Influential Woman · Medical Coding

Ashlee LaRosa

Risk Adjustment Coding Supervisor, Claremedica

Miami, FL

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Some College (not completed) Degree CPC Certification from AAPC Cert CPC (Certified Professional Coder)

Her Story

About Ashlee

My journey in healthcare began in 2015 with various roles in the medical field, but it was a supervisor who saw potential in me and my customer service abilities with patients that really changed everything. She took me by the hand and showed me a path forward in medical coding. I studied for my CPC certification during my maternity leave, and when I came back, I passed the exam and decided to pursue this career. I started coding at CareMax in December 2022, and when the company went through bankruptcy and was acquired by ClareMedica, I transitioned with them and have been moving up through the ranks to my current role as Coding Supervisor. My specialty is risk adjustment coding for Medicare patients with chronic conditions. We focus on capturing codes for conditions like hypertension, diabetes, COPD, and heart failure to ensure patients receive preventative care through programs like our CHAP program, which includes spirometries for COPD patients and echos for those showing signs of heart failure. My personal experience as a caregiver for my mother and now my grandmother with dementia has made me deeply empathetic about patient care. I've seen firsthand what it means to care for someone who is ill, and that's why I'm so passionate about ensuring our elderly Medicare patients have access to cost-effective, comprehensive care. At ClareMedica, we work as a tight-knit family, doing weekly huddles and trainings to stay current, because coding is a world that changes very often and requires constant interpretation to ensure provider documentation is accurate so patients get the care they truly need.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Ashlee

01What do you attribute your success to?

I would definitely say my previous supervisor who took me by the hand and really dedicated time to me. She saw potential in me, even though I hadn't had the easiest life. She saw a diamond in the rough and wanted what was best for me. She no longer works with me personally today, but I still maintain communication - she's my best friend. She really saw that potential in me and pushed me to see better in myself when I was kind of stuck in a front desk position. She showed me that I had potential to move forward into a better career for myself and my family, and I really appreciate that.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I think there are no wrong answers. I think you can always start again. You know, maybe you made the wrong decision today, there's always second chances. It's not how much you fall, it's how many times you can pick yourself up and continue.

03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?

I think the biggest challenge is AI. We live in a world where AI is taking over a lot of what we do. You can ask chat GPT or Copilot coding references and it answers at the drop of a hat, versus a human would have to go back to encyclopedias and indexes. It is a challenge, but at ClareMedica we've created several tools that use AI to our favor. We've created tools that help us code faster with references at the drop of a hat instead of carrying around big heavy books like in the early 2000s. But there is a fear - can AI take over our job? At the end of the day, it's not the same validation when you audit. AI can interpret things, but when you've been coding for years, you know things like when the correct modifier is missing or when a note says it's a telehealth visit. It's a great tool, but you still have to check it because at the end of the day it's a computer. As far as opportunities, our goal is to learn more about Medicare Advantage and how to better help our patients with cost-effective care. We try to keep all specialists, transportation, and treatments in-house for our older Medicare population so they don't have to worry about whether they can financially afford treatment. Lower cost, better healthcare - that's our goal.

04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

I would say honesty and just really showing heart in everything that you do. Because if you don't show heart, then you're just a robot. You have to definitely have honesty, even if it's something that you don't want to do and it's not the greatest of things. I think showing honesty is something that people can appreciate. It's really just the heart, honesty, and putting your best effort in everything you do.

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