CMA (AAMA) Practice Test

CMA (AAMA) Legal & Ethical Issues Practice Questions

Legal & Ethical Issues makes up 6 of every 50 questions on a Tigertest CMA (AAMA) practice test. Here are 10 of the 24 questions on it, each with the answer and the reason.

Updated 2026-11-10 by the Tigertest team. Based on the AAMA Content Outline for the CMA (AAMA) Certification Exam. Original questions; 50 per test, weighted like the real exam. Not affiliated with the AAMA.

1. 1. Which law strengthened HIPAA enforcement and added breach notification rules as practices moved to electronic records?

   • A.CLIA
   • B.The HITECH Act
   • C.The ADA Amendments Act
   • D.The Controlled Substances Act

   Answer: B. The HITECH Act (2009) promoted electronic health records, raised HIPAA penalties and requires notice to patients when unsecured PHI is breached.

2. 2. A patient asks for a copy of her medical record. Under HIPAA, what must the practice generally do?

   • A.Send it only to her insurer
   • B.Let her view it only on site
   • C.Refuse unless a lawyer asks
   • D.Provide it within 30 days

   Answer: D. HIPAA gives patients a right to access and get copies of their records, generally within 30 days, with one possible 30-day extension. A reasonable cost-based fee may apply.

3. 3. A patient believes an entry in her record is wrong. What right does HIPAA give her?

   • A.To request an amendment
   • B.To have the record destroyed
   • C.To delete the entry herself
   • D.To sue before any review

   Answer: A. Patients may ask the practice to amend their record. If the practice declines, the patient can add a statement of disagreement to the record.

4. 4. A substance use disorder treatment program receives a request for a patient's records. What do federal confidentiality rules require?

   • A.A phone call from any provider
   • B.No consent if insurance asks
   • C.Specific written consent
   • D.Only a verbal OK from the patient

   Answer: C. Records of federally assisted substance use disorder programs have extra protection under 42 CFR Part 2 and need specific written consent for most releases.

5. 5. What does the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) prohibit?

   • A.Storing genetic results in the chart
   • B.Telling patients their results
   • C.Using genetic data to deny coverage
   • D.Ordering any genetic testing

   Answer: C. GINA bars health insurers and employers from using genetic information to decide coverage, premiums, hiring or firing. It does not ban testing.

6. 6. A patient who signed a release of information wants to cancel it. What is required?

   • A.A written revocation
   • B.Nothing; it expires at once
   • C.A court order
   • D.A phone call to the office

   Answer: A. An authorization is revoked in writing. The revocation stops future releases but cannot undo disclosures already made under it.

7. 7. How should old paper records containing PHI be disposed of?

   • A.Stored in an unlocked bin
   • B.Placed in office recycling
   • C.Thrown in regular trash
   • D.Shredded or incinerated

   Answer: D. PHI must be made unreadable before disposal, for example by shredding, pulping or burning. Recycling bins and trash expose patient information.

8. 8. A 17-year-old who is married and lives on her own seeks treatment. Which type of minor can usually consent to her own care?

   • A.No minor in any situation
   • B.An emancipated minor
   • C.Any minor over 12
   • D.A minor with a parent's card

   Answer: B. Emancipated minors, such as those who are married or in the military, are treated as adults for consent. Exact rules for minors vary by state.

9. 9. An unconscious patient is brought in and needs emergency care. How is consent handled?

   • A.Only first aid may be given
   • B.Implied consent applies
   • C.Care waits for written consent
   • D.A neighbor must sign first

   Answer: B. When a delay would endanger life and the patient cannot consent, the law implies consent to emergency treatment.

10. 10. A medical assistant tells other patients in the waiting room that a coworker is a drug user, which is untrue. Which tort is this?

    • A.Assault
    • B.Abandonment
    • C.Libel
    • D.Slander

    Answer: D. Slander is a spoken false statement that harms a person's reputation. If written or posted, it would be libel.