Terms of Service

1. Agreement to Terms

These Terms of Service ("Terms") constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Lynceus, LLC ("Lynceus," "we," "our," or "us"). By accessing or using the Lynceus Coding Compass platform at www.lynceuscodingcompass.com (the "Service"), you agree to be bound by these Terms.

If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the Service. If you are using the Service on behalf of an organization, you represent that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms.

2. Description of Service

Lynceus is an ICD-10-CM coding reference platform designed for Certified Professional Coders (CPCs), medical billers, Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) specialists, Medicare Advantage coders, and other healthcare coding professionals. The Service provides:

• Searchable ICD-10-CM code database with plain-language explanations
• Current CMS Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting
• Excludes 1 and Excludes 2 notation with clinical context
• Top commonly co-coded diagnoses for clinical reference
• HCC risk adjustment mapping (CMS-HCC v24, v28, RxHCC, ESRD models)
• Acronym disambiguation for clinical shorthand

Lynceus is a reference tool only. It is not a substitute for official ICD-10-CM resources, professional coding education, or qualified coding advice. Always verify codes against the current official ICD-10-CM Tabular List and Official Guidelines before submitting claims.

3. Accounts and Registration

To access certain features of the Service, you must create an account. You agree to:

• Provide accurate, current, and complete registration information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to your account
• Be responsible for all activity that occurs under your account

You may not share your account credentials with others. Each subscription is for individual use unless you are on a Practice plan, which permits use within a single billing practice or department.

4. Subscription Plans and Billing

a. Free Tier

Lynceus offers a limited free tier allowing a set number of searches per session without an account. Free tier access is provided as-is and may be modified or discontinued at any time.

b. Paid Plans

Lynceus offers the following paid subscription plans:

c. Free Trial

We offer a 7-day free trial on paid plans. No credit card is required to start a trial. At the end of the trial period, you may choose to subscribe or your trial access will end. We reserve the right to modify trial terms at any time.

d. Billing and Renewal

Paid subscriptions are billed monthly in advance. Your subscription automatically renews each month unless you cancel before the renewal date. All payments are processed securely through Stripe. Prices are in USD.

e. Cancellation and Refunds

You may cancel your subscription at any time. Upon cancellation, you will retain access through the end of your current billing period. We do not provide pro-rated refunds for partial months, except where required by applicable law. To request a refund for exceptional circumstances, contact us at support@lynceuscodingcompass.com.

f. Price Changes

We reserve the right to modify subscription prices with at least 30 days' advance notice. Price changes will not affect your current billing period. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of a price change constitutes acceptance of the new pricing.

5. Acceptable Use

You agree to use Lynceus only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to:

• Use the Service to submit, store, or transmit any patient Protected Health Information (PHI)
• Reproduce, redistribute, resell, or create derivative works from our proprietary content (plain-language explanations, co-coding data, HCC mapping, or original guidance) without written permission
• Scrape, crawl, or systematically extract data from the Service using automated tools
• Attempt to reverse-engineer, decompile, or access the underlying codebase or database
• Circumvent any usage limits, access controls, or subscription gating
• Interfere with the operation or availability of the Service
• Share account credentials with individuals who have not purchased a subscription
• Use the Service to engage in any fraudulent billing or coding activity

6. Intellectual Property

a. Our Content

The Lynceus platform, including its design, software, plain-language code explanations, co-coding data, HCC mapping summaries, and original guidance content, is owned by Lynceus, LLC and protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not use our proprietary content for commercial purposes without written permission.

b. Public Domain Data

ICD-10-CM code descriptions, Excludes notes, and tabular relationships are sourced from publicly available CMS/CDC ICD-10-CM files and are in the public domain as U.S. government works. HCC mappings are derived from publicly available CMS Risk Adjustment model documentation.

c. Your Content

You retain ownership of any content you submit to the Service. By submitting content, you grant Lynceus a limited license to use it solely to provide the Service to you.

7. HIPAA Notice

Lynceus is designed as a code look-up reference tool and is not a HIPAA-covered entity or business associate in the context of typical use. The Service is not designed to receive, store, or transmit PHI. You are solely responsible for ensuring that your use of the Service does not result in the entry or transmission of any PHI. Do not enter patient names, dates of birth, member IDs, claim numbers, or any other patient-identifiable information into the Service.

If your organization requires a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), contact us at support@lynceuscodingcompass.com to discuss your needs.

8. Disclaimers

Specifically:

• Lynceus is not affiliated with CMS, the CDC, AHIMA, or the AHA.
• Plain-language explanations and coding guidance are for reference purposes only and do not constitute professional coding advice.
• Always verify codes against the current official ICD-10-CM Tabular List and Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting before submitting claims.
• HCC mapping information is provided for reference only and should be verified against current CMS model documentation.
• Coding errors resulting from reliance on the Service without independent verification are the sole responsibility of the user.

9. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, LYNCEUS, LLC SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOST PROFITS, LOST REVENUE, CLAIM DENIALS, OR AUDIT PENALTIES ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SERVICE.

IN NO EVENT SHALL LYNCEUS'S TOTAL LIABILITY EXCEED THE GREATER OF (A) THE AMOUNT YOU PAID US IN THE 12 MONTHS PRECEDING THE CLAIM, OR (B) ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($100).

10. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Lynceus, LLC and its officers, members, employees, and agents from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, and expenses arising out of or related to your use of the Service, violation of these Terms, or violation of any third-party rights.

11. Termination

We reserve the right to suspend or terminate your account at any time for violation of these Terms, non-payment, or for any other reason at our discretion, with or without notice. Upon termination, your right to use the Service ceases immediately. Provisions of these Terms that by their nature should survive termination will survive, including intellectual property, disclaimers, indemnification, and limitation of liability.

12. Governing Law and Disputes

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States and the state in which Lynceus, LLC is registered, without regard to conflict of law principles. Any dispute arising from these Terms shall be resolved through binding arbitration on an individual basis, except that either party may bring claims in small claims court for disputes within that court's jurisdiction.

You waive any right to participate in a class action lawsuit or class-wide arbitration.

13. Modifications to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. When we make material changes, we will notify you by email or by posting a notice on the Service at least 14 days before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after the effective date constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Contact Us

For questions about these Terms of Service, contact Lynceus, LLC at: