The Top 9 Questions Every Medical Coder Asks About Risk Adjustment and the CRC™ Certification was presented in a webinar by Certification Coaching Org (CCO), www.cco.us. A wealth of information was covered including: what Risk Adjustment (RA) entails, how this field is growing, and RA career opportunities. Also discussed was what to look for in a Risk Adjustment course. Attendees’ questions on careers in RA or preparing for the Certified Risk Adjustment Coder (CRC™) credentialing examination were answered. Presenters were Alicia Scott, CPC, CPC-I, CRC, and Chandra Stephenson, CPC, CIC, COC, CPB, CPCO, CPMA, CPC-I, CCS, CANPC, CEMC, CFPC, CIMC, CGSC, COSC, CRC, CCC. The host for the webinar was Boyd Staszewski.

1. The Top 9 Questions
Every Medical Coder Asks about
Risk Adjustment and the
CRC™ Certification

2. The Top 9 Questions about Risk Adjustment and the CRC™ Certification
Polls
*Are You Certified?
* What is your interest level in the
CRC™ certification?

3. The Top 9 Questions about Risk Adjustment and the CRC™ Certification
Chandra Stephenson
CPC, CIC, COC, CPB, CPCO, CPMA, CPC-I,
CCS, CANPC, CEMC, CFPC, CIMC, CGSC,
COSC, CRC, CCC
CCO Program Director
Alicia Scott
CPC, CPC-I, CRC
CCO Education Director

4. Alicia Scott
CPC, CPC-I, CRC
CCO Education Director
● Worked in the medical field for 26 years
● CCO Education Director
● CCO Student Coach
● CCO Risk Adjustment Course Developer and Instructor
● Known as the “ICD-10 CM Guru” of CCO
● Created and presented two ICD-10-CM Courses for CCO:
- "ICD-10-CM (Diagnostic) Full Course"- 80 hours
- “ICD-10-PCS (Procedural Coding System) Training Course”
● Specialist in Diagnostic Coding and HCC Risk Adjustment
● Working towards Masters Degree in Health Care Administration
● Passion for education
● Pastors Wife with 6 Children (10-28) | Married 29 years
● Never had a cavity :)
Who is Alicia Scott ?

5. Who is Chandra Stephenson ?
Chandra Stephenson
CPC, CIC, COC, CPB,
CPCO,CPMA, CPC-I,
CCS, CANPC, CEMC,
CFPC, CIMC, CGSC,
COSC, CRC, CCC
CCO Program Director
● CCO Program Director
● CCO Risk Adjustment Course Developer and Instructor
● CCO Student Coach
● National ICD-10 Trainer for AAPC
● Representative for the Great Lakes Region on the AAPC's 2013-2015
National Advisory Board.
● Extensive experience in centralized billing, family practice,
cardiology, GI, mental health, anesthesia, and multi-specialty
environments.
● Adjunct college instructor in medical coding
● Compliance auditor for one of the largest healthcare systems in
Indiana |Big 5 consultant
● Currently an independent consultant and enjoys finding ways to
simplify the world of coding accuracy and education.
● Holds a CRC credential along with: CPC, CIC, COC, CPB, CPCO, CPMA,
CPC-I, CCS, CANPC, CEMC, CFPC, CIMC, CGSC, COSC, and CCC
● Chandra has over 13 years coding and auditing experience

6. The Top 9 Questions about Risk Adjustment and the CRC™ Certification

7. What We’ll Cover
1. Short History and Explanation of Risk Adjustment Coding
2. Is the demand for risk adjustment coding and a CRC™
credential increasing? What’s the BUZZ around CRC™?
3. Does a CRC™ certification result in a higher salary?
4. Does a CRC™ credential make you more employable?
5. Does the CRC™ designation only include HCC risk
adjustment coding? Only Medicare?
6. Is RA seasonal coding?
7. Do you need to be a CPC® certified coder first?
8. What about ICD-10 in RA?
9. Is there more to just RA than coding?
10.How much auditing is needed for RA?

8. Short History and Explanation of
Risk Adjustment Coding
●What risk adjustment (RA) is
–The purpose of RA
–Where RA originated
–Which plans are RA plans
●Why understanding RA coding is essential
●How RA differs from traditional coding
●Why there are an increasing number of RA plans

9. Is the demand for risk adjustment coding
and a CRC™ credential increasing?

10. Does a CRC™ certification
result in a higher salary?

11. Does the CRC designation only include
HCC risk adjustment coding? Only Medicare?
No, the CRC™ certification exam includes questions on all
areas of risk adjustment, including the different
methodologies:
● Medicare Part C (CMS HCC)
● Medicare Part D (CMS RxHCC)
● Medicaid (CDPS)
● ACA Marketplace Plans
(HHS HCC)

12. Is Risk Adjustment Coding Seasonal in Demand?
Risk Adjustment work is full time, year round. There is
reason some people think it is seasonal.
● Three pulls a year
● MA plans that work with contracts
● Hiring policies
RA jobs have changed in the past few years
● Not just MA plans risk adjust
● Greater demand for RA coding

13. Do You Need to be a CPC® Certified Coder
Before CRC™ ?
Alicia’s Point of View Chandra’s Point of View
You must have a thorough
knowledge of coding.
Confidence in abstraction
Quality vs. Quantity - 98%
Have to love ICD-10-CM
Great starting point in the
field if you are willing to
learn
Requires willingness to ask
questions and ability to
research

14. What about ICD-10 in Risk Adjustment?
That is what it is all about!
● ICD-10-CM is diagnosis coding.
● Language of risk adjustment
● Capturing illnesses that risk adjust
● Chronic disease

15. Is There More to Risk Adjustment Than Just Coding?
Yes!
● Different RA Plan types and components
● Record reviews, audits, and data submission
requirements
● Risk score calculations
● Quality care impacts (STAR, HEDIS)
● Documentation improvement
● Communication

16. How Much Auditing Knowledge
is Needed for Risk Adjustment Coding?
Identify problems in a medical encounter is what an auditor
does.
● Understand clinical documentation
● Understand the disease process to back up a code choice
● Medical record format

17. Will the CRC™ Help You in
Other Medical Coding Areas?

18. The Top 9 Questions about Risk Adjustment and the CRC™ Certification
Polls
* NOW what is your interest level in
the CRC™ certification?

19. What things should you look for when when choosing a
Risk Adjustment coding course?
● Are there testimonials from real students?
● Can I talk to previous students?
● Is this credential a good fit for me?
● Is the instructor certified?
● What is their goal?
● What is covered in the course?
● How much does it cost?
● How long does it take to complete the course?
● How long do I have access?
● Do I need to purchase books/manuals
● Is there a guarantee?
● Does it look to good to be true?

20. What We’ll Cover: Questions YOU Should be Asking
1. What things should you look for when choosing a Risk
Adjustment coding course?
2. Will the CRC™ help you in other medical coding areas?
3. What other skills with Risk Adjustment coding help me
improve?
4. What advantage will the CRC™ give me for career
advancement?
5. BONUS: Your Questions in the Chat

21. The CCO Risk Adjustment 2.0 Course
A Complete “No-Fluff” Course That Will Teach You
The Core Essentials of Risk Adjustment AND
Prepare You For The CRC™ Exam
http://www.cco.us/rawebinar

22. The Top 9 Questions about Risk Adjustment and the CRC™ Certification
* Who is the right kind of coder to
start the CCO RA Course 2.0?

23. Risk Adjustment 2.0 Course Contents
40 Equivalent Hours
http://www.cco.us/rawebinar

24. The CCO Proven Process

25. Testimonials and Reviews
http://www.cco.us/testimonials/

26. Testimonials and Reviews
https://www.facebook.com/cco.us/reviews

27. Questions In The Chat- RA Webinar
Your Webinar Chat Team
CHAT
QUESTIONS

28. Is CRC better than CPMA?
Question: I have a quick question, I'm currently
studying for the CPMA test. Is the CRC better
than the CPMA?

29. CRC before job as HCC Coder
Question: Would it be better for me to get the
CRC before I try to get a job as an HCC coder or
get a job and the experience while I study for the
exam? TIA :)

30. CRC and Specialties
Question: I currently have CPC, CEDC and on 8/1
I am going to take my CRC. My employee
originally told me they don't recognize the CEDC.
How would CRC fit into specialty certifications.

31. Remote work for RA
Question: How do I find a mentor to take me
under their wing? I currently volunteer at my
local hospital. Maybe there? AAPC local chapter
member?
I heard Alicia mention remote work for Risk
Adjustment. I would very much need that due to
a chronic medical condition. I know you can't
start out in remote coding.

32. Pathophysiology and Pharmacology
Question: Should you know pathophysiology for
RA coding? What about pharmacology?

33. RA vs no Billing Background
Question: Would you say it's easier for someone
with a medical billing background to get into
Risk Adjustment vs someone with no billing
background?

34. CRC Work
Question: Does CRC work on facility or Dr's
office? If it works on facility charts, does it code
separate with regular charts or does it together?

35. CRC™ Practice Exam Question
Question:
What does a CRC™ Exam Question look like?
How do we work through an exam question?
ANSWER
Alicia Scott, CPC, CPC-I, CRC
CCO Education Director

36. The Top 9 Questions about Risk Adjustment and the CRC™ Certification
Need help? Not sure what to do next?
Email: helpdesk@cco.us
CALL US TOLL-FREE AT (877) 225-0713
or visit the CCO help desk at
https://helpdesk.cco.us/support/home

37. Happy CRC™Coding!