Are you tired of spending countless hours in order to ensure efficient coding for Centers for Medicare & Medical Services (CMS)/hierarchical condition category (HCC) reimbursements?
Do you want to increase your efficiency and accuracy while coding?
In this blog post, we will be sharing with you essential tips that can help speed up your HCC coding process while ensuring the accuracy of your work.
These tips are guaranteed to improve your workflow, save time, and reduce stress.
So grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and get ready to take notes on how to code faster and more accurately for CMS/HCC!
Key Pointers:
- Make sure you have a good understanding of the CMS/HCC guidelines. This will make it easier to identify which codes are applicable to each case.
- Use an HCC coding tool that can help you quickly look up HCC codes and apply them correctly. This will save time in the long run.
- Take your time when coding each case. It may be tempting to rush through, but accuracy is important. If you make a mistake, it could result in denied claims or reimbursement issues down the road.
Tip #1: Understand CMS/HCC Medical Coding Requirements
CMS/HCC coding requirements can be confusing, but it’s important to take the time to understand them.
Here are some tips:
- Read the CMS/International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD)-10 coding and reporting guidelines carefully. This will help you understand what is required for each code.
- Keep up with updates to the guidelines. CMS/HCC makes changes often, so you need to stay current.
- Ask questions if you’re unsure about something. Don’t be afraid to reach out to an HCC coding expert or HCC coding solutions and services provider for clarification.
- Pay attention to detail. Small details can make a big difference when it comes to coding accuracy.
By taking the time to understand CMS/HCC risk adjustment coding requirements, you can save yourself a lot of time and hassle in the long run.
Tip #2: Use NLP-Powered Reference Materials to Find the Correct Codes
Source: HCC COMPASS
When coding for CMS/HCCs, it is important to have reference materials to ensure that you are using the correct codes. Natural language processing (NLP)-powered codebook and reference materials are the latest buzzwords to ensure compliant and accurate value-based care risk adjustment.
Using AI-powered codebook solutions is the safest way to find information on specific codes and their requirements. The ICD-10-CM codebook can be used to look up codes and their descriptions.
By following this tip, you can ensure that you are coding accurately and efficiently for CMS/HCC. Automated reference materials are an essential part of the coding process and can help you save time and avoid errors.
Tip #3: Utilize AI Solutions For a Smarter Coding Process
In order to code faster and more accurately for CMS/HCC, you should utilize the HCC coding technology solution to streamline the risk coding process. This can include using Saas & API solutions.
By doing so, you can reduce the amount of time spent on coding by automating some of the tasks involved.
In addition, you can also use such tools to check your work for errors and ensure that it meets all CMS guidelines.
Tip #4: Review Documentation and Adjust Coding if Necessary
As you become more comfortable with coding for CMS/HCC, it’s important to keep up with any changes in documentation or coding requirements. Review your risk adjustment process frequently, and make adjustments to your coding process as necessary.
For example, implementation of NLP, and optical character recognition (OCR) technology for your risk adjustment code verification process.
This will help ensure that you’re always using the most up-to-date information and techniques and that your coding is as accurate and efficient as possible.
Tip #5: Double Check Your Work Before Submitting It
It’s always a good idea to audit the audit before submitting it, especially when you’re coding for CMS/HCC.
This way, you can be sure that everything is correct and there are no errors in your code.
Here are a few things to check for:
- Make sure all the required fields are filled out correctly.
- Check your code for any syntax errors.
- Run your code through a linter to check for style issues.
- Test your code thoroughly before submitting it.
- Make sure you’ve followed all the coding guidelines and standards.
By taking the time to double-check your work, you can save yourself a lot of time and headaches down the road.
Closing note
Coding faster and more accurately for CMS/HCC is an essential skill set for any healthcare payor and risk adjustment coder.
By following the tips outlined in this article, you should be able to quickly and accurately code CMS/HCC claims while also staying compliant with all relevant regulations.
With practice and consistency, your HCC risk adjustment coding speed will improve over time, allowing you to maximize productivity while still delivering quality results.