HCC Codes are used by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to reimburse Medicare Advantage plans, predict the costs of future healthcare services, and educate healthcare providers and patients on the proper documentation practices. Understanding how the HCC codes are applied to your Medicare claims can help you understand how to properly document your medical condition properly, thereby reducing the chance of a delay in payment.
Monitoring HCC coding for Medicare claims
HCC coding is a complex process that requires careful monitoring to ensure you get the most out of your claims. It is crucial if you’re participating in a value-based reimbursement model. Fortunately, some solutions can automatically review diagnosis codes to ensure you get the most out of every claim.
For example, if you’re a physician who works in a Medicare Advantage plan, you’ll be required to follow the Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) model. The HCC is a risk adjustment model developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
The HCC is used to predict the health care expenses of patients. In this process, risk factors are assigned to patients based on their age, gender, and living situation. Each element is added to create a risk adjustment factor (RAF) score. A high RAF score indicates that the patient is healthy, while a low RAF score suggests that the patient has a condition.
It’s not uncommon for a Medicare Advantage patient to be assigned more than one HCC code. However, it’s also common for a single disease to be given to several categories.
CMS uses HCC codes to match insurance payment accurately to the resource requirements of a Medicare Advantage population
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) developed Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs) to risk adjust payments for Medicare Advantage plans. These codes are used to accurately calculate the health costs of Medicare Advantage enrollees and their resources. CMS has also expanded the use of this model to include risk adjustment of patients in accountable care organizations.
HCC codes are based on diagnostic information gathered from medical records. They are assigned to a category and describe major disease categories. Each category contains a list of ICD-10 codes. Some codes identify chronic health conditions, such as diabetes, while others identify specific procedures.
Physician offices and hospitals will record the medical details of each patient. This documentation includes the diagnosis, the patient’s condition, and a care plan.
Healthcare organizations can optimize their data using an EMR and other analytics tools. The more accurate the information, the more influential the reimbursement. By optimizing the data, providers can ensure they are accurately reimbursed for providing quality care.
Aside from its impact on healthcare organizations’ financial viability, HCCs can also help physicians and medical groups improve their quality of care. For example, AI-enabled platforms can help providers find the correct diagnoses and assign the proper codes to their claims.
CMS uses HCC codes to reimburse Medicare Advantage plans
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) uses Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs) to compensate Medicare Advantage plans. These codes are designed to predict the healthcare expenditures of patients in the Medicare Advantage population. It is based on demographic data and risk factors.
Healthcare organizations can take advantage of HCC coding to provide better reimbursement. They can optimize their data and education, improve decision support, and improve analytics. Healthcare organizations can earn more CMS revenue with physician engagement and coding accuracy.
CMS first introduced the HCC coding model in 2004. It is a hierarchical system that assigns Risk Adjustment Factors (RAF) to each patient. Each factor is multiplied by a predetermined dollar amount.
During a year, providers must document chronic health conditions in their patient population. It includes diagnosis information from medical records. Hospital inpatient visits and outpatient visits are pulled into the algorithm.
When physicians document the appropriate HCCs in the EHR workflow, they can be compensated appropriately. Some payers use proprietary risk adjustment models.
CMS uses HCC codes to predict future healthcare costs
In 2004, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) introduced Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs) to reduce payment discrepancies for healthcare organizations. HCCs assign a risk adjustment factor to each Medicare patient, which predicts the probability of future healthcare expenditures.
This risk-adjustment model allows CMS to assess and pay for patient health care accurately. Its primary focus is on long-term, chronic conditions that increase the chances of future resource use.
Each HCC is associated with a relative factor, which is weighted to create higher values for more severe illnesses. The algorithm combines these factors to determine a patient’s risk score.
The RAF is then multiplied by a base rate to determine how much of a PMPM capitated reimbursement will be paid. As a result, patients who require disease management are identified, and medical groups that enroll such patients are compensated more heavily.
Because CMS uses HCC codes to predict future healthcare costs, it is essential to have accurate coding for your organization. Having a clinical dashboard that provides a snapshot of your EMR data and claims data will help you identify potential gaps in your coding.
CMS uses HCC codes to impart education in documentation
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has been using Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs) to determine payments to Medicare Advantage plans since 2004. They have proven to be a great tool in predicting the future healthcare costs of enrollees. The need for an efficient HCC coding system has become more apparent as the environment shifts toward value-based payment models.
In addition to providing accurate reimbursements, an effective HCC coding system can help healthcare organizations optimize data and improve patient education. However, many physicians and healthcare organizations still need to become familiar with the complexities of HCC coding. A healthcare organization could only face substantial revenue losses if equipped to perform this task.
Healthcare organizations can increase the accuracy of their HCC coding by improving the quality of their documentation. When properly documented, HCCs will lead to better reimbursements and increased physician engagement.
The first step toward ensuring a thorough and accurate HCC coding process is to educate medical coders about the HCC system. There are many resources available that can assist with this.
