Terms of Service
Welcome to HCC Buddy. By creating an account or using our Chrome extension and related services (collectively, the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree, do not use the Service.
1. Description of Service
HCC Buddy is a coding reference tool that provides ICD-10-CM code lookup, Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) mapping information, drug cross-referencing, alphabetic index search, and AI-assisted coding guidance through a Chrome browser extension and associated backend API.
HCC Buddy is a reference tool only. It does not replace professional coding judgment, clinical decision-making, or official coding guidelines. All coding decisions remain the sole responsibility of the user.
2. Eligibility
You must be at least 18 years of age and capable of forming a binding contract to use the Service. By registering, you represent that all information you provide is accurate and that you will keep it up to date.
3. Account Registration and Security
- You must provide a valid email address and create a password of at least 12 characters.
- You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your login credentials.
- HCC Buddy enforces single-session authentication. Logging in on a new device will automatically sign out any previous session.
- You must notify us immediately at support@hccbuddy.com if you suspect unauthorized access to your account.
4. Subscription Plans and Billing
- Free Trial: New accounts receive a 14-day trial of the Pro plan at no charge and with no credit card required.
- Paid Plans: After your trial, you may subscribe to a Basic or Pro plan on a monthly or annual basis. Current pricing is displayed at checkout.
- Billing: Payments are processed securely through Stripe. We do not store your credit card information.
- Cancellation: You may cancel your subscription at any time through the Stripe Customer Portal accessible from the extension settings. You will retain access until the end of your current billing period.
- Refunds: Subscriptions are non-refundable except as required by applicable law. If you believe you were charged in error, contact billing@hccbuddy.com.
- Price Changes: We may change subscription pricing with 30 days' advance notice. Founding member pricing is locked for the lifetime of continuous subscription.
5. Acceptable Use
You agree not to:
- Enter Protected Health Information (PHI), including patient names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, Medicare Beneficiary Identifiers, or any other individually identifiable health information, into HCC Buddy. The Service includes automated PHI detection and will reject queries containing such data.
- Use the Service for any unlawful purpose or in violation of HIPAA, state privacy laws, or other applicable regulations.
- Attempt to reverse-engineer, decompile, or extract source code from the extension or API.
- Circumvent rate limits, subscription tiers, or other access controls.
- Share your account credentials with others or allow multiple individuals to use a single account.
- Use automated scripts, bots, or scrapers to access the Service.
6. Prohibited Health Information
HCC Buddy is designed as a coding reference tool, not a clinical documentation or patient management system. You must never input information that could identify a specific patient. The Service actively scans for and blocks PHI, but this does not relieve you of your obligation to comply with HIPAA and other privacy regulations.
7. Intellectual Property
All content, software, and technology comprising HCC Buddy are owned by or licensed to the Service operator. ICD-10-CM codes and guidelines are public domain works of the United States government. HCC model mappings are derived from publicly available CMS data.
You retain ownership of any guidelines documents you upload. By uploading, you grant HCC Buddy a limited license to process and index those documents solely to provide the Service to you. Your documents are stored in isolated, per-user collections and are never shared with other users.
8. AI-Generated Content Disclaimer
The AI chat feature provides responses generated by artificial intelligence based on published coding guidelines and reference materials. These responses:
- Are for informational and reference purposes only.
- May contain errors, omissions, or outdated information.
- Do not constitute professional coding advice, medical advice, or legal counsel.
- Should always be verified against official ICD-10-CM guidelines and payer-specific documentation before use in any clinical or billing context.
9. Data and Privacy
Your use of the Service is also governed by our Privacy Policy. Key points:
- We collect only the minimum data necessary to operate the Service.
- We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.
- You may export all your data or delete your account at any time from the extension settings.
- Search analytics are collected in aggregate form (ICD-10 codes looked up, feature usage counts) to improve the Service. Raw search queries are not stored.
10. Service Availability
We strive to maintain high availability but do not guarantee uninterrupted access. The Service may be temporarily unavailable due to maintenance, updates, or circumstances beyond our control. We will make reasonable efforts to provide advance notice of planned downtime.
11. Limitation of Liability
TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, HCC BUDDY AND ITS OPERATOR SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF REVENUE, DENIED CLAIMS, CODING ERRORS, AUDIT FINDINGS, OR DATA LOSS, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF THE SERVICE.
Our total liability for any claim arising from the Service shall not exceed the amount you paid for the Service in the 12 months preceding the claim.
12. Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless HCC Buddy, its operator, and affiliates from any claims, damages, or expenses arising from your use of the Service, your violation of these Terms, or your violation of any applicable law or regulation.
13. Termination
- You may delete your account at any time from the extension settings. This permanently removes all your data.
- We may suspend or terminate your account if you violate these Terms, with or without notice.
- Upon termination, your right to access the Service ceases immediately. Any prepaid subscription fees for the remaining period are non-refundable unless required by law.
14. Changes to These Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. If we make material changes, we will notify you via email or through the extension. Your continued use of the Service after such notice constitutes acceptance of the updated Terms.
15. Governing Law
These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any disputes shall be resolved in the state or federal courts located in Florida.
16. Contact
For questions about these Terms, contact us at:
- Email: support@hccbuddy.com
- Website: hccbuddy.com