Will my employer see HCC Buddy in my browser history?

If you use HCC Buddy on a personal device on personal Wi-Fi or cellular, your employer sees nothing. If you sign in on a work laptop, that laptop's monitoring stack will log it the same way it logs any other website.

Do I need to install a Chrome extension to use HCC Buddy?

No. The mobile website is the full product for personal-phone use. The Chrome extension is optional. It adds a side panel and right-click lookup on desktop, but every feature is reachable from the website.

Does HCC Buddy work offline?

Once a code or page has loaded, you can scroll and read it offline. Live search and Ask Buddy require a connection. For air-gapped reference, save the code page to a screenshot or use Smart Notes to capture the context.

Can I expense HCC Buddy as a coder?

Some W2 coders expense it through their employer's continuing-education budget. Others pay personally because the founding price is $19.99/month and the workflow stays personal. We don't restrict either path.

Do you offer a student or new-coder discount?

The $19.99/month founding-member price is currently the lowest tier we publish. New CPC and CRC coders are exactly who the founding rate is for. Sign up before the quota closes.

For individual coders

Looking up a code from your phone while the work laptop signs in? You're not the only one.

HCC Buddy works in any mobile browser. No Chrome extension required. Nothing installed on your work laptop. $19.99/month founding price.

Reviewed 2026-05-28
By Jess P., CPC
CMS V28 current

Why most staff coders use a personal phone

If you work at a big shop, the work laptop is usually monitored. The personal phone is the path of least friction.

HCC Buddy mascot beside a coder running a quick HCC lookup on a personal phone

Nothing to install on the work laptop

Open hccbuddy.com in any mobile browser. No Chrome extension required, no IT ticket, no work-laptop browser policy review.

Nothing tied to your employer's network

Sign in on personal Wi-Fi or cellular. Works in airplane mode for offline reference once a code is loaded. Your employer's VPN does not see HCC Buddy traffic.

Looks like a normal website in any tab

No proprietary client to flag in a screen-share. No floating overlay in your EMR. Just a tab on your phone you can swipe to when you need it.

What HCC Buddy gives you on a phone-sized screen

Every tool that matters for risk-adjustment lookup, sized for a thumb — starting with a free HCC encoder that shows HCC mapping, RAF, and V28 status on every code.

ICD-10 encoder with HCC mapping

Search any ICD-10-CM code. See the HCC category, RAF weight, and V28 flag in the same view.

Ask Buddy for coding questions

Type a question about MEAT documentation, V28 specificity, or whether a code maps. Ask Buddy answers with citations grounded in CMS sources.

NPI provider lookup

9.37 million NPPES records, searchable by name or NPI number, mobile-formatted for one-tap copy.

Smart Notes for context you want to keep

Save the reminder you would have written on a sticky note. Linked to the code, exportable to Google Docs when you are back at a real keyboard.

Solo-coder price check

Compare the price you can actually buy

HCC Coder advertises subscriptions starting from $4.95 per month. Its current products table lists Standard at $515 per user per year and Pro at $750 per user per year. HCC Buddy publishes its monthly price and lets one coder start without a procurement call.

HCC Buddy

Built for one coder

3 free code lookups each day
$19.99 per month founding rate; $29.99 standard
7-day Pro trial with no card required
Encoder, RAF tools, browser extension, references, and coding questions together

HCC Coder

Check the plan behind the headline

Advertises subscriptions from $4.95 per month
Lists Standard at $515 per user per year
Lists Pro at $750 per user per year
Pricing checked July 10, 2026; verify the current offer before purchase

These products are not identical. Compare the mapping, references, browser workflow, and billing period you would use. For the full feature table, see the HCC Coder alternative guide.

$19.99/month while the founding window is open

One subscription, every tool. After the founding-member quota fills, Pro moves to $29.99/month. Annual is $199.99/year.

7 days, full access, no card required, cancel anytime.

Common questions from staff coders

Will my employer see HCC Buddy in my browser history?: If you use HCC Buddy on a personal device on personal Wi-Fi or cellular, your employer sees nothing. If you sign in on a work laptop, that laptop's monitoring stack will log it the same way it logs any other website.
Do I need to install a Chrome extension to use HCC Buddy?: No. The mobile website is the full product for personal-phone use. The Chrome extension is optional. It adds a side panel and right-click lookup on desktop, but every feature is reachable from the website.
Does HCC Buddy work offline?: Once a code or page has loaded, you can scroll and read it offline. Live search and Ask Buddy require a connection. For air-gapped reference, save the code page to a screenshot or use Smart Notes to capture the context.
Can I expense HCC Buddy as a coder?: Some W2 coders expense it through their employer's continuing-education budget. Others pay personally because the founding price is $19.99/month and the workflow stays personal. We don't restrict either path.
Do you offer a student or new-coder discount?: The $19.99/month founding-member price is currently the lowest tier we publish. New CPC and CRC coders are exactly who the founding rate is for. Sign up before the quota closes.