Free CIC Exam Prep
Certified Inpatient Coder
Prepare for the CIC exam without spending hundreds on expensive prep courses. Free study guides, practice questions, flashcards, and related exam resources.
Quick Facts
Buy on AmazonExplore More AAPC Certifications
Continue into nearby exams from the same family. Each card keeps practice questions, study guides, flashcards, videos, and articles in one place.
More From This Family
Videos and articles for deeper review.
CIC AAPC Certifications License: Complete Roadmap
Follow this path to organize your licensing and exam preparation
Medical Terminology, Anatomy & DocumentationYou are here
Master body systems, medical terminology, pathophysiology, and health record documentation standards that form the foundation for accurate inpatient coding.
ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Coding
Learn ICD-10-CM conventions, official coding guidelines, chapter-specific rules, and sequencing for inpatient encounters. Focus on principal diagnosis selection.
ICD-10-PCS Procedure Coding
Master the 7-character ICD-10-PCS structure, root operations, body parts, approaches, devices, and qualifiers. Practice building codes from operative reports.
Payment Methodologies, Compliance & Regulations
Study MS-DRG/APR-DRG assignment, reimbursement rules, CMS regulations, OIG compliance guidance, and fraud and abuse laws.
Practice Exams & Coding Cases
Complete full-length timed practice exams and coding cases. Focus on abstracting diagnoses and procedures from inpatient records under time pressure.
Can You Take the CIC Exam?
Check if you meet the basic eligibility requirements
- •AAPC membership required (included with exam purchase or $190/year separately)
- •Recommended: completion of AAPC CIC preparation course or equivalent training
- •Recommended: at least 2 years of inpatient coding experience
- •Open-book exam — ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, and other code manuals allowed
- •Valid government-issued photo ID required
CIC Quick Facts
Time to Get Licensed
8-16 weeks typical
From start to license in hand
Retake Policy
Must wait at least 90 days before retaking. Must purchase a new exam attempt unless you purchased the 2-attempt bundle.
Total Cost Breakdown
Free CIC Prep Tools
Reported exam pass rate: ~60%. These figures describe exam candidates, not OpenExamPrep user outcomes. Check the exam sponsor’s website for published statistics.
116+ Practice Questions
Practice by topic with detailed answer explanations
AI Tutor Explains Mistakes
Understand why answers are wrong, not just which ones
Independent Study Resources
Check the exam sponsor for current requirements
$0 Forever
Start without a credit card or trial
What You'll Study
6 chapters covering the exam topics in this guide
CIC Exam Details
Certified Inpatient Coder
Administered by AAPC
Exam Content Breakdown
Based on the official AAPC content outline
EHR limitations, documentation deficiencies, HIPAA, UHDDS, timely documentation and Joint Commission requirements.
Terminology, anatomy, pathophysiology and medications needed to capture correct codes.
CAC and NLP, Coding Clinic guidance, ICD-10-CM/PCS code assignment, DRG lookup and POA indicators.
Two-midnight rule, bill types, chargemaster, 72-hour rule, DRG assignment and base payments, principal diagnosis selection, readmissions and UB-04 data.
Inpatient vs outpatient methodologies, OPPS pass-through payments, APCs and status indicators.
LCD/NCD application, Medicare Parts A-D, ABN and HINN, private payer policy and precertification.
External and internal audits, OIG Work Plan, CERT, PEPPER, fraud and abuse, MAC and RAC audits and the Medicare appeal levels.
Seven inpatient records coded with ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS; each case has 5-15 equally weighted answers.
What's Included
6 Chapters
Complete exam coverage
Practice Quizzes
With detailed explanations
Free to Start
No credit card required
Quality Exam Prep Shouldn't Cost Hundreds
I'm Ran Chen, an engineer with 20+ years of coding experience. I passed my Life Insurance license, EA exam, SIE, Series 6, 63, 65, and finally the CFP® exam.
Through all these exams, one thing became clear: exam prep is expensive. But with AI, we can change that. Quality preparation can now be free for everyone.
What's Next After the CIC?
After passing the CIC, you can pursue these career paths
CIC Exam FAQ
Official AAPC Resources
Verify information with these official sources
More Free Resources
Ready to Start Your Free CIC Prep?
Review the study guide, practice key concepts, and use the free tools at your own pace.