Menu

FAQ Directory

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about NCQA’s various programs. If you don’t see what you are looking for in one of the entries below, you can  ask a question through My NCQA.

Filter Results
  • Save
  • Email
  • Print

4.24.2023 Health Plan Ratings Lower is Better Rates Why don’t my “lower is better” rates match between IDSS and the projected ratings scoresheet?

For HPR, NCQA inverts all final rates and percentiles where a lower value represents better performance to a higher value represents better performance scale in the HPR scoresheets and then truncates to 3 decimals. For example, a raw rates of .2325 would display as .767 (1-.2325 = .7675, truncated at 3 decimals).

HPR

4.24.2023 Multiple Health Plan Ratings for One Product in a State How is it possible for plans to have multiple ratings for one product within a given state?

Plans can have multiple ratings for one product within the same state because they might have certain state or contractual submission requirements that fall outside of the combined submission requisite that they send to NCQA for Accreditation purposes. Therefore, this results in plans submitting one combined submission (required) for Accreditation and then they still elect to select other submissions for state or other contractual obligations, which NCQA includes as part of its Ratings program.

HPR

4.24.2023 Health Plan Ratings Data for Scoring What data is 2023 HPR using to score plans?

  • Commercial: MY 2022 HEDIS and CAHPS submitted to NCQA by June 2023
  • Medicaid: MY 2022 HEDIS and CAHPS submitted to NCQA by June 2023
  • Medicare: MY 2022 HEDIS, MY 2021 CAHPS and HOS

HPR 2023

4.24.2023 Advertise/Market Health Plan Ratings Scores How can I market or advertise my plans’ 2023 Health Plan Ratings scores?

4.24.2023 Health Plan Ratings Data for Scoring What data is 2022 HPR using to score plans?

  • Commercial: MY 2021 HEDIS and CAHPS submitted to NCQA by June 2022
  • Medicaid: MY 2021 HEDIS and CAHPS submitted to NCQA by June 2022
  • Medicare: MY 2021 HEDIS, MY 2020 CAHPS and HOS

HPR 2022

4.24.2023 Plan Confirmation Login for Health Plan Ratings Why can’t I log on to Plan Confirmation? Or I can log on, but I don’t see any plans?

Access is controlled by the plan’s Primary HEDIS Contact, who can grant access through the “Manage Users” section of Plan Confirmation. Please contact this individual at your organization to request access.

HPR 2023

4.24.2023 Health Plan Ratings Information Confirmation Why do I have to confirm this information if our plan is not Accredited, or we will say “No” to Public Reporting?

We need you to confirm your plan details (e.g., Accreditation status, State Coverage, Family Association, Organization ID, Submission ID) because this impacts how you will be listed publicly when we release HPR on or around September 15, regardless of your Accreditation status or Public Reporting decision.

HPR

4.21.2023 Health Plan Ratings 2023 Measure Weights How does NCQA weigh measures used in HPR 2023?

  • ".5" = Race/Ethnicity Diversity of Membership 
  • "1” = Process measures (e.g., screenings, visits)
  • “1.5” = Patient experience measures (CAHPS)
  • “3” = Outcome and intermediate outcome measures (e.g., HbA1c Control, Blood pressure control)

HPR 2023

4.14.2023 Depression Screening and Follow-Up for Adolescents and Adults (DSF-E) Should the Follow-Up on Positive Screen numerator include the 12-17 years age stratification?

Yes. The 12-17 years age stratification is reported for the Follow-Up on Positive Screen numerator and should be added to the age stratification on page 240 of MY 2023 HEDIS for QRS Version.

Exchange 2023

2.16.2023 Diabetes Measures* Should patients who have not been diagnosed with diabetes but take diabetes medications for off-label use (e.g., weight loss, heart failure) be excluded from the diabetes measures?

For measures with hybrid reporting methodology (HBD, BPD, EED), members who have not had a diagnosis of diabetes but receive diabetes medications for conditions other than diabetes (e.g., weight loss, heart failure) may be identified as valid data errors and replaced with a member from the oversample.
To meet criteria for a valid data error for these measures, the medical record must contain no evidence of diabetes and must contain evidence to substantiate the data error (how the member wound up in the measure, why it is incorrect). It is expected that the medical record will not contain evidence of diabetes, and will contain documentation that the patient is on the medication, and why. This documentation, in combination with no other documentation of diabetes in the medical record, meets criteria for a valid data error. Valid data errors are subject to review by the auditor.
Valid data errors work for the Hybrid Method only because medical record data are used to ensure that the member does not have diabetes. For the administrative method, these members remain in the measure as medical records are considered supplemental data that may not be used for identifying valid data errors, or when reporting the HBD, BPD and EED measures using the administrative method, or the KED, SMD, EDH and SPD measures, which are administrative-only measures.
We are working to refine the diabetes denominator related to off-label medication use. The next annual HEDIS public comment period is planned for February–March 2023, but organizations may submit comments on any measure, at any time, through PCS (you do not need to wait until February).

*This FAQ applies to the following measures: Hemoglobin A1c Control for Patients With Diabetes (HBD), Blood Pressure Control for Patients With Diabetes (BPD), Eye Exam for Patients With Diabetes (EED), Kidney Health Evaluation for Patients With Diabetes (KED), Statin Therapy for Patients With Diabetes (SPD), Diabetes Monitoring for People With Diabetes and Schizophrenia (SMD), and Emergency Department Visits for Hypoglycemia in Older Adults With Diabetes (EDH)

HEDIS 2022

2.15.2023 MBHO: Use of software for evidence-based clinical guidelines for QI 8, Element F For QI 8, Element F, factor 1, is it considered delegation if an organization uses evidenced-based clinical content licensed for use in their own case management system?

No. The use of another entity’s evidence-based content within the organization’s case management system is not considered delegation if the organization maintains control over how the content is used and can customize it as needed. The evidence used to support the content must be cited.

MBHO 2023

2.15.2023 CM: Use of software for evidence-based clinical guidelines for CM 4, Element A For CM 4, Element A, factor 1, is it considered delegation if an organization uses evidenced-based clinical content licensed for use in their own case management system?

No. The use of another entity’s evidence-based content within the organization’s case management system is not considered delegation if the organization maintains control over how the content is used and can customize it as needed. The evidence used to support the content must be cited.

CM 2020