of service the patient needs
• Knowledge of provider availability in scheduling
• Obtain referrals
• Knowledge of appointment intervals
• Knowledge of physicians’ preferences, needs, and schedule matrix
• Knowledge of block scheduling
• Knowledge of nurses’ preferences, needs, and schedule
• Identify dates and times when the schedule needs to be blocked out for the facility

No-show Appointments

• Knowledge of fees
• Knowledge of follow-up procedures for no-show, missed, and canceled appointments
• Knowledge of office policies related to charges for missed appointments
• Check with a physician to determine if a patient can be seen
• Reschedule for later appointments
• Document a no-show, missed, or canceled appointment
• Send out notifications for no-show and missed appointments

Diagnostic Testing

• Call for pre-authorization for testing and procedures
• Check for referrals prior to the appointment
• Knowledge of participating or non-participating facilities to arrange for diagnostic testing and procedures
• Verify patient billing address for scheduling needs
• Verify the best method of contact for scheduling appointments
• Provide patients with instructions for pre-testing or diagnostic procedures
• Schedule pre-admission testing
• Ensure the patient has the correct address of the facility
• Ensure the patient has the correct name of the referred physician
• Document information in the patient chart
• Follow-up with the patient to ensure compliance with the physician’s instructions

Future Appointments

• Follow HIPAA guidelines when scheduling and confirming future appointments
• Instruct patients to bring insurance and identification to the appointment
• Verify the patient's insurance is participating with the physician’s office
• Document a no-show, missed, or canceled appointment
• Check for referrals prior to the appointment
• Inform the patient of co-pay requirement

Patient Intake

• 18 scored items pertain to patient intake
• 4 scored items pertain to confirming demographic information with the patient
• 4 scored items pertain to verify insurance information
• 3 scored items pertain to ensure forms are updated or completed
• 3 scored items pertain to prepare encounter form
• 4 scored items pertain to prepare daily charts

Demographic Information

• Maintain appropriate demographic data such as address, phone number, date of birth, and insurance information.
• Check that the patient’s Protected Health Information (PHI) has been entered
• Confirm the patient’s advanced directives
• Knowledge of special needs in regards to special paperwork, visually impaired patients, language barrier patients
• Ensure the demographic form is signed
• Knowledge of best method of contact for confirming demographic information

Insurance Information

• Verify coverage benefits
• Verify co-pay
• Review insurance card
• Review form of photo identification
• Verify changes in coverage
• Verify whether the patient has secondary and/or tertiary coverage
• Knowledge of the Birthday Rule
• Verify policyholder
• Determine which laboratory is the appropriate facility for a patient to use
• Determine benefit information
• Identify the difference between the guarantor and the patient, if it exists
• Knowledge of basic coding, such as ICD or CPT
• Communicate with insurance company

Forms

• Ensure forms are signed with assignment of benefits, advanced directives, living will, health history, consent to release information, records release, HIPAA release, financial responsibility, DNR, health care surrogate

Encounter Forms

• Knowledge of other practitioners and physicians for referrals
• Basic knowledge of procedures performed in the back office
• Verify information on the encounter form
• Recognize, but do not interpret, basic coding (e.g., ICD, CPT)

Daily Charts

• Retrieve and file the record
• Create a medical record
• Knowledge of how to retrieve future appointment schedules
• Ensure delivery to the proper physician
• Match the correct patient to the correct chart
• Update the patient's chart with progress notes

Office Logistics

• 12 scored items pertain to office logistics
• 4 scored items pertain to filing medical records.
• 5 scored items pertain to performing financial procedures.
• 3 scored items pertain to evaluating mail deliveries.

Medical Records

• Knowledge of filing systems, such as electronic, alphabetical procedures, and terminal digit procedures
• Ability to cross-reference charts
• Basic knowledge of scanning documents
• Basic knowledge of correlation of charts, such as labs categorized under laboratories, prescriptions categorized under Prescriptions
• Basic knowledge of EHR/EMR (Electronic Health Records/Electronic Medical Records)

Financial procedures

• Collect copayments
• Create statements, such as office visit invoices and pre-invoices
• Create a receipt for payment
• Knowledge of basic financial terminology such as copay, deductibles, co-insurance, and fee schedule
• Use petty cash

Mail Deliveries

• Sort and distribute mail
• Knowledge of different classes of mail, such as registered, certified, first-class, priority, FedEx, and USPS
• Verify contents of package against the package slip

Compliance

• 16 scored items pertain to compliance
• 6 scored items pertain to following HIPAA guidelines.
• 5 scored items pertain to following OSHA guidelines.
• 5 scored items pertain to following the Center for Medicare/Medicaid Services (CMS) guidelines.

HIPAA Guidelines

• Ensure the patient’s privacy and security of protected health information
• Ensure charts are properly secured and displayed with personal information covered
• Use a HIPAA-compliant sign-in sheet
• Knowledge of what information is not private for authorities and health departments, such as child abuse, STDs/STIs, gunshot wounds, and HIV
• Knowledge of record release forms
• Knowledge of who can access a patient's chart
• Proper use of passwords
• Knowledge of peer-to-peer information
• Follow HIPAA guidelines for covered and non-covered entities
• Knowledge of appropriate discussion of medical information, such as when and where
• Knowledge of proper verification of medical information regarding what to release and what not to release when verifying information
• Knowledge of penalties for violating HIPAA practices
• Document release of information regarding when and to whom information can be released
• Knowledge of PHI standards

OSHA Guidelines

• Adhere to OSHA guidelines
• Knowledge of MSDS
• Knowledge of how to report an OSHA incident
• Knowledge of the evacuation plans and emergency procedures

CMS Guidelines

• Report Medicare/Medicaid fraud
• Awareness of consequences of fraud
• Knowledge of the difference between Medicare and Medicaid
• Recognize the CMS-1500 form
• Recognize the UB04

Patient Education

• 11 scored items pertain to patient education
• 4 scored items pertain to explaining the patients’ bill of rights
• 4 scored items pertain to explaining the patients’ insurance responsibilities
• 3 scored items pertain to explaining pre- and post-instructions for testing and procedures

Patient Bill of Rights

• Explain to patients that medical decisions are made by physicians
• Explain to patients that they have the right to go to a medical specialist
• Explain to patients that they have the right to keep the same physician through a procedure or treatment
• Knowledge of who owns the medical record
• Knowledge of disability practices, such as ADA compliance
• Compare and contrast different forms of consent, such as implied consent, verbal consent, written consent, expressed consent, and implied minor consent
• Knowledge of basic medical law and ethics, such as assault and battery, and patient abandonment
• Explain to patients that they have the right to be seen by another physician

Insurance Responsibilities

• Explain the difference between copayments and coinsurance
• Explain deductibles
• Explain allowed amounts
• Basic knowledge of insurance practices
• Explain the difference between federal and private insurance
• Explain an Advanced Beneficiary Notice (ABN)
• Knowledge of the contents of an Explanation of Benefits (EOB)

Pre- and Post- Instructions

• Provide written documentation on the procedure
• Reiterate the physician’s instructions

General Office Policies and Procedures

• 15 scored items pertain to general office policies and procedures
• 3 scored items pertain to performing office opening and closing procedures.
• 3 scored items pertain to greeting patients upon arrival.
• 3 scored items pertain to applying telephone etiquette.
• 3 scored items pertain to creating correspondences.
• 3 scored items pertain to demonstrating basic computer skills.

Opening and Closing Procedures

• Check internal and external messages, such as phones, emails, and faxes
• Check that charts are prepared and ready for the day or next day
• Check that the amount of petty cash for the day is correct
• Direct and redirect phones to and from answering service to the office
• Ensure day sheets are balanced
• Ensure equipment is turned on at open and off at close
• Clean up reception area
• Back up data
• Order supplies

Patient Arrival

• Greet patients with a positive attitude
• Identify type of visit (e.g., sick or well)
• Identify type of patient (i.e., new or existing)
• Ensure the front office is free of obstacles
• Acknowledge patients upon arrival
• Notify patients of the wait time

Telephone Etiquette

• Introduce the facility and self
• Identify the type of caller
• Identify the caller’s need
• Check on callers with extended hold times

Correspondences

• Knowledge of templates
• Knowledge of word processing
• Knowledge of different types of letters
• Knowledge of different types of correspondences
• Create letters
• Use proper greetings and salutations
• Apply proper postage
• Obtain required signatures

Computer Skills

• Knowledge of e-mail systems, such as Microsoft Outlook
• Knowledge of word processing, such as Microsoft Word
• Knowledge of spreadsheets, such as Microsoft Excel
• Knowledge of the Internet (e.g., social media, web searching)
• Use of hardware, such as copiers, fax machines, and scanners
• Basic HIPAA regulations for the use of computers
• Skills at computer software

Basic Medical Terminology

• 19 scored items pertain to basic medical terminology
• 7 scored items pertain to using medical terminology to communicate with patients and physicians
• 6 scored items pertain to recognizing abbreviations and acronyms used to complete administrative duties
• 6 scored items pertain to using word parts to define medical terminology

Medical Terminology

• Knowledge of pronunciation
• Basic knowledge of spelling
• Basic knowledge of the meaning of terms

Abbreviations and Acronyms

• Identify the meaning of abbreviations and acronyms
• Use abbreviations and acronyms to complete basic administrative duties

Word Parts

• Basic knowledge of prefixes (e.g., a-, an-, pre-, post-, hyper-, hypo-, peri-, endo-, exo-)
• Basic knowledge of roots (e.g., cardi/o, vascul/o, gastr/o, nephr/o, hepat/o)
• Basic knowledge of suffixes (e.g., -logy, -itis, -osis, -pathy, -ist, -graph)