Home Health & AI Glossary

In ICD-10-CM, the word "and" is interpreted to mean "and/or." This means that either one condition alone or both conditions together may satisfy the

The word "with" in ICD-10-CM means "associated with" or "due to." The classification assumes a causal relationship between two conditions when they are

A 30-Day Payment Period is the unit of reimbursement under PDGM. Medicare pays home health agencies separately for each 30-day period based on the patient's clinical characteristics and visit utilization.

An Abscess is a localized collection of pus caused by infection

Abstracting is the process of reviewing medical records and extracting key clinical information, including diagnoses, procedures, demographics, and other key data elements for coding and reporting.

Access Control is the process of restricting access to patient information based on a user's role, responsibilities, and authorization level within the EMR

Provider group responsible for care quality and cost outcomes.

Accounts Receivable (A/R) represents the outstanding payments owed to a home health agency for services that have been billed but not yet collected

An Active Diagnosis is a medical condition that currently exists and requires ongoing clinical attention, including evaluation, monitoring, medication

Basic self care tasks like bathing, dressing, eating, and walking.

An Activity Code identifies the activity the patient was performing when an injury or other health event occurred

Federal standard requiring Medicaid managed care capitation rates to be adequate and appropriate.

An Acute Condition is a disease, illness, or injury with a sudden onset that generally requires immediate or short-term treatment

Acute Condition Documentation describes newly developed or short-term illnesses, injuries, or exacerbations that require immediate evaluation or

Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) Coding identifies sudden declines in kidney function resulting from dehydration, infection, medication toxicity, surgery, or other acute causes.

An Additional Diagnosis is any clinically relevant condition documented during the episode of care that impacts assessment, treatment, monitoring, or

An Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Assessment evaluates a patient's ability to independently perform essential self-care tasks such as bathing, dressing, grooming, and eating.

Formal start of services for a patient.

Initial evaluation of patient condition and care needs.

The Admission Diagnosis is the condition documented at the time a patient is admitted for evaluation or treatment

Admission Source identifies where the patient came from immediately before starting home health services

The Admission Workflow is the sequence of activities required to admit a patient into a home health agency, including referral review, insurance

An Additional Documentation Request (ADR) is a formal request from Medicare or one of its contractors asking a home health agency to submit records that support a billed claim.

Notice given when Medicare may not cover a service.

ACA marketplace subsidy that lowers your monthly health insurance premium.

A Medicaid managed care plan decision to deny, reduce, or end services.

An Adverse Drug Event (ADE) is an injury or harmful outcome resulting from the use of a medication, including side effects, medication errors, allergic

An Adverse Effect is an unintended harmful reaction that occurs when a medication is correctly prescribed and properly administered at the recommended dosage.

Unexpected harmful patient care outcome.

2010 law, also called Obamacare, that expanded access to health insurance.

An Aftercare Code (typically a Z code) is assigned when a patient is receiving continued care after the active treatment phase of a condition has ended.

Automated warning generated from data or documentation.

AI support for selecting accurate billing or diagnosis codes.

AI Clinical Documentation is the use of artificial intelligence to assist clinicians with creating, reviewing, organizing, and improving patient documentation.

AI Documentation refers to the use of artificial intelligence to assist clinicians in creating, organizing, reviewing, and improving clinical documentation.

Tool that helps clinicians create or improve notes.

AI Quality Assurance involves using artificial intelligence to review clinical documentation for accuracy, completeness, compliance, consistency, and

AI based prediction of patient or operational risk.

An AI Scribe is an AI-powered application that listens to clinician-patient conversations or clinician dictation and automatically generates structured

AI-Powered Clinical Decision Support combines artificial intelligence with evidence-based clinical guidelines to provide recommendations, alerts

Instructions for home health aide services.

RN oversight of aide care quality and performance.

An Alcohol Use Code reports alcohol use, alcohol dependence, alcohol abuse, or a history of alcohol-related conditions based on provider documentation

Step based logic used by software or AI.

APR-DRGs (All Patient Refined Diagnosis-Related Groups) are a patient classification system used by many state Medicaid programs and private payers.

Allergy Documentation records known patient allergies and adverse reactions to medications, foods, environmental substances, or other allergens within

The Alphabetic Index is the alphabetical listing of diseases, conditions, symptoms, injuries, and external causes found within the ICD-10-CM manual.

Alzheimer's Disease is the most common cause of dementia and is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting memory, cognition, and functional

Alzheimer's Disease Coding identifies Alzheimer's disease as the underlying diagnosis and often requires an additional code for associated dementia or behavioral disturbances.

Ambient Documentation uses AI to automatically capture conversations between clinicians and patients during a visit and convert them into structured

An Ambulation Assessment specifically evaluates a patient's walking ability, gait, endurance, balance, speed, and need for mobility aids or assistance.

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) is a professional organization that supports health information management professionals.

The American Hospital Association (AHA) is one of the Cooperating Parties responsible for ICD-10-CM coding guidance in the United States.

Rule that a state Medicaid benefit must be sufficient to reasonably achieve its purpose.

Annual ICD-10-CM Updates are revisions released each fiscal year that may add new diagnosis codes, revise existing code descriptions, delete obsolete codes, and update guidelines.

Yearly notice of Medicare Advantage or Part D plan changes, sent by September 30.

Anxiety Disorder Coding includes diagnosis coding for generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobias, social anxiety disorder, and other anxiety-related conditions.

API Integration allows different healthcare software applications to securely exchange data and communicate with each other through Application

Request to reverse a payer denial decision.

The decision a Medicaid managed care plan makes about an appeal.

Arrhythmia Coding involves assigning diagnosis codes for abnormal heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular arrhythmias, and conduction disorders.

An Arterial Ulcer is a wound caused by inadequate arterial blood flow, usually resulting from peripheral arterial disease

AI Coding refers to the use of artificial intelligence technologies to analyze clinical documentation, recommend diagnosis codes, identify documentation gaps, and improve coding accuracy.

Aspiration Risk is the likelihood that food, liquids, saliva, or medications may enter the airway instead of the esophagus, potentially leading to

Review of patient health, function, and care needs.

Maximum countable resources allowed to qualify for Medicaid.

Provider agreement to accept the Medicare-approved amount as full payment.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways characterized by episodes of wheezing, coughing, chest tightness, and shortness of breath

Asthma Coding requires documentation of asthma severity and whether the patient is experiencing an exacerbation or status asthmaticus.

Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) is an irregular heart rhythm originating in the atria

Record of system actions, edits, and changes.

Payer approval for requested care or services.

The length of time a Medicaid plan agrees to cover authorized services.

Software review of documentation for errors or gaps.

Automated Coding uses AI to analyse clinical documentation and suggest appropriate diagnosis, procedure, or billing codes based on documented patient

Software check of coding accuracy and completeness.

Average number of active patients per day.

Average price wholesalers pay drug makers, used to calculate Medicaid rebates.

Administrative team supporting care delivery and billing.

A Balance Disorder is a condition that impairs a person's ability to maintain stability while standing, walking, or changing positions

A Bathing Assessment measures the patient's ability to safely bathe or shower, including entering and exiting the bathing area, washing all body areas, and drying off safely.

Bedside Documentation refers to recording clinical information in the patient's presence during the visit

Behavioral Adjustment is a Medicare policy adjustment incorporated into PDGM payment calculations based on CMS assumptions about provider behavior.

A Behavioral Assessment evaluates emotional and behavioral symptoms such as anxiety, depression, agitation, aggression, confusion, or impaired judgment.

Benchmarking is the process of comparing an agency's clinical, financial, and operational performance against industry standards, peer organizations

Person eligible for Medicare or insurance benefits.

How Part A measures a hospital or nursing stay, ending after 60 days without inpatient care.

Lowest manufacturer price for a drug, used in calculating Medicaid rebates.

A Bilateral Condition affects both sides of the body, such as bilateral knee osteoarthritis or bilateral hearing loss

A Billable Code is a complete ICD-10-CM diagnosis code with the highest required level of specificity that can be submitted on healthcare claims

Process of submitting claims for payment.

A Billing Dashboard is a real-time EMR or billing system interface that displays key financial metrics such as claims submitted, pending claims

Mistake that can delay or reduce payment.

Temporary pause before claim submission.

Billing Period is the timeframe for which a Medicare claim is submitted

Check of billing details before claim submission.

The Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) is a standardized cognitive assessment that evaluates memory, orientation, and recall.

A BMI Code reports a patient's Body Mass Index as documented by the provider

Former 1980 to 1997 law requiring reasonable and adequate Medicaid facility payment rates.

Brackets in ICD-10-CM are used primarily in the Alphabetic Index to identify manifestation codes that are assigned in addition to an underlying condition

The Braden Scale is a validated clinical assessment tool used to predict a patient's risk of developing pressure injuries by evaluating sensory

The Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) is a standardized cognitive assessment used to evaluate memory, orientation, and recall in older adults

Lowest-premium ACA metal tier; the plan covers about 60% of costs.

Burn Coding requires documentation of the burn site, depth, and extent of body surface involved.

Staff exhaustion caused by workload or stress.

A Business Associate Agreement (BAA) is a legally required contract between a covered healthcare entity and a third-party vendor that handles protected

Data reporting used for operational decisions.

Section 125 employer plan that lets you choose pretax benefits.

Calendar Management is the process of organising clinician schedules, patient appointments, recurring visits, meetings, and documentation deadlines

Fixed monthly per-member payment a state makes to a Medicaid managed care plan.

Cardiovascular Disease Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes for disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels, including hypertension, coronary artery disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias.

A Care Conference is a scheduled meeting involving members of the healthcare team to review a patient's condition, evaluate progress, discuss

Consistent and coordinated care across visits.

Organizing services across providers and disciplines.

Care Coordination Notes document communication and collaboration among physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, caregivers, and other healthcare

Defined period of patient care.

Completion of documentation and billing for a care period.

Unmet care need or delayed required service.

Desired patient outcome in the care plan.

Oversight of patient services, progress, and outcomes.

Formal plan listing services, goals, and visit frequency.

Care delivered differently from the approved plan.

A Care Plan Update is the revision of the patient's plan of care to reflect changes in clinical condition, physician orders, treatment goals

Care Transitions refer to the movement of patients between healthcare settings, such as from a hospital to home health, home health to outpatient services.

Person supporting the patient at home.

Caregiver Availability refers to the presence, reliability, and capacity of family members, friends, or other caregivers who assist the patient.

Caregiver Education involves teaching family members or caregivers how to safely support the patient's care at home

A Caregiver Portal is a secure online platform that allows authorized family members or caregivers to view care plans, appointment information

Excluding certain services, often behavioral health, from a Medicaid managed care contract.

Team discussion about patient care and progress.

Case Conference Notes document the discussions, recommendations, clinical decisions, and follow-up actions agreed upon during a multidisciplinary care

Number of patients assigned to a clinician.

Case Management is a collaborative process in which a designated healthcare professional coordinates assessments, care planning, referrals

Clinician coordinating patient care and services.

Case Mix Calculation combines the patient's clinical grouping, functional impairment level, timing, admission source, and comorbidity adjustment to determine the PDGM payment.

The Case Mix Index (CMI) is a measure of the average clinical complexity and expected resource utilization of a healthcare organization's patient population.

A Case-Mix Adjustment is a reimbursement adjustment based on patient characteristics such as clinical grouping, functional impairment level, admission

Case-Mix Weight is a numerical value assigned to each PDGM payment group

Caseload Balancing is the process of distributing patients evenly among clinicians based on workload, travel requirements, patient acuity, and

Caseload Management is the process of organising, balancing, and monitoring the number of patients assigned to each clinician based on workload

Final Part D phase where the plan pays 100% after the out-of-pocket cap is met.

Medicaid eligibility limited to specific groups like children, the aged, or people with disabilities.

Mandatory Medicaid eligibility groups that states are required to cover.

A Category Code is the first three characters of an ICD-10-CM code that identify a broad disease category or body system

Cellulitis is a bacterial infection of the skin and subcutaneous tissue characterized by redness, swelling, warmth, tenderness, and pain

Total number of active patients under care.

Census Management is the process of monitoring and managing the number of active patients receiving services from a home health agency, including

Approved time period for home health services.

The Certified Coding Associate (CCA) credential, awarded by AHIMA, is an entry-level certification that validates foundational knowledge of medical coding.

The Certified Coding Specialist (CCS) credential, awarded by AHIMA, recognizes advanced expertise in hospital inpatient and outpatient coding using ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, and CPT.

The Certified Professional Coder (CPC) credential, awarded by AAPC, demonstrates expertise in physician office, outpatient, and professional-fee coding.

Significant change in patient health status.

Change Management is the structured approach used to help staff successfully adopt new technologies, workflows, and processes during EMR implementation

Chapter-Specific Guidelines are coding instructions that apply only to certain ICD-10-CM chapters, such as infectious diseases, neoplasms, endocrine disorders, or pregnancy.

Complete patient clinical and administrative record.

Finishing required patient documentation.

Finalizing documentation with controlled future edits.

Low-cost coverage for children in families earning too much for Medicaid.

A Chronic Condition is a long-lasting disease that persists for months or years and often requires ongoing medical management

Chronic Condition Documentation records long-term diseases or conditions that require ongoing monitoring, treatment, medication management, or affect

Chronic Disease Management is the ongoing monitoring, treatment, and education of patients living with long-term conditions such as heart failure, diabetes, and COPD.

CKD Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes based on the documented stage of chronic kidney disease

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive lung disease characterized by chronic airflow limitation, including emphysema and chronic

Chronic vs Acute Coding refers to distinguishing between long-term (chronic) and short-term (acute) medical conditions when assigning ICD-10-CM codes

A financial penalty imposed for Medicaid program violations.

Payment request submitted to a payer.

Payer refusal to pay a submitted claim.

A Claim Rejection occurs before payer adjudication when a claim fails initial validation due to formatting errors, missing information, invalid codes, or patient eligibility issues.

Tool that checks claims before submission.

Claim Scrubbing is the automated review of healthcare claims before submission to identify missing information, coding errors, invalid modifiers, or

Claim Submission is the process of electronically or manually sending a healthcare claim to an insurance payer for reimbursement after services have been provided.

Claims Management is the process of preparing, reviewing, submitting, tracking, correcting, and following up on insurance claims submitted for

Claims Scrubbing is the automated or manual review of healthcare claims before submission to identify coding errors, missing information, invalid codes, and payer-specific issues.

A Clean Claim is a healthcare claim that contains complete, accurate, and valid information, allowing it to be processed and paid without requiring corrections or additional information.

Warning about patient, documentation, or care risk.

Clinical Alerts are automated EMR notifications that inform clinicians of important patient issues, such as overdue visits, abnormal vital signs

Clinical Analytics is the analysis of patient care data to evaluate clinical outcomes, treatment effectiveness, quality measures, and opportunities for

A Clinical Assessment is the systematic evaluation of a patient's physical, cognitive, emotional, and functional status to determine healthcare needs

Clinical Coding is the process of translating documented patient diagnoses and conditions into standardized ICD-10-CM codes for billing, compliance, and reporting.

Clinical Collaboration is the ongoing partnership among clinicians, physicians, therapists, administrators, and caregivers to coordinate patient care

Clinical Compliance refers to consistently providing patient care according to evidence-based practice, Medicare regulations, physician orders, and agency policies.

A Clinical Dashboard is a centralized interface that displays patient alerts, overdue documentation, upcoming visits, quality measures, physician

Clinical Data Quality refers to the accuracy, completeness, consistency, and usability of clinical information captured within the medical record.

Software guidance for care decisions.

Written record of patient care and condition.

Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) is the process of ensuring patient documentation is complete, accurate, consistent, and sufficiently specific to support coding and billing.

A Clinical Documentation Review is the systematic evaluation of patient records to verify accuracy, completeness, coding support, compliance with regulations, and clinical consistency.

Raising a patient issue for higher clinical attention.

Clinical Goals are measurable patient outcomes established within the care plan, such as improving mobility, managing chronic conditions, healing

Clinical Governance is the framework through which a healthcare organization is accountable for continuously improving the quality and safety of patient care.

Clinical Grouping is one of the primary factors used by PDGM to determine payment

Clinical Indicators are measurable signs, symptoms, laboratory values, assessment findings, or functional measures used to evaluate a patient's health

Clinical Informatics is the discipline that combines healthcare, information technology, and data science to improve clinical workflows, healthcare

Professional decision making based on patient status.

Clinical Messaging refers to electronic communication between members of the healthcare team regarding patient care, documentation updates, medication

Written summary of a visit or care activity.

Measurable result of patient care.

Standard care process for a condition.

A Clinical Protocol is a standardized, evidence-based set of procedures or guidelines that clinicians follow when managing specific medical conditions

A Clinical Record is the comprehensive collection of all patient-related clinical documentation generated throughout an episode of care.

Evaluation of care quality and documentation support.

Clinical Severity describes the intensity or seriousness of a patient's illness based on symptoms, functional impairment, laboratory findings, and

Clinical Specificity refers to documenting diagnoses with the highest level of detail available, including severity, anatomical location, laterality, and causal relationships.

Clinical Templates are standardized documentation formats designed for specific visit types, assessments, and clinical disciplines to improve

Confirmation that documentation supports care and rules.

A Clinical Workflow is the sequence of activities involved in delivering patient care, including referrals, admissions, assessments, documentation

Clinician Scheduling is the assignment of nurses, therapists, aides, and other healthcare professionals to patient visits based on availability

Clostridioides difficile (C. difficile) is a bacterium that causes severe diarrhoea and colitis, often following antibiotic use

A Cloud-Based EMR is an electronic medical record system hosted on secure remote servers and accessed over the internet rather than installed on local

Federal agency overseeing Medicare and Medicaid.

CMS Guidelines are official instructions, manuals, regulations, and policy documents published by CMS to help providers correctly implement Medicare requirements.

The CMS OASIS Manual is another commonly used name for the official OASIS Guidance Manual published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

The CMS Payment Model refers to the methodology developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to determine reimbursement for covered services.

CMS Quality Reporting refers to the submission of standardized quality data required by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to evaluate home

CMS-485 was the traditional Medicare Home Health Certification and Plan of Care form used to document physician orders, diagnoses, treatment orders, and visit frequencies.

Law letting employees keep group health coverage after job loss or reduced hours.

A Code Also instruction advises coders that two conditions may both require reporting when supported by provider documentation

Code Assignment is the process of selecting the most accurate ICD-10-CM code based on the provider's documented diagnosis, official coding guidelines, and applicable coding conventions.

A Code Category is the first three characters of an ICD-10-CM code that identify a general disease or condition group

A Code Descriptor is the official description associated with an ICD-10-CM code that defines the exact diagnosis or condition represented by that code

A Code First instruction tells the coder to sequence the underlying disease or primary condition before assigning the code for its manifestation or

A Code First Note instructs coders to report the underlying disease or condition before assigning the current diagnosis code

A Code Freeze is a temporary suspension of routine updates to a healthcare coding system, typically implemented during major transitions or public health emergencies.

Code Search is the process of locating diagnosis codes by entering keywords, clinical terms, symptoms, or code numbers into an ICD-10 coding resource.

A Code Set is a standardized collection of healthcare codes used to classify diagnoses, procedures, services, supplies, and other clinical information.

Code Specificity refers to selecting the most detailed ICD-10-CM code supported by provider documentation

Assigning standard codes for diagnosis or billing.

Correct use of diagnosis and billing codes.

A Coding Audit is a systematic review of coded medical records to evaluate coding accuracy, documentation support, guideline compliance, and billing integrity.

Coding Benchmarking is the process of comparing coding performance metrics, such as accuracy, productivity, denial rates, and turnaround times, against internal or industry standards.

Coding Best Practices are recommended methods for assigning diagnosis and procedure codes accurately, consistently, and in compliance with official guidelines.

Coding Clinic is the official publication that provides coding advice and clarification for ICD-10-CM and ICD-10-PCS. It is recognized by CMS as an official source of coding guidance.

Coding Compliance means assigning diagnosis codes according to the Official ICD-10-CM Coding Guidelines, payer requirements, federal regulations, and official coding advice.

A Coding Convention is an official rule established by ICD-10-CM that governs how diagnosis codes should be interpreted, selected, sequenced, and reported

Coding Conventions are standardized rules built into the ICD-10-CM classification system

Coding Education refers to ongoing training provided to medical coders, clinicians, Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) specialists, and healthcare staff.

Coding Ethics refers to the professional standards that require coders to report diagnoses accurately, honestly, and objectively without altering codes to influence reimbursement.

Coding Governance is the framework of policies, leadership, oversight, auditing, education, and accountability that ensures consistent, compliant, and accurate coding.

Coding Guidelines are the official rules published annually for applying ICD-10-CM codes correctly

Coding Operations encompasses the daily management of coding staff, workflows, quality assurance, productivity monitoring, education, compliance, and reporting.

Coding Performance Metrics are standardized measures used to evaluate coding quality and operational efficiency

Coding Productivity measures the volume of medical records or encounters coded by a medical coder within a defined period while maintaining coding accuracy.

Coding Quality Assurance (QA) is the ongoing process of monitoring coding accuracy, consistency, compliance, and productivity through audits and feedback.

Coding Quality Metrics are performance measures used to evaluate coding accuracy, completeness, consistency, compliance, denial rates, and audit outcomes

A Coding Query is a formal request from a coder or Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) specialist asking the healthcare provider to clarify ambiguous or incomplete documentation.

Coding Software is a digital application that assists medical coders in searching, validating, assigning, and managing ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes

A Coding Specialist is a trained professional responsible for reviewing medical records, interpreting provider documentation, assigning accurate codes, and supporting compliant billing.

Coding Validation is the process of reviewing assigned diagnosis codes to confirm they accurately reflect provider documentation, comply with coding guidelines, and support billing.

A Coding Workflow is the sequence of activities involved in reviewing documentation, assigning diagnosis and procedure codes, validating code accuracy, and finalizing records for billing.

A Cognitive Assessment measures a patient's memory, attention, orientation, decision-making ability, comprehension, and overall cognitive function.

Cognitive Function refers to a person's ability to think, remember, reason, learn, communicate, and make decisions

Your share of a cost, usually a percentage, paid after the deductible.

A Colon in ICD-10-CM indicates that additional terms following the colon are required to make the statement complete before the diagnosis can be

A Combination Code is a single ICD-10-CM code that captures multiple related clinical concepts, such as a disease with an associated complication or manifestation.

A Communication Log is a chronological record of all patient-related communications, including phone calls, secure messages, physician discussions

Community Admission refers to patients who begin home health services without a recent qualifying institutional stay, such as patients referred directly by a community physician.

A Community Referral occurs when a patient begins home health services without a recent qualifying institutional stay, typically after referral from a

Additional condition present with the primary diagnosis.

Comorbidity Adjustment is an additional payment adjustment under PDGM that recognizes the increased complexity of caring for patients with qualifying secondary diagnoses.

Rule that Medicaid benefits must be equal across categorically needy beneficiaries.

Complete Documentation includes all relevant diagnoses, treatments, assessments, medications, complications, and clinical findings necessary to

Following legal, payer, and clinical requirements.

A Compliance Audit is a formal evaluation of an agency's adherence to Medicare regulations, payer requirements, internal policies, and accreditation standards.

Compliance Monitoring is the ongoing process of evaluating whether an agency consistently follows Medicare regulations, payer requirements, agency policies, and accreditation standards.

A Compliance Officer is the individual responsible for overseeing an organization's compliance program, monitoring adherence to healthcare regulations, and coordinating audits and training.

A Compliance Program is a formal organizational framework designed to ensure adherence to healthcare laws, regulations, coding guidelines, payer requirements, and ethical standards.

Chance of violating rules or documentation standards.

A Complication is an unexpected condition or adverse event that develops during the course of a disease, medical treatment, or surgical procedure.

A Complication or Comorbidity (CC) is a secondary diagnosis that increases patient complexity but generally has less impact than an MCC. CCs influence DRG assignment and reimbursement.

A Comprehensive Assessment is the complete clinical evaluation required by CMS to identify a patient's physical, emotional, cognitive, and functional care needs.

Comprehensive Error Rate Testing (CERT) is a CMS program that measures improper Medicare fee-for-service payments through random claim reviews.

Computer-Assisted Coding (CAC) uses software to analyze clinical documentation and suggest diagnosis and procedure codes for coder review.

Tracking patient health changes over time.

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is a commonly used clinical term describing heart failure associated with fluid overload, leading to symptoms such as

Consent Management is the process of documenting, storing, tracking, and enforcing patient permissions regarding how their health information may be

Keeping current Medicaid services during an appeal if it is filed on time.

Option letting a beneficiary, often a child, stay enrolled for a set period despite income changes.

A Contracture is the permanent tightening or shortening of muscles, tendons, ligaments, or joints that limits normal range of motion

Program assigning certain members to designated providers and pharmacies.

Record of communication or care coordination.

Fixed amount you pay for a covered service or medication.

COPD Coding is the assignment of diagnosis codes for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and its associated manifestations, such as acute exacerbations and lower respiratory infections.

Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Coding identifies narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries caused by atherosclerosis

Total care cost during one episode.

Income counted toward Medicaid eligibility after deductions and disregards.

A plan decision on whether it will pay for a service, item, or drug.

The former Part D donut hole, eliminated after 2024.

COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus

COVID-19 Coding follows official ICD-10-CM guidelines for reporting confirmed COVID-19 infections, related complications, post-COVID conditions, and history of infection.

A Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) Code is a standardized five-digit code developed by the American Medical Association (AMA) to describe medical services and procedures.

Verification of provider qualifications.

Drug coverage meeting Medicare standards that avoids the Part D late penalty.

A Crosswalk is a mapping tool used to relate one coding system to another, such as ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM or ICD-10-CM to HCC categories.

A Current Condition is a diagnosis that is presently affecting the patient's health status and requires assessment, monitoring, treatment, or

Custom Workflows are configurable processes within the EMR that allow agencies to tailor documentation, approvals, scheduling, notifications, and

Cybersecurity refers to the technologies, policies, and practices used to protect healthcare information systems, networks, devices, and patient data

Active patient count on a given day.

A Daily Schedule is the list of patient visits, appointments, tasks, and travel assignments assigned to a clinician for a specific workday

Correctness of recorded information.

Data Backup is the process of creating secure copies of patient records and other critical healthcare data so they can be restored if information is

Collection of patient or operational information.

Visual display of key performance metrics.

Data Encryption is the process of converting patient information into a secure, unreadable format that can only be accessed using an authorized

Data Governance is the process of establishing policies, standards, responsibilities, and controls to ensure healthcare data remains accurate, secure

Connection of data from multiple systems.

Data Migration is the process of transferring patient records, clinical documentation, billing information, and other healthcare data from one EMR

Reliability, completeness, and consistency of data.

Data Synchronization is the process of automatically updating patient information across multiple devices and healthcare systems so that all users

Separating Medicaid eligibility from cash-assistance (welfare) eligibility.

A Death at Home Assessment is completed when a patient dies while receiving home health services and was not transferred to an inpatient facility.

Debility refers to generalized physical weakness and reduced functional capacity resulting from illness, prolonged hospitalization, surgery, or chronic

Scheduled visit refused by the patient.

Amount you pay each year before your plan begins cost sharing.

A Default Code is the diagnosis code listed in the Alphabetic Index when a condition is documented without additional qualifying information.

A Definitive Diagnosis is a confirmed medical condition established by the provider after appropriate clinical evaluation, diagnostic testing, or

Dementia is a syndrome characterized by progressive decline in memory, reasoning, judgment, language, and daily functioning

Dementia Coding requires documentation of the underlying cause whenever known, as well as associated behavioral disturbances, psychotic symptoms, mood disturbances, and severity.

Refusal of payment by a payer.

Process for resolving and reducing denials.

Denials Management is the process of identifying, analyzing, correcting, and appealing insurance claim denials

HHS body that hears disputes between states and CMS over Medicaid.

Depression Coding identifies depressive disorders based on provider documentation, including type, severity, and remission status.

A Depression Screening evaluates whether a patient may be experiencing symptoms of depression that could affect recovery, treatment adherence, and quality of life.

Diabetes Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes based on the type of diabetes, associated complications, manifestations, and treatment requirements such as insulin use.

Diabetes Mellitus is a group of chronic metabolic disorders characterized by elevated blood glucose levels resulting from inadequate insulin

Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease occurs when diabetes causes progressive kidney damage

A Diabetic Foot Ulcer is an open wound occurring in a patient with diabetes, often caused by peripheral neuropathy and poor circulation

Diabetic Neuropathy is nerve damage caused by long-term diabetes, commonly affecting the feet, legs, hands, or autonomic nervous system

Diabetic Retinopathy is damage to the retina caused by chronic diabetes

Standard code representing a diagnosis.

Diagnosis Coding is the process of translating documented patient conditions into standardized ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes used for billing, compliance, and reimbursement.

Diagnosis Grouping is the process of categorizing ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes into clinically related groups used for reimbursement, reporting, and analytics.

A Diagnosis Review is the systematic evaluation of physician documentation, hospital records, referral information, and OASIS assessments to verify

Diagnosis Sequencing is the process of arranging diagnosis codes in the correct order based on CMS coding guidelines

Diagnosis Validation is the process of confirming that a documented diagnosis is supported by clinical evidence such as physician assessment, test results, and treatment documentation.

A Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) is a Medicare inpatient hospital payment classification that groups patients with similar clinical conditions and resource use for payment purposes.

A Differential Diagnosis is a list of possible conditions a provider considers while determining the patient's final diagnosis

Digital Documentation refers broadly to clinical documentation created, managed, transmitted, and stored using digital technologies.

Digital Health refers to the use of digital technologies, including EMRs, telehealth, mobile health apps, AI, wearable devices, and remote monitoring

The Digital Home Health Ecosystem is the interconnected network of technologies, including EMRs, EHRs, AI, telehealth, remote patient monitoring

Digital Transformation is the strategic adoption of digital technologies, including EMRs, AI, automation, telehealth, and analytics, to modernize

CMS denial of federal matching funds a state claimed for Medicaid.

A Disaster Recovery plan outlines the procedures and technologies used to restore healthcare systems and patient data following events such as

Formal end of patient care.

A Discharge Assessment is completed when a patient is discharged from home health services because goals have been met, services are no longer needed, or the patient transfers to another setting.

Delay in ending care due to missing requirements.

The Discharge Diagnosis is the final diagnosis established after completing the patient's evaluation and treatment

Documentation completed at the end of care.

Preparing the patient for safe care transition.

The Discharge Workflow is the structured process of ending home health services after treatment goals are achieved, services are no longer needed, or

Care role such as RN, PT, OT, ST, or aide.

Combination of care roles involved in treatment.

Extra Medicaid payments to hospitals that serve many low-income patients.

Portions of income or assets not counted when determining Medicaid eligibility.

Document Management is the process of storing, organizing, retrieving, sharing, and managing electronic clinical documents within the Home Health EMR

A Document Repository is the secure electronic storage location within the EMR where patient-related documents, such as referrals, physician orders

Document Version Control is the process of tracking revisions, edits, approvals, and previous versions of clinical documents within the EMR

Correctness and completeness of patient records.

Review of records for accuracy and compliance.

Documentation Best Practices are proven methods that help clinicians produce clear, consistent, compliant, and defensible clinical records.

Time and effort spent on clinical records.

Documentation Completeness means all required clinical information has been recorded, including assessments, interventions, patient responses, and follow-up plans.

A Documentation Completeness Check is an automated review process that identifies missing information, incomplete assessments, unsigned orders, or

Documentation Compliance is the process of ensuring clinical records meet all applicable Medicare regulations, CMS Conditions of Participation, and payer requirements.

Documentation Consistency means that diagnoses, assessments, physician orders, visit notes, OASIS responses, and billing records all accurately reflect the same clinical picture.

A Documentation Deficiency is any missing, incomplete, inaccurate, inconsistent, or unsupported information within a patient's clinical record.

Documentation Efficiency refers to the ability of clinicians to complete accurate, compliant, and thorough documentation in the least amount of time possible.

Missing, wrong, or inconsistent record information.

Missing information needed for care, compliance, or payment.

A Documentation Improvement Strategy is an organized approach to improving clinical documentation through provider education, CDI programs, workflow redesign, and technology.

Documentation Integrity refers to ensuring that clinical documentation is accurate, truthful, complete, timely, and consistent with the patient's

Strength, clarity, and completeness of records.

Documentation Requirements are the standards that provider documentation must meet to support accurate ICD-10-CM coding

Documentation Specificity means recording diagnoses with the highest level of clinical detail available, including severity, anatomical site

Documentation Standards are the professional, regulatory, and organizational guidelines that define how clinical information should be recorded.

Documentation Timeliness refers to completing and signing clinical documentation within agency policies and payer-required deadlines.

Time taken to complete and submit documentation.

Documentation Workflow refers to the sequence of activities involved in creating, reviewing, approving, and submitting clinical documentation.

Another name for the now-defunct Part D coverage gap.

Downcoding occurs when diagnosis or procedure codes reflect a lower level of severity or complexity than supported by the provider's documentation.

A Dressing Assessment evaluates the patient's ability to select appropriate clothing, dress and undress independently, manipulate buttons or fasteners, and manage upper and lower body clothing.

A Drug Interaction Alert is an automated EMR notification that warns clinicians when two or more medications may interact and increase the risk of

Manufacturer payment to states that lowers the net cost of Medicaid drugs.

Review of Medicaid prescriptions for safety and appropriate use.

Qualifying for both Medicare and Medicaid coverage.

Repeated information entered unnecessarily.

Reusable medically necessary equipment like wheelchairs, walkers, and hospital beds.

Dysphagia is difficulty swallowing caused by neurological disorders, stroke, muscular diseases, or structural abnormalities of the throat or esophagus

Ear Disorder Coding includes diagnosis coding for conditions affecting the external, middle, and inner ear, including otitis media, hearing loss, and balance disorders.

Medicaid benefit providing preventive and treatment services for children under 21.

The Early Payment Period is the patient's first 30-day PDGM payment period after admission to home health

An Eating Assessment measures the patient's ability to feed themselves safely, including using utensils, chewing, swallowing, and consuming adequate food and fluids.

The Effective Date is the date on which newly released ICD-10-CM codes and coding guideline revisions become valid for reporting

A procedure that can be scheduled in advance, such as a knee replacement.

Electronic Claim Submission is the process of transmitting healthcare claims electronically from the EMR or billing system to Medicare or other

Electronic Documentation is the creation, storage, management, and retrieval of patient records using an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) or similar digital system.

Electronic Fax (eFax) enables home health agencies to send and receive physician orders, referrals, plans of care, and other clinical documents

An Electronic Health Record (EHR) is a comprehensive digital record of a patient's health information that can be securely shared across different

Electronic Order Signing is the digital authentication of physician orders using legally recognized electronic signatures within the EMR

Electronic Protected Health Information (ePHI) is PHI that is created, stored, transmitted, or received electronically through systems such as EMRs

An Electronic Remittance Advice (ERA) is the electronic version of a remittance advice that provides payment information directly into the agency's

An Electronic Signature (eSignature) is a legally recognized digital signature used to authenticate physician orders, visit notes, plans of care

Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) is a technology that electronically verifies key details of a home care visit, including the date, time, location

Patient qualification for covered services.

Eligibility Documentation consists of the clinical evidence demonstrating that a patient meets Medicare's requirements for home health services.

Confirmation that patient coverage is active.

Emergency Department Coding involves coding diagnoses and procedures for patients evaluated and treated in the emergency department.

Emergency Preparedness involves assessing whether the patient has a plan for emergencies such as severe weather, power outages, natural disasters, or medical emergencies.

An Emergency Preparedness Program is a CMS-required organizational plan that prepares a home health agency to continue providing safe patient care during disasters and emergencies.

Electronic medical record system.

EMR Implementation is the process of planning, configuring, deploying, testing, and launching a new electronic medical record system within a

EMR Optimization is the continuous improvement of an EMR system through workflow enhancements, template customization, automation, reporting

An Encoder is a coding application that guides users through official coding rules to identify appropriate diagnosis and procedure codes while checking for errors and compliance issues.

Encoder Software is a specialized application that assists medical coders in selecting valid ICD-10-CM, ICD-10-PCS, CPT, and HCPCS codes.

Interaction between patient and provider.

An Encounter Code is an ICD-10-CM code that describes the reason for a healthcare encounter when the visit is not primarily for treatment of an illness

Encounter Documentation is the complete clinical record of a patient visit, including the patient's reason for the encounter, history, assessment, and treatment plan.

An Encounter Form, also known as a charge ticket or routing slip, is a document used by providers to record diagnoses, procedures, and services provided during a patient visit.

Permanent kidney failure needing dialysis or transplant; qualifies for Medicare at any age.

Endocrine Disorder Coding covers diseases affecting hormone-producing glands, including diabetes mellitus, thyroid disorders, adrenal disorders, and metabolic conditions.

The process of signing up for Medicare or a Medicare plan.

Contractor that helps Medicaid beneficiaries choose a managed care plan.

Legal guarantee of Medicaid coverage to everyone who meets eligibility rules.

Time bound period of patient care.

Episode Billing is the process of billing for services provided during a defined home health episode of care in accordance with Medicare payment

Episode Completion occurs when all planned services for a 30-day home health payment period have been delivered and documented before discharge, recertification, or transfer.

Oversight of care, visits, and documentation.

Payment tied to a defined care episode.

Episode Utilization measures the total clinical services delivered during a patient's home health payment period, including skilled nursing, therapy, and aide visits.

Measure of incorrect Medicaid eligibility or payment determinations.

Moving an issue to higher attention.

An Escalation Workflow is a predefined process for notifying supervisors, physicians, or other appropriate personnel when urgent clinical issues

State recovery of Medicaid long-term care costs from a deceased recipient's estate.

An Etiology Code identifies the underlying disease or condition responsible for another diagnosis

Evaluation is the clinical process of reviewing and interpreting patient information, symptoms, test results, and treatment effectiveness to guide care

Care guided by proven clinical evidence.

Document detailing what a Medicare Advantage or Part D plan covers and costs.

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is the integration of the best available clinical research, professional expertise, and patient preferences to guide

An Exacerbation is a worsening or flare-up of a chronic disease that requires additional medical evaluation or treatment

Report showing items outside normal expectations.

An Excludes1 Note means that two conditions cannot be reported together because they are considered mutually exclusive

An Excludes2 Note indicates that the excluded condition is not part of the coded diagnosis, but both conditions may exist at the same time.

Barring a provider from Medicaid participation for fraud or other violations.

Managed-care plan that covers only in-network care except in emergencies.

An Executive Dashboard is a high-level reporting interface that provides agency leaders with real-time visibility into financial performance, census

A Medicaid appeal decided on a shortened timeline.

Statement showing what your plan paid and what you owe; not a bill.

An Extension Character provides additional information about a diagnosis, such as healing status, encounter type, or complication

An External Audit is a review conducted by Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurers, or independent audit organizations to evaluate coding accuracy

An External Cause Code identifies how an injury or health condition occurred, including the cause, intent, mechanism, and circumstances surrounding the

External Cause Codes identify how an injury or health condition occurred, including the mechanism of injury, place of occurrence, activity at the time of injury, and the patient's status.

An External Cause Status Code describes the patient's status at the time an injury occurred, such as whether the injury happened during military service, paid employment, or leisure activity.

Independent entity that reviews Medicaid managed care plan quality.

The Part D Low Income Subsidy that lowers prescription costs for limited-income enrollees.

Eye Disorder Coding covers diseases affecting the eye and visual system, including cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, and other visual impairments.

Required physician encounter for home health eligibility.

A Face-to-Face Diagnosis is the documented medical condition supporting the required face-to-face encounter that establishes a patient's eligibility

Face-to-Face Documentation records the required encounter between an eligible healthcare provider and the patient that supports the need for home health services.

Face-to-Face Encounter Documentation is the physician or allowed practitioner's documentation confirming that a required face-to-face encounter occurred within the required timeframe.

A beneficiary's right to challenge a Medicaid denial or reduction before an official.

Fall Prevention includes clinical interventions designed to reduce a patient's risk of falling, such as balance training, home safety assessments

A Fall Risk Assessment identifies factors that increase a patient's likelihood of falling, including impaired mobility, poor balance, cognitive impairment, medications, and home hazards.

A Fall is an unintentional event in which a person comes to rest on the ground or a lower level

Alert that incorrectly identifies a problem.

Law giving eligible employees up to 12 unpaid weeks off while keeping coverage.

A Family History Code identifies diseases or conditions present in a patient's biological relatives that may influence the patient's future health risks.

FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources) is a modern healthcare data exchange standard developed by HL7 that enables secure, standardized

The federal share of a state's Medicaid spending.

The federal matching rate for state Medicaid spending, known as FMAP.

Annual income benchmark used to set eligibility for Medicaid, CHIP, and subsidies.

Community clinic that receives enhanced Medicaid reimbursement.

Paying providers for each service, with no managed care plan involved.

Clinician delivering care in the patient's home.

A Field Operations Dashboard is a real-time management interface that provides visibility into clinician schedules, visit completion status

Field Staff Management involves coordinating, monitoring, and supporting clinicians who provide patient care in homes, including scheduling

Claim submitted after episode completion.

Medicaid eligibility based on income and asset limits.

Revenue lost from missed billing or documentation issues.

Financial Reporting is the process of generating reports that summarize an agency's revenue, expenses, collections, reimbursement, profitability

First-Pass Resolution refers to a claim being accepted and processed successfully upon its initial submission without rejection, denial, or requests for additional information.

Employer account for paying out-of-pocket health costs with pretax dollars.

A Foley Catheter is an indwelling urinary catheter inserted into the bladder to continuously drain urine

A Follow-Up Assessment is an OASIS evaluation completed during ongoing care when significant clinical changes occur

A Follow-up Code (usually from the Z09 category) indicates that a patient is receiving routine follow-up care after completing treatment for a resolved condition.

The list of prescription drugs a Part D plan covers, organized in cost tiers.

Fracture Aftercare refers to healthcare services provided during the healing phase following treatment of a bone fracture

Fracture Coding is the process of assigning diagnosis codes for bone fractures while documenting key clinical details such as the fracture site, laterality, and healing stage.

Frailty is a clinical syndrome characterized by decreased physiological reserve, weakness, reduced endurance, weight loss, and increased vulnerability

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse (FWA) refers to improper billing or healthcare practices that result in unnecessary costs or unlawful payments.

A Medicaid beneficiary's right to choose any participating provider.

How often visits or services are planned.

Physician approved change to visit frequency.

A Functional Assessment evaluates how well a patient performs activities necessary for daily living, including mobility, transfers, bathing, and dressing.

Functional Decline is the progressive loss of a patient's ability to perform everyday activities independently due to illness, injury, ageing, or

Functional Impairment Level measures the patient's ability to safely perform daily activities such as bathing, dressing, transferring, walking, and climbing stairs.

Reduced ability to perform daily activities.

Functional Outcomes measure changes in a patient's ability to perform activities of daily living (ADLs), mobility, transfers, ambulation, and self-care over an episode of care.

The Future of ICD Coding includes greater use of AI, clinical decision support, interoperability, predictive analytics, real-time coding assistance

A Gait Abnormality is an unusual walking pattern resulting from neurological, musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, or balance-related conditions

Evaluation of walking ability and safety.

Gangrene is the death of body tissue caused by loss of blood supply, severe infection, or trauma

Comparison of current state with desired state.

Gastrointestinal Disease Coding involves coding disorders affecting the digestive tract, including gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease, and inflammatory bowel conditions.

General Equivalence Mappings (GEMs) are reference files developed by CMS and the CDC to assist in translating between ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM/PCS code sets.

Generalized Weakness refers to reduced muscle strength affecting multiple areas of the body without complete paralysis

Generative AI is a type of artificial intelligence capable of creating new content, including clinical documentation, patient education materials

Lower-cost drugs with the same active ingredients as brand-name versions.

Genitourinary Disorder Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes for diseases affecting the kidneys, bladder, ureters, urethra, and reproductive organs.

Geographic Scheduling groups patient visits based on geographic proximity to minimise travel and improve scheduling efficiency

Patient movement toward care plan goals.

Goal Tracking is the ongoing monitoring of a patient's progress toward achieving the measurable clinical goals established in the plan of care

ACA metal tier with higher premiums and lower out-of-pocket costs.

An acceptable reason for missing a Medicaid deadline or hearing.

GPS Visit Tracking uses location technology to record where and when clinicians arrive at and leave patient visits, supporting scheduling and

A complaint about plan quality or service, different from an appeal.

A Grooming Assessment evaluates a patient's ability to independently perform personal hygiene activities such as brushing teeth, washing the face, and combing hair.

Revenue left after direct care costs.

Employer-sponsored plan covering employees and their dependents.

Protections that let you buy a Medigap plan without medical underwriting.

Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) Coding is a risk adjustment methodology that uses selected ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes to predict future healthcare costs.

Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System (HCPCS) Level II codes identify medical supplies, durable medical equipment (DME), ambulance services, and other products and services not covered by CPT codes.

Health Information Exchange (HIE) is the secure electronic sharing of patient health information between healthcare organizations, providers, and

Health Information Management (HIM) is the practice of acquiring, organizing, protecting, analyzing, and managing patient health information throughout its lifecycle.

HIFA waiver expanding Medicaid or CHIP coverage using existing funds.

ACA exchange for comparing and buying health plans.

1996 law setting health data privacy, security, and coverage-portability rules.

Health Level Seven (HL7) is a widely adopted set of international standards for exchanging clinical and administrative healthcare information between

Plan that covers only in-network providers except in emergencies.

Employer-funded plan that reimburses qualified medical expenses tax-free.

Tax-advantaged account for medical costs, paired with a high-deductible plan.

Healthcare Analytics is the use of clinical, financial, operational, and coding data to identify trends, measure performance, improve patient outcomes, and guide decisions.

A Hearing Assessment measures the patient's ability to hear spoken communication, respond to instructions, and safely participate in care.

Heart Failure is a chronic condition in which the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's needs

Heart Failure Coding requires documentation of the specific type of heart failure whenever possible, including systolic, diastolic, or combined, and whether it is acute or chronic.

HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set) is a widely used performance measurement tool developed by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).

Hematologic and Immune Disorder Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes for disorders of the blood, bone marrow, and immune system.

Hemiparesis is weakness or partial loss of strength affecting one side of the body

Hemiplegia is complete paralysis of one side of the body, typically resulting from a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other neurological disorder

Home Health Agency.

Home Health Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS) is the national patient experience survey for Medicare-certified home health agencies.

Home Health Resource Groups (HHRGs) were the patient classification system used before PDGM. HHRGs relied heavily on therapy visit volume and were replaced by PDGM case-mix groups in 2020.

Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs) are CMS-defined groupings of chronic diseases used to predict future healthcare costs and adjust payments

A High Comorbidity Adjustment applies when multiple qualifying secondary diagnoses substantially increase the complexity of patient care, raising the PDGM payment.

Plan with higher deductibles and lower premiums, eligible for an HSA.

A High-Risk Medication is a drug associated with an increased risk of causing significant patient harm if used incorrectly

Hip Replacement (Hip Arthroplasty) is the surgical replacement of a damaged hip joint with an artificial implant to restore mobility and reduce pain

HIPAA Compliance refers to adhering to the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which establishes standards

The HIPAA Privacy Rule establishes national standards governing how protected health information (PHI) may be used, disclosed, and accessed by

The HIPAA Security Rule requires healthcare organizations to implement administrative, physical, and technical safeguards to protect electronic

The Health Insurance Prospective Payment System (HIPPS) Code is a five-character code generated after Medicare processes the patient's OASIS assessment and determines the PDGM payment rate.

A History Code (commonly a Z code) identifies conditions that existed in the past but are no longer active and may still influence current healthcare decisions.

A History of Condition indicates that a patient had a disease, injury, or medical event in the past that is no longer active but may influence future care

Worker providing personal care support.

Covered home health services under Medicare.

Home Health Charting is the ongoing process of documenting patient assessments, treatments, skilled interventions, education, physician communications, and patient responses across the episode.

Home Health Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes that accurately reflect the patient's medical conditions requiring skilled home health services.

Home Health Documentation is the complete clinical record created during the delivery of skilled home healthcare services

A Home Health EMR is an electronic medical record system designed specifically for home health agencies

Defined period of home health care.

The Home Health Primary Diagnosis is the ICD-10-CM diagnosis chiefly responsible for the patient's need for skilled home health services during the 30-day payment period.

The Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) is Medicare's overall reimbursement framework for home health services

The Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HH QRP) is a CMS program requiring Medicare-certified home health agencies to submit standardized quality data, including OASIS.

Home Health Star Ratings are CMS-generated performance scores that help patients compare Medicare-certified home health agencies

A Home Health Survey is an official inspection conducted by state survey agencies or accreditation organizations to determine whether a home health agency meets required standards.

The Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model is a CMS payment program that adjusts Medicare reimbursement based on an agency's quality performance.

A Home Health Visit Pattern describes how skilled visits are distributed throughout a patient's episode of care, including the sequence and spacing of visits across the payment period.

Care service delivered in a patient's home.

Home Visit Documentation is the clinical record completed after every home health visit

Waiver letting Medicaid cover care at home instead of in an institution.

Patient limitation supporting home health eligibility.

Medicare-covered end-of-life care for a terminal illness with a six-month prognosis.

Hospice Coding focuses on assigning diagnosis codes that identify the terminal illness and related conditions for patients receiving end-of-life care.

Hospice Transition is the process of transferring a patient from curative or restorative care to hospice services when the focus shifts to comfort care

Patient returning to hospital shortly after discharge.

The Hospital Readmission Rate measures the percentage of patients who return to the hospital within a specified period after receiving home health services

A Hospital-Acquired Condition (HAC) is a preventable medical condition that develops during a patient's hospital stay and was not present on admission.

Hospitalization Prevention includes interventions designed to reduce avoidable hospital admissions and emergency department visits through early intervention and proactive care.

Likelihood that a patient may need hospital care.

Human-in-the-Loop AI is an AI approach in which clinicians review, validate, edit, and approve AI-generated documentation or recommendations before

Federal restriction on using Medicaid funds for most abortions.

Hypertension is persistently elevated blood pressure requiring ongoing monitoring, lifestyle modification, and often medication

Hypertension Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes for elevated blood pressure disorders, including essential hypertension and hypertensive heart disease and hypertensive chronic kidney disease.

An Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) Assessment measures more complex activities necessary for independent living, including meal preparation, medication management, housekeeping, and managing finances.

Standard diagnosis code used in healthcare.

ICD-10 Code Lookup is the process of searching for the correct ICD-10-CM diagnosis code using the Alphabetic Index, Tabular List, coding software, or official references.

The ICD-10-CM Code Structure is the standardized format used to build diagnosis codes

ICD-10-CM (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification) is the standardized diagnosis coding system used in the United States.

ICD-10-PCS (Procedure Coding System) is the standardized coding system used to report inpatient hospital procedures in the United States.

ICD-11 is the eleventh revision of the International Classification of Diseases published by the World Health Organization (WHO)

ICD-9 to ICD-10 Mapping is the process of translating older ICD-9 diagnosis codes into their ICD-10-CM equivalents

Providers contracted with your plan, offering lower costs.

Record of an unexpected care or safety event.

An Includes Note appears in the ICD-10-CM Tabular List to define conditions that are included within a particular code category

Income-based surcharge added to Part B and Part D premiums for higher earners.

Patient record missing required information.

A Medicare contractor who reviews coverage appeals.

Infection Coding is the process of selecting ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes that accurately represent infectious diseases based on provider documentation

Practices used to prevent infection spread.

Infection Prevention includes the policies, procedures, and clinical practices used to reduce the transmission of infectious diseases during home care visits.

Infectious Disease Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes for bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections

Influenza is a contagious viral respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses

Information Blocking refers to practices that intentionally interfere with the lawful access, exchange, or use of electronic health information

First clinical review of a patient.

The Part D phase after the deductible where you pay copays and coinsurance.

An Initial Encounter refers to the period during which the patient is receiving active treatment for a condition or injury

Injury Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes for traumatic injuries, including fractures, burns, lacerations, dislocations, sprains, poisonings, and other trauma-related conditions.

Care that requires a hospital admission and overnight stay.

Inpatient Coding is the assignment of ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes and ICD-10-PCS procedure codes for patients formally admitted to a hospital.

Facility mainly treating mental illness, where Medicaid limits payment for adults.

Institutional Admission refers to patients entering home health after discharge from an acute care hospital, inpatient rehabilitation facility, or skilled nursing facility.

An Institutional Referral occurs when a patient is admitted to home health after discharge from an inpatient facility, such as a hospital

Instructional Notes are directions included throughout the ICD-10-CM Tabular List that provide guidance on sequencing, code assignment, additional

Confirmation of active insurance coverage.

Process of receiving and reviewing referrals.

Intelligent Chart Review uses AI to analyse patient records, identify missing documentation, highlight inconsistencies, and summarise important

Interdisciplinary Communication is the exchange of patient information among different healthcare disciplines, including nursing, physical therapy

Multiple care disciplines working together.

Transfer of funds between government entities used in Medicaid financing.

Medicaid facility providing care for people with intellectual disabilities.

An Internal Audit is a coding or documentation review performed by an organization's own compliance, quality, or coding team to identify errors before

Ability of systems to exchange and use data.

Employer-sponsored group coverage with shared costs.

Joint Replacement is a surgical procedure in which a damaged joint is replaced with an artificial prosthesis

Visit completed by more than one clinician.

State option letting certain disabled children qualify for Medicaid regardless of parental income.

Metric used to track performance.

Knee Replacement (Knee Arthroplasty) is the surgical replacement of all or part of the knee joint with a prosthetic implant

A KPI Dashboard displays multiple key performance indicators, such as documentation completion, claim acceptance rates, clinician productivity, LUPA

A Large Language Model (LLM) is an advanced AI model trained on vast amounts of text to understand, generate, summarise, and analyse natural language

Documentation completed after the required time.

A Late Payment Period includes every eligible 30-day payment period following the initial early payment period during an ongoing episode of care.

Laterality indicates which side of the body is affected by a condition

Laterality Documentation specifies whether a condition affects the right side, left side, both sides (bilateral), or an unspecified side of the body

Total time a patient remains under care.

60 lifetime hospital days used under Part A after a 90-day stay.

Discharge of a patient who is still alive.

Liver Disease Coding includes assigning diagnosis codes for hepatitis, fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, liver failure, alcoholic liver disease, and other hepatic conditions.

A Living Arrangement describes the patient's home environment and identifies who lives with the patient

Ongoing help with daily living; custodial care Medicare generally does not cover.

Long-Term Care Coding involves coding diagnoses for residents of nursing homes and long-term care facilities

Long-Term Drug Therapy refers to the ongoing use of prescribed medications for chronic disease management, such as anticoagulants, insulin

A Long-Term Drug Therapy Code identifies patients who are receiving ongoing medication therapy for chronic conditions

The period, usually 60 months, states review assets before long-term care Medicaid.

A Low Comorbidity Adjustment is an additional payment applied when a patient has qualifying secondary diagnoses that modestly increase clinical complexity.

Use of fewer services than expected.

LUPA, or Low Utilization Payment Adjustment, is a Medicare reimbursement rule under the Patient-Driven Groupings Model (PDGM). It applies when a 30-day period has fewer skilled visits than the case-mix threshold, so Medicare pays per visit instead of the full period rate.

LUPA Analytics involves using reports, dashboards, and performance metrics to identify patients at risk of triggering Low Utilization Payment Adjustments.

LUPA Avoidance refers to operational strategies used by home health agencies to prevent unnecessary Low Utilization Payment Adjustments.

A LUPA Dashboard is a reporting tool within an EMR or business intelligence platform that tracks visit counts, projected reimbursement, and episodes at risk of a LUPA.

A LUPA Episode refers to a 30-day PDGM payment period that ends with fewer skilled visits than the applicable LUPA threshold, resulting in reduced reimbursement.

LUPA Management encompasses the clinical, operational, and financial processes used to monitor visit utilization, ensure documentation accuracy, and prevent avoidable LUPAs.

LUPA Monitoring is the ongoing review of patient visit counts, schedules, cancellations, and completed documentation throughout the payment period.

LUPA Payment Reduction is the decrease in Medicare reimbursement that occurs when a patient's episode falls below the required visit threshold.

LUPA Prediction is the process of identifying patients at risk of falling below the required visit threshold before the payment period ends.

LUPA Prevention refers to proactive operational practices such as scheduling, patient engagement, clinician communication, and documentation.

LUPA Reimbursement refers to Medicare's per-visit payment methodology applied when a Low Utilization Payment Adjustment occurs instead of the full 30-day PDGM payment.

LUPA Reporting consists of operational and financial reports that summarize the number of LUPA cases, revenue impact, and performance trends.

LUPA Risk is the likelihood that a patient's payment period will not reach the required number of skilled visits, potentially resulting in reduced reimbursement.

The LUPA Threshold is the minimum number of qualified skilled home health visits required during a 30-day payment period to receive the full PDGM payment rather than reduced per-visit rates.

The LUPA Visit Count refers to the total number of Medicare-qualified skilled visits completed within a PDGM payment period

AI method that learns patterns from data.

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) established Medicare's Quality Payment Program, including MIPS and Advanced Alternative Payment Models.

Therapy focused on preserving current function.

A Major Complication or Comorbidity (MCC) is a diagnosis that significantly increases the severity of illness, expected resource utilization, and DRG payment level.

Malnutrition Coding identifies protein-calorie malnutrition and other nutritional deficiencies based on provider documentation

A system organizing Medicaid care to manage cost, use, and quality.

An organization delivering Medicaid managed care, such as an MCO or PCCM.

Health plan paid a set rate to manage the care of Medicaid members.

Groups states are required to cover under Medicaid.

A Manifestation Code identifies the condition or complication resulting from an underlying disease

Determining eligibility based on income and assets.

MEAT is a documentation framework used to determine whether a diagnosis is active and should be reported

Government health coverage program for eligible groups.

State unit that investigates and prosecutes Medicaid fraud.

State system for processing and tracking Medicaid claims.

Another name for Medicaid coverage of health services.

Medical Billing is the process of preparing, submitting, tracking, and following up on insurance claims for healthcare services

A Medical Coder is a healthcare professional who reviews clinical documentation and assigns standardized diagnosis and procedure codes for billing.

Medical Coding is the process of translating healthcare diagnoses, conditions, symptoms, procedures, and services into standardized alphanumeric codes.

Requirement that services are clinically justified.

A Medical Necessity Audit reviews documentation to determine whether healthcare services were reasonable, appropriate, and supported by the documented clinical condition.

A Medical Record is the official legal record documenting a patient's healthcare history, assessments, diagnoses, treatments, medications, physician

Medical Record Documentation refers to the complete collection of clinical information maintained throughout a patient's home health episode.

A Medical Record Review is the examination of clinical documentation to verify that reported diagnosis and procedure codes accurately reflect the documented care provided.

A Medical Review is the examination of clinical documentation to determine whether services provided were medically necessary, properly documented, and correctly billed.

Insurer health review used to decide coverage and pricing.

Optional Medicaid group for people with high medical costs relative to income.

Federal health insurance program for eligible individuals.

Private Part C plans that replace Original Medicare, often adding drug and extra benefits.

Medicare Advantage Coding focuses on accurately documenting and coding all active chronic and acute conditions that affect patient care during the coverage year.

A Medicare Audit is a detailed review of claims, documentation, coding, billing practices, and medical necessity to determine whether Medicare payments were appropriate.

Medicare Billing is the process of submitting accurate home health claims using documented services, OASIS data, diagnosis coding, and physician orders.

Medicaid paying Medicare premiums and cost-sharing for eligible low-income people.

Medicare Certification is the official approval granted by CMS allowing a home health agency to participate in the Medicare program and bill for covered services.

A Medicare Claim is a request submitted to Medicare seeking reimbursement for medically necessary home health services provided to an eligible beneficiary

The Medicare Conditions of Participation (CoPs) are the federal regulations that every Medicare-certified home health agency must follow to maintain certification and bill Medicare.

The Medicare Home Health Benefit is a federal healthcare program that covers eligible home health services for beneficiaries who meet Medicare's eligibility criteria.

Hospital insurance covering inpatient stays, skilled nursing, hospice, and some home health.

Medical insurance covering outpatient care, preventive services, and supplies.

Another name for Medicare Advantage, the private alternative to Original Medicare.

Prescription drug coverage sold stand-alone or within Medicare Advantage.

Official tool for comparing Part D and Medicare Advantage plans by ZIP code.

Option to spread Part D out-of-pocket drug costs across monthly payments.

Medicare Reimbursement is the payment home health agencies receive for providing medically necessary skilled services to eligible Medicare beneficiaries.

State-run programs that help limited-income enrollees pay Medicare costs.

MS-DRGs (Medicare Severity Diagnosis-Related Groups) are an enhanced version of the traditional DRG system

Periodic statement of Part A and Part B services billed to Medicare; not a bill.

Medication Adherence is the extent to which a patient takes medications exactly as prescribed, including the correct dose, timing, and duration.

A Medication Assessment evaluates every medication a patient is taking, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamins, and supplements.

Medication Documentation records all prescribed medications, dosages, administration instructions, patient adherence, side effects, and

Medication Education involves teaching patients and caregivers about medication purpose, dosage, administration, potential side effects, storage, and

Risk caused by combining certain medications.

A Medication List is a complete record of all prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements, vitamins, dosages, frequencies, and

Oversight of medication use and safety.

A Medication Profile is a comprehensive list of all medications a patient is currently taking, including prescription drugs, over-the-counter

Review and matching of patient medications.

A Medication Review is a detailed evaluation of a patient's medication regimen to ensure each medication is appropriate, effective, safe, and taken as prescribed.

Private supplement insurance that helps cover Original Medicare out-of-pocket costs.

Mental and Behavioral Disorder Coding includes diagnosis coding for psychiatric illnesses such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and substance use disorders.

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) is a Medicare quality payment program that adjusts reimbursement for eligible clinicians based on performance measures.

MRSA is a strain of Staphylococcus aureus bacteria that is resistant to several commonly used antibiotics

Mileage Tracking records the distance clinicians travel between patient visits for reimbursement, payroll, scheduling analysis, and operational reporting

Failure to capture documentation or coding affecting payment.

Missing required clinician or physician signature.

Scheduled visit that did not occur.

Missed Visit Documentation records any scheduled home health visit that did not occur, including the reason for the missed visit, attempts to reschedule, and physician notification.

Clinical documentation completed on a mobile device.

A Mobile EMR is an electronic medical record application designed for smartphones, tablets, or laptops, allowing clinicians to access patient

A Mobile Workforce refers to healthcare professionals who deliver services outside a traditional healthcare facility, using mobile devices to access

A Mobility Assessment evaluates the patient's ability to move safely within the home, including walking, standing, changing positions, navigating stairs, and using mobility aids.

A Mobility Limitation is a restriction in a person's ability to move independently, including walking, transferring, climbing stairs, or changing

Income figure used to set IRMAA surcharges and Medicaid eligibility.

Monitoring is the ongoing observation of a patient's condition to detect changes, assess response to treatment, or identify potential complications

Medical social worker.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is a security method requiring users to verify their identity using two or more authentication factors, such as a

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system, causing inflammation and damage to the protective

Muscle Atrophy is the loss of muscle mass caused by inactivity, neurological disease, aging, malnutrition, or chronic illness

Musculoskeletal Disorder Coding covers diseases and injuries involving bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues.

Narrative Documentation is the descriptive portion of a clinical record where clinicians explain patient observations, skilled interventions, and patient responses in free-text form.

A Narrative Note is a free-text clinical entry that allows clinicians to document observations, patient interactions, education, or events that cannot

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), part of the CDC, is responsible for maintaining and updating the ICD-10-CM diagnosis classification system in the United States.

A National Provider Identifier (NPI) is a unique 10-digit identification number assigned to healthcare providers and organisations for administrative

AI method that understands language.

NEC (Not Elsewhere Classified) indicates that provider documentation is sufficiently detailed, but ICD-10-CM does not contain a more specific code for the condition.

Wound treatment using controlled suction.

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), commonly known as a Wound VAC, uses controlled suction through a sealed dressing to promote wound healing by

Neoplasm Coding involves assigning ICD-10-CM codes for benign, malignant, in situ, uncertain behavior, and unspecified neoplasms

The providers, hospitals, and suppliers your insurer contracts with.

Neurological Disorder Coding includes diagnosis coding for diseases affecting the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and neuromuscular system.

Newborn Coding is the assignment of ICD-10-CM diagnosis codes for live-born infants and conditions originating during the perinatal period.

A Notice of Admission (NOA) is the electronic notification submitted to Medicare indicating that a beneficiary has started receiving home health care under the Medicare benefit.

A Non-Billable Code is an incomplete ICD-10-CM category or subcategory that lacks the level of detail required for claim submission

A Non-Healing Wound is a wound that fails to progress through the normal stages of healing within the expected timeframe due to factors such as

Patient not following care instructions.

Failure to follow care plan, rules, or requirements.

NOS (Not Otherwise Specified) indicates that provider documentation lacks enough clinical detail to assign a more specific diagnosis code.

A written letter explaining a Medicaid action and the right to appeal.

Nurse Charting is the documentation completed by registered nurses (RNs) or licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPNs/LVNs) after providing patient care.

Clinical evaluation performed by a nurse.

Nursing Documentation is the official clinical record created by licensed nurses to document patient assessments, skilled interventions, and patient responses to care.

Nursing Visit Count is the total number of skilled nursing visits documented during a payment period

Standard home health patient assessment dataset.

Correctness of OASIS responses.

An OASIS Assessment is a standardized patient assessment completed by Medicare-certified home health agencies to collect clinical, functional, and

OASIS Certification refers to professional training programs and certifications that demonstrate advanced knowledge of OASIS assessment, coding accuracy, and CMS guidance.

Coding tied to OASIS and patient conditions.

OASIS Completion means all required assessment items have been fully documented, reviewed, and finalized within CMS-required timeframes.

OASIS Compliance is the process of ensuring all OASIS assessments are completed according to CMS regulations, submission timelines, and official guidance.

An OASIS Coordinator oversees an agency's OASIS program by providing clinician education, monitoring documentation quality, ensuring timely submission, and supporting compliance.

An OASIS Correction is the process of updating a previously submitted assessment when errors or omissions are discovered

OASIS Data Collection is the structured process of gathering standardized clinical information during patient assessments

OASIS Item M1021 captures the patient's primary diagnosis and principal diagnoses that are actively addressed during the home health episode

OASIS Diagnosis Matching is the process of ensuring that diagnoses documented in the OASIS assessment are consistent with the diagnoses reported on the plan of care and claim.

OASIS Documentation refers to the complete clinical record supporting every response entered on an OASIS assessment

An OASIS Documentation Audit is a structured review of completed OASIS assessments and supporting clinical documentation to verify compliance with CMS requirements.

OASIS Documentation Best Practices are evidence-based documentation techniques that help clinicians produce accurate, complete, and defensible OASIS assessments.

OASIS Error Prevention includes the policies, workflows, technology, and education programs designed to reduce documentation mistakes before OASIS submission.