Title
a. Authorize the Interim Chief Executive Officer for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute renewal & amendment No. 3 to the agreement (A-13517) with Healthcare Coding and Consulting Services, LLC for US-based remote medical record coding and consulting services, extending the agreement an additional one (1) year period (August 22, 2021 through August 21, 2022) for a revised full agreement term of August 22, 2016 through August 21, 2022, and adding $450,000 for a revised total agreement amount not to exceed $2,277,000.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended the Board of Supervisors:
a. Authorize the Interim Chief Executive Officer for Natividad Medical Center (NMC) or his designee to execute renewal & amendment No. 3 to the agreement (A-13517) with Healthcare Coding and Consulting Services, LLC for US-based remote medical record coding and consulting services, extending the agreement an additional one (1) year period (August 22, 2021 through August 21, 2022) for a revised full agreement term of August 22, 2016 through August 21, 2022, and adding $450,000 for a revised total agreement amount not to exceed $2,277,000.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Healthcare Coding and Consulting Services (HCCS) provides remote coding support, utilizing International Classification of Diseases Tenth Revision (ICD10-CM/PCS), Current Procedural Terminology (CPT), Evaluation /Management Levels (E/M), HCPCs Medical Supply conventions to Natividad designated medical encounters and Education and Training to Natividad as changes occur within the coding spectrum.
HCCS require their coding staff to possess coding credentials. The coders must also maintain their credentials annually, by attending education and training for their specific coding discipline.
Natividad began utilizing HCCS coding support for the Emergency Department in Sept 2016. This vendor was chosen due to the complexity and distinctiveness of our Emergency and Trauma encounters, which are comprise of multiple layers of treatment management, equipment, procedures and extensive documentation. HCCS appends the medical charges to the Emergency and Labor Delivery Emergency Department accounts, which allows the supportive nursing staff to provide care to the patients. HCCS provides coding support for our inpatient encounters to ensure accuracy and timely reimbursement.
HCCS has layers of auditors to review complicated encounters; conduct monthly audits of the coding staff assigned to Natividad account, which meets the compliance requirement. The results are distributed, reviewed, discussed, recommendations to enhance beneficial outcomes for the organization are considered and often executed. HCCS also provides auditing and validation summary documentation of specific third-party payor accounts required service justification.
Natividad recognized with the increased volume of emergency/labor delivery emergency, trauma encounters and inpatient, the level of complexity with accurate coding these services; our existing coding staff are not capable of meeting the managements’ level of expectations and demand.
As HCCS adheres to Natividad’s mandated completion turnaround times, accuracy, compliance requirements and standards, it is critical and favorable for Natividad to retain HCCS as their coding support vendor.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel has reviewed and approved this amendment as to legal form, and the Auditor-Controller has reviewed and approved as to payment provisions. The renewal & amendment No. 3 has also been reviewed and approved by Natividad’s Finance Committee and by its Board of Trustees on August 13, 2021.
FINANCING:
The cost for this renewal & amendment No. 3 is $450,000 of which $450,000 is included in the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Adopted Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
The services rendered in this agreement provides Natividad with the additional support which is needed due to the credential requirements to ensure accurate appending coding for reimbursement, regulatory, patient care initiatives and data reporting.
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Prepared by: Kim Williams-Neal, Director of HIM, 831-783-2440
Approved by: Charles R. Harris, Interim Chief Executive Officer, 783-2504
Attachments:
Healthcare Coding and Consulting Services, LLC Renewal & Amendment 3
Healthcare Coding and Consulting Services, LLC Amendment 2
Healthcare Coding and Consulting Services, LLC Amendment 1
Healthcare Coding and Consulting Services, LLC Agreement
Attachments on file with the Clerk of the Board