Medicare AdvantageAdministrativeLow impact
Quality, STARS and Risk Adjustment Updates
CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield·Coding
Effective date
Jul 13, 2026
We identified it
Jul 18, 2026
Summary
CareFirst has released new educational resources and training programs focused on risk adjustment coding, quality improvement, and clinical documentation. This includes new AAPC-accredited online courses (30-45 minutes, CEU-eligible), SHORTs videos on Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) provider awareness, and updated quality toolkits. The policy emphasizes provider support for patient survey completion and documentation best practices to influence CMS Star Ratings.
Action Required
By 2026-07-13: Providers and coding staff should review and access the new AAPC courses on Clinical Documentation Improvement and Risk Adjustment through CareFirst's online platform to improve compliance with risk adjustment coding requirements. Providers should encourage Medicare Advantage patients to complete the Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) fielded July-November annually, as survey completion rates impact CMS Star Ratings. Billing and clinical teams should review the MY26 CareFirst Quality Toolkit and SHORTs videos for updated quality measure guidance and documentation best practices. No immediate system or workflow changes required, but continued education is recommended to maintain coding accuracy and quality metrics.