A clinical medical assistant is assigned to perform a routine venipuncture. Which of the following items should the assistant ensure is in the room prior to beginning the procedure?

A. Yellow: The yellow tube, used for blood cultures, is typically collected first to prevent contamination.
B. Light blue: The light blue tube is used for coagulation studies and should be collected before tubes containing additives that could interfere with coagulation tests.
C. Red: The red tube, which may contain no additives or a clot activator, is usually collected after the light blue tube.
D. Gray: The gray tube is used for glucose testing and should be filled last as it contains additives that could interfere with other tests if collected earlier.

A. Choose procedure codes based on the encounter form. The encounter form, also known as a superbill, lists the procedures and services provided during the visit. The correct procedure codes (CPT codes) should be selected from this form to ensure accurate billing.
B. Upcode for greater reimbursement. Upcoding, or selecting a higher-level code than justified, is illegal and unethical as it constitutes fraud. This should never be done.
C. Refer to ICD-9 for diagnostic codes. ICD-9 codes have been replaced by ICD-10 codes, which are now the standard for diagnostic coding in the United States. Referring to ICD-9 codes would result in incorrect or outdated billing.
D. Enter all data using lowercase letters. Data entry in all lowercase letters is not a standard practice in medical billing and would not affect the accuracy of the codes. Proper case usage is typically recommended for clarity.