Coding source policy
How HCC Buddy uses coding sources
HCC Buddy is built for risk-adjustment coders who need fast ICD-10-CM, CMS-HCC, RAF, V24, V28, and MEAT support without pulling unlicensed proprietary coding publications into the product. This page explains the source policy behind code pages, Ask Buddy answers, and coding education.
Sources we can use
- CMS-HCC model software, mapping files, and public CMS risk-adjustment documents
- Official ICD-10-CM guidelines, tabular files, index files, and public NCHS/CMS releases
- CMS RADV, Medicare Advantage, Federal Register, and other public compliance guidance
- HCC Buddy original coding explanations, reviewer notes, and product documentation
- Account-authorized payer or policy documents when a customer has the right to use them
- Licensed third-party references when the license covers customer-facing SaaS use
Sources we do not use publicly
- AHA Coding Clinic or Coding Clinic material unless HCC Buddy has a commercial license for this use
- Paid prep-bank, leaked exam, Practicode-style, or proprietary training-bank questions
- Client-confidential payer policies or internal employer documents without authorization
- PHI-bearing chart text, patient identifiers, or customer-specific material on public pages
How answers are checked
1. Source provenance
Source labels should separate public ICD-10-CM, public CMS, HCC Buddy curated, account-authorized, licensed third-party, and blocked proprietary material.
2. Coding usefulness
Useful answers keep the ICD-10-CM code path, HCC mapping, documentation caveats, MEAT support, alternatives, and what a coder should verify before final code selection.
3. Proprietary-source checks
Ask Buddy should redirect requests for proprietary publications toward public ICD-10-CM/CMS reasoning rather than refusing ordinary coding help or exposing restricted source labels.
Want to see the product side? Start with the ICD-10-CM lookup, the ICD-10 to HCC guide, or the HCC encoder.