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CMAA — Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (NHA)

Prepare for CMAA — Certified Medical Administrative Assistant (NHA) with practice questions covering 40 topics. Build your knowledge, track your progress, and study effectively with AH Prep.

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Topics
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What’s in it.

6 units

Sample questions

3 of many

A few questions from this module, with the answer and a full explanation. The complete bank is available when you start practising.

  1. A CMAA runs a real-time eligibility check for a patient scheduled for a specialist visit tomorrow. The 271 response shows active coverage but lists the plan type as HMO and indicates a referral is required. No referral is on file. The patient insists they have already seen this specialist twice this year. What is the most appropriate course of action?

    • Ask the specialist's clinical staff to generate the referral retroactively on the day of the visit
    • Cancel the appointment immediately without attempting to obtain a referral
    • Place the patient's visit on hold, contact the PCP's office to obtain a valid referral, and document the action taken before confirming the appointment
      Correct answer
    • Proceed with the appointment because the patient has seen the specialist before without issues
    Explanation

    Active coverage on the 271 does not override plan-specific requirements such as HMO referrals. A referral must be obtained from the PCP before specialist services will be covered. The CMAA's correct action is to pause the scheduling process, contact the PCP to obtain a current referral, and document every step. Prior visits without documented referrals may have been billing errors or the referral may have existed elsewhere — neither justifies skipping the requirement now. Key takeaway: active coverage confirmation does not remove plan-specific referral requirements; the CMAA must resolve them before the encounter.

  2. A practice manager asks the MA to describe when semi-block format might still be used compared to full-block. Which response is most accurate?

    • Semi-block is used exclusively for legal correspondence because indented paragraphs signal formal legal structure
    • Semi-block is less commonly used in modern medical offices; it is occasionally seen in more formal or traditional correspondence contexts. Full-block has largely replaced it because word processors make consistent left-margin alignment more efficient and no formatting is easier to standardize across staff.
      Correct answer
    • Semi-block is used when the letter is longer than one page because indentation helps readers track paragraph breaks
    • Semi-block is the required format for all correspondence involving patient-sensitive information under HIPAA
    Explanation

    Semi-block is rarely used in modern medical offices. It persists in some traditional or formal correspondence contexts, but full-block has become the dominant standard because of its simplicity in word processors. There is no regulatory, legal, or accreditation requirement specifying semi-block. Key takeaway: semi-block is a legacy format; full-block is the contemporary standard for medical office letters.

  3. What is automatic logoff, and is it a required or addressable technical safeguard?

    • Automatic logoff is classified as a physical safeguard because it involves the physical state of the device display
    • Automatic logoff is a required technical safeguard that must be set to a maximum of 5 minutes on all workstations
    • Automatic logoff terminates a user's session after a defined period of inactivity on a workstation; it is an addressable technical safeguard under access control
      Correct answer
    • Automatic logoff is an optional administrative safeguard that small practices may omit if password protection is in place
    Explanation

    Automatic logoff is an addressable implementation specification under the access control technical safeguard (45 CFR § 164.312(a)(2)(iii)). It is a technical control — not a physical safeguard — because it governs software session management. As an addressable specification, it must be assessed and either implemented or replaced with a documented equivalent. Key takeaway: automatic logoff is an addressable technical safeguard — not required and not physical.