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100+ Free CDMS Practice Questions

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When developing an individualized return-to-work plan, which element is MOST essential to make the plan medically appropriate and legally defensible?

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Sample CDMS Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your CDMS exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1A disability manager receives a new short-term disability claim for an employee with a low-back strain. What is the FIRST step in the case management process before developing any return-to-work plan?
A.Conduct a comprehensive individual case assessment to gather medical, occupational, and psychosocial information
B.Immediately schedule an independent medical examination (IME)
C.Notify the employee that benefits will be terminated if they do not return within two weeks
D.Approve the maximum allowable leave period for a low-back strain
Explanation: The case management process begins with a comprehensive assessment in which the disability manager gathers medical, functional, occupational, and psychosocial data. This assessment establishes the baseline needed to plan, coordinate, and evaluate all subsequent interventions and return-to-work efforts.
2An injured worker's treating physician releases the employee to 'sedentary work, no lifting over 10 pounds, no prolonged standing.' To match these capabilities to the job, which document should the disability manager consult FIRST?
A.The employer's group health plan summary
B.A physical/functional job description with essential and marginal functions and physical demands
C.The state workers' compensation fee schedule
D.The employee's most recent performance appraisal
Explanation: A physical or functional job description identifies the essential and marginal functions and the physical demand levels of the job. Comparing the physician's restrictions to those documented demands lets the disability manager determine whether the worker can perform essential functions, with or without accommodation.
3A case manager is coordinating a complex catastrophic injury claim involving the injured worker, the employer, the treating physician, a physical therapist, and the claims adjuster. Which core function BEST describes the case manager's role in keeping all parties aligned?
A.Gatekeeping access to medical care to reduce claim cost
B.Acting as the legal representative for the injured worker
C.Promoting collaboration and communication among stakeholders
D.Replacing the treating physician's clinical judgment
Explanation: A central case management function is promoting collaboration among stakeholders so that medical care, vocational planning, and benefit administration are coordinated. The case manager facilitates communication rather than controlling care or substituting clinical or legal judgment.
4An employee on long-term disability has reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) with permanent restrictions that prevent return to the original job. What does MMI most accurately indicate?
A.The employee is permanently and totally disabled and cannot work in any capacity
B.The medical condition has stabilized and is not expected to improve substantially with further treatment
C.All disability benefits must immediately terminate
D.The employee has fully recovered and may return without restrictions
Explanation: Maximum medical improvement means the condition has plateaued and further significant recovery is not expected, even though treatment may continue for maintenance. MMI is the point at which permanent impairment and residual functional capacity are assessed for vocational planning.
5A disability manager wants to compare an employee's expected recovery time against an evidence-based benchmark to set realistic return-to-work goals. Which resource is designed for this purpose?
A.The Social Security Blue Book listing of impairments
B.Disability duration guidelines (e.g., MDGuidelines/ODG) based on diagnosis and job demands
C.The ADA Title I regulations
D.The employer's PTO accrual policy
Explanation: Disability duration guidelines provide evidence-based expected length-of-disability ranges by diagnosis, procedure, and job demand level. They help the case manager set realistic return-to-work timelines and flag claims that exceed expected duration for closer review.
6An employee recovering from rotator cuff surgery can perform their essential job functions if allowed to alternate one-handed tasks for four weeks. The disability manager arranges this with the supervisor. This BEST illustrates which return-to-work strategy?
A.Permanent job reassignment
B.Placement on indefinite leave until full recovery
C.Vocational retraining for a new occupation
D.Transitional (modified-duty) return-to-work
Explanation: Transitional or modified-duty return-to-work temporarily adjusts duties, hours, or methods so the worker can resume productive activity during recovery. It reduces lost time, maintains work conditioning, and is intended to be time-limited until full duty is achievable.
7During case planning, a disability manager identifies that an injured worker is exhibiting fear-avoidance behavior and catastrophizing about pain. Recognizing these as 'yellow flags,' what is the most appropriate action?
A.Close the claim because the worker is exaggerating symptoms
B.Address the psychosocial barriers through coordinated interventions to support recovery and return to work
C.Refer the worker directly for spinal surgery
D.Terminate communication with the worker to avoid reinforcing complaints
Explanation: Yellow flags are psychosocial risk factors (such as fear-avoidance and catastrophizing) that predict delayed recovery. The case manager should coordinate interventions, such as reassurance, graded activity, and behavioral support, to address these barriers and facilitate return to work.
8A case manager must determine the physical demands of a job and identify whether a worker with restrictions can safely perform it. Which assessment objectively measures the worker's physical capabilities against job requirements?
A.Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE)
B.Mental Status Examination
C.Wage replacement calculation
D.COBRA election notice
Explanation: A Functional Capacity Evaluation systematically measures a worker's ability to perform physical tasks such as lifting, carrying, standing, and reaching. The results are compared to documented job demands to guide return-to-work decisions and identify needed accommodations.
9An employee has both an occupational injury (workers' compensation) and a coexisting non-occupational chronic illness affecting attendance. Which disability management approach BEST coordinates these overlapping absences?
A.Handling each claim in complete isolation with separate teams
B.Denying the non-occupational condition to simplify the file
C.Integrated Disability and Absence Management (IDAM)
D.Referring all matters to outside legal counsel
Explanation: Integrated Disability and Absence Management coordinates occupational and non-occupational absences, benefits, and return-to-work efforts under a single framework. This reduces duplication, avoids conflicting decisions, and improves outcomes when multiple laws and benefit programs overlap.
10A disability manager is documenting a case file. Which entry BEST reflects appropriate, defensible case documentation?
A.'Claimant is faking; obviously wants time off.'
B.'6/3: Spoke with treating physician; restrictions confirmed as no lifting >15 lbs through 7/1. RTW plan for modified duty discussed with supervisor.'
C.'Worker seems lazy and unmotivated.'
D.'No notes needed; everything is routine.'
Explanation: Good case documentation is factual, dated, objective, and records actions and decisions with sources. It captures verified restrictions, contacts, and the return-to-work plan so the file supports continuity of care and withstands audit or legal review.

About the CDMS Exam

The Certified Disability Management Specialist (CDMS) is a nationally accredited (NCCA) credential governed by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) for professionals in integrated disability and absence management. The Pearson VUE-delivered exam contains 150 multiple-choice items (about 125-130 scored) and is offered in March and September windows.

Assessment

150 multiple-choice questions delivered via Pearson VUE; approximately 125-130 are scored and the rest are unscored pretest items spread throughout the exam.

Time Limit

3.5 hours (an optional 10-minute scheduled break was added with the March 2026 blueprint)

Passing Score

Criterion-referenced scaled score; the Commission sets the cut score through a standard-setting study and does not publish a fixed raw percentage. Results for the first March 2026 administration are reported after the new cut score is established.

Exam Fee

$420 total (commonly a $225 application fee plus a $195 examination/re-examination fee) (CCMC (Commission for Case Manager Certification))

CDMS Exam Content Outline

36%

Disability and Work Interruption Case Management

Case assessment, return-to-work and stay-at-work planning, FCE/IME, MMI, transferable skills, biopsychosocial barriers, and stakeholder coordination.

27%

Workplace Interventions

Injury and disability prevention via ergonomics, hierarchy of controls, transitional duty, health promotion, EAP, and safety culture.

19%

Employment Leaves and Benefits Administration

FMLA, ADA interactive process, workers' compensation, STD/LTD, ERISA, SSDI, COBRA, USERRA, state PFML, and coordinating overlapping laws.

18%

Program Development, Management, and Evaluation

Designing and evaluating integrated disability programs, KPIs, benchmarking, cost analysis, quality improvement, and ethics/governance.

How to Pass the CDMS Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Criterion-referenced scaled score; the Commission sets the cut score through a standard-setting study and does not publish a fixed raw percentage. Results for the first March 2026 administration are reported after the new cut score is established.
  • Assessment: 150 multiple-choice questions delivered via Pearson VUE; approximately 125-130 are scored and the rest are unscored pretest items spread throughout the exam.
  • Time limit: 3.5 hours (an optional 10-minute scheduled break was added with the March 2026 blueprint)
  • Exam fee: $420 total (commonly a $225 application fee plus a $195 examination/re-examination fee)

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

CDMS Study Tips from Top Performers

1Weight your study time to the 2026 blueprint: spend the most effort on Disability and Work Interruption Case Management (36%) and Workplace Interventions (27%).
2Master how FMLA, ADA, and workers' compensation overlap and apply simultaneously, including the interactive process, transitional duty, and benefit coordination (STD/LTD, SSDI offset, COBRA, USERRA).
3Practice applied scenarios rather than pure recall, since the CDMS exam is practice-based and tests decisions an experienced disability manager would make.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many questions are on the CDMS exam and how long is it?

The CDMS exam has 150 multiple-choice questions, of which approximately 125-130 are scored and the rest are unscored pretest items. Candidates have 3.5 hours to complete it, with an optional scheduled break added for the 2026 blueprint.

Who administers the CDMS and where do I take it?

The credential is governed by the Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC), also called The Commission, and is accredited by the NCCA. The exam is delivered by Pearson VUE at testing centers or online via OnVUE remote proctoring.

What changed with the March 2026 CDMS blueprint?

Following a 2025 Job Task Analysis, the four domains were re-weighted to Disability and Work Interruption Case Management (36%), Workplace Interventions (27%), Employment Leaves and Benefits Administration (19%), and Program Development, Management, and Evaluation (18%), with refined item language and a new cut score set by standard setting.

How much does the CDMS exam cost and what are the eligibility requirements?

Total cost is about $420 (commonly a $225 application fee plus a $195 examination fee). Candidates generally need a bachelor's degree in any field or a current RN license plus documented relevant disability/absence-management work experience.