The HCC Coding Specialist: Benefiting payers, providers, and patients
The HCC Coding Specialist: Benefiting payers, providers, and patients
An effective HCC Coding Specialist knows that correct coding under risk adjustment models is necessary to properly identify risk and enhance collective savings. Hierarchical condition category (HCC) coding is a risk-adjustment model that is becoming increasingly prevalent as the environment shifts to value-based payment models. The objective of this model is to estimate future healthcare costs for patients.
HCC relies on ICD-10 coding to assign patients’ risk values (RAF scores). Insurance companies use HCC coding to assign patients a risk adjustment factor (RAF) score. With these values or weighted scores, insurance providers can attempt to predict healthcare costs for patients. So, why is HCC coding important for patients and providers? And how can the HCC coding specialist contribute to benefiting patient quality scores, higher shared savings, and improved patient experience? YES HIM Consultant’s team of coding and auditing experts specialize in HCC coding and navigating the risk adjustment model, and can provide their expertise to your organization. Consider contacting YES today for our coding support and consulting services!
Why is HCC coding important? What is HCC coding used for?
Hierarchical condition category coding helps communicate patient complexity and paint a picture of the patient as a whole. In addition to helping predict healthcare resource utilization, RAF scores are used to risk-adjust quality and cost metrics. By accounting for the difference in patient complexity, quality and cost performance can be more appropriately measured.
As the RAF increases, so does the capitation payment for that beneficiary. It also affects the Medicaid managed care payers and Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans by providing consistent and proper diagnosis documentation on their Medicare Advantage members.
How can an HCC Coding Specialist help patients?
Correct coding under risk adjustment models is necessary to correctly identify risk and enhance collective savings. As mentioned before, these RAF scores can significantly adjust the coverage amount for Medicare patients in the following year. When coded charts are accurate, coders properly identify HCCs that impact the patient’s risk adjustment score. As a result, a positive impact on overall patient quality scores, clinical care, and patient experience.
Why HCCs matter to providers?
The increase in the provider adoption of value-based care models has directly impacted physicians’ incomes. Higher risk scores for a population translate into a higher cost benchmark, while the same relation applies to lower risk scores. This is why having an accurate and standardized risk score is necessary for accomplishing higher savings.
For more information on HCC coding, check out our latest articles, “HCC Medicare Advantage background and overview,” and HCC chronic conditions and the M.E.A.T. documentation criteria.
YES HIM Consultant’s team of coding and auditing experts specialize in HCC coding and navigating the risk adjustment model, and can provide their expertise to your organization. Consider contacting YES today for our coding support and consulting services!
