Question 1

What is in the HCC Buddy cheat sheet?

Accepted Answer

The cheat sheet is a printable quick reference covering the CMS-HCC V28 decision tree, the top 20 HCC categories with representative ICD-10 codes, common ICD-10 codes that do NOT map to an HCC, the MEAT documentation criteria reminder, the V24/V28 blend schedule from 2024 to 2027, and the five most common HCC coding error patterns.

Question 2

Which CMS model year does the cheat sheet reflect?

Accepted Answer

The quick reference uses the CMS-HCC V28 model with the 2026 coefficient set published by CMS in the annual Medicare Advantage Rate Announcement. V28 is currently blended with V24 during the phase-in period, so the cheat sheet also documents the blend percentages by payment year so coders know which model weights apply in each year.

Question 3

What does MEAT stand for in risk adjustment?

Accepted Answer

MEAT stands for Monitoring, Evaluation, Assessment, and Treatment. It is the documentation standard CMS expects for every condition reported on a risk adjustment claim: the progress note must show the provider is actively managing the condition in that encounter. Chronic conditions reported once and never mentioned again do not survive a risk adjustment data validation audit.

Question 4

Do all ICD-10 codes map to an HCC?

Accepted Answer

No. Only a subset of ICD-10-CM codes map to an HCC in the CMS risk adjustment model. Many common primary care diagnoses — uncomplicated hypertension, routine preventive visits, most symptom codes — do not carry risk adjustment weight. The cheat sheet includes a list of the most commonly over-reported non-HCC codes so coders can avoid wasting chart review time on codes that will not affect the RAF score.

Question 5

How is HCC Buddy different from a paid encoder?

Accepted Answer

HCC Buddy is built specifically for risk adjustment coders. Every ICD-10 lookup shows the V24 and V28 HCC category, the RAF weight, and whether the code is billable. Paid encoders like AAPC Codify typically sell HCC mapping as a separate add-on, and general-purpose references like ICD10Data.com do not surface HCC mapping at all.

Question 6

Is the cheat sheet free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The cheat sheet PDF is completely free. Enter your email on this page and we will send the download link along with occasional risk adjustment coding tips. You can unsubscribe anytime. HCC Buddy does not sell or share email addresses.

Free HCC Coding Cheat Sheet

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