Adult Body Mass Index Assessment identifies health risk in adults

When documenting height and weight in a patient’s medical record, remember to calculate and document the patient’s body mass index. BMI is considered the most efficient and effective method for assessing excess body fat.

Careful monitoring of BMI will help health care providers identify adults who are at increased risk of developing diseases associated with obesity.

A Medicare star rating measure that’s also a HEDIS^® measure — Adult Body Mass Index Assessment — assesses adults ages 18 to 74 who had their BMI documented during an outpatient visit in the past two years. Calculation of BMI is often overlooked by providers when documenting claims. This missing data results in providers not meeting the criteria for this measure.

View the Adult Body Mass Index Assessment tip sheet on web-DENIS for a list of ICD-10 codes that can be used on claims when coding BMI. The tip sheet also includes tips on helping patients reach and maintain a healthier weight. As a reminder, since web-DENIS is a secure website, you’ll need to log in as a provider to access the tip sheet.

HEDIS^® is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance.