Back to search

HCC flag

hcc_flg
clinical·Updated May 28, 2026

Definition

ISO-11179 Definition

Binary indicator identifying whether a diagnosis code maps to a Hierarchical Condition Category in the CMS-HCC risk adjustment model. HCC flags are applied during claims processing to identify diagnoses that contribute to a member risk adjustment factor score. Healthcare data engineers use HCC flags in Medicare Advantage risk adjustment pipelines to calculate RAF scores and support CMS RAPS and EDPS submissions.

Standard Abbreviation

hcc_flg

Category

clinical

Why This Term Matters

Clinical terms are the building blocks of risk adjustment, quality measurement, and value-based care analytics. A data engineer who understands this terminology can design schemas that correctly capture patient conditions, procedures, and encounters — enabling accurate HCC scoring, HEDIS measure attribution, and CMS reporting. Misclassifying clinical fields in a data warehouse cascades into incorrect RAF scores and failed regulatory submissions.

Looking for more healthcare terms?

Browse our complete library of 100,000+ standardized healthcare data terms

Browse All Terms