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.
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Any practitioner who provides care to or makes care decisions for or about a member’s care is part of the care team. Please note, if a measure has a practitioner type requirement the services required by the measure must still be performed by the appropriate practitioner type. However, the care team requirement for the data to qualify for ECDS reporting is not restricted by the practitioner type requirement.
Yes. Plans may use administrative data to report HEDIS ECDS measures. Administrative data are a relevant data source and are one of four categories of data for ECDS reporting. If a plan’s administrative data files contain all the information it needs for a measure, it does not need additional data.
EMRs are limited in the amount of longitudinal information they contain for any one patient. Many data sources meet ECDS requirements. Plans have access to a wealth of information from across a much larger network than any single provider. ECDS is designed to encourage plans and providers to seek alternative sources of data (already being collected) to fill gaps in knowledge about a person’s health care experiences and future requirements.
Because the SES assessment is new and requires files not normally used for NCQA’s measure calculations, we have explored options for reporting members with these scenarios, and we think there are options for these data.
NOTE: NCQA’s Certification program tests one record per member based on the MMDDF.
| Member | RunDate | LisPremiumSubsidy |
| 1 | 2018 10 12 | 0000.00 |
| 1 | 2018 10 12 | 0035.50 |
| 1 | 2018 11 08 | 0035.50 |
| 1 | 2018 11 08 | -0035.50 |
| 1 | 2018 11 08 | 0035.50 |
| 1 | 2018 12 08 | 0035.50 |
This member is counted as LIS eligible: the sum of October = 35.50, the sum of November = 35.5, and December = 35.50 (all months are >0).
| Member | LowIncomePeriodStartDate | LowIncomePeriodEndDate | LipsPercentage | PremiumLisAmount | ContractYear |
| 1 | 2016 09 01 | 2016 12 31 | 100 | 36.00 | 2016 |
| 1 | 2017 01 01 | 2017 12 31 | 100 | 36.00 | 2017 |
| 1 | 2018 01 01 | 100 | 35.50 | 2018 |
This file clearly shows that the member was LIS eligible for the HEDIS 2019 measurement year (calendar year 2018). If you have access to this file, it may be the easiest, most accurate data to use.
NOTES:
*This same FAQ was posted on November 15, 2018 but was updated in the December 2018 FAQ posting. In the above “NOTES” section, it used to read that plans should use a copy of the file from January 2019 or later. This date was corrected to December 2018 or later.
No. Although this plan type may have a slight advantage in accessing medical records because of its integrated system, EMRs do not necessarily contain comprehensive information on individuals. Many other data sources qualify as ECDS data sources, and plans are encouraged to utilize every reliable source of member data.
No. Rural Health Clinics are not addressed in the updated PCP definition in Volume 2. All providers billing under the Rural Clinic facility codes must meet the definition of “PCP” in Appendix 3 in order to be included in the PCP-based HEDIS measures.
No, the difference in the language is not intentional and the reference to “on the discharge claim” was unintentionally excluded. Step 3 for Acute ACSC should contain the same language as step 3 for chronic ACSC. In step 3 for ACSC, for the remaining acute inpatient and observation stay discharges, organizations should identify discharges with specified criteria on the discharge.
No. Plans do not need to be able to populate information directly into a provider EMR to meet this requirement. Plans can meet the requirement if they can provide requested information (phone, secure email, direct feed, provider portal, file request) to providers who are treating their members. Plans should have documented processes for providing information on how this works to be reviewed as part of the audit.
Yes. When the PCP or ongoing care provider is the discharging provider, they must document the required discharge information specified in the measure. This must be done in the patient's outpatient medical record on the day of discharge or on the following day.
Yes. As stated in General Guideline 30, both standard and nonstandard supplemental data files must contain all data elements required by the hybrid specification, regardless of the reporting method used (administrative or hybrid). However, for HEDIS 2019, NCQA makes an exception for only standard supplemental data files and for only the Adult BMI Assessment (ABA) and Weight Assessment and Counseling for Nutrition and Physical Activity for Children/Adolescents (WCC) measures.
Because the values (height, weight) used to calculate BMI are often stored in EMRs and not included in data extracts, NCQA does not want to penalize plans for not having these data elements in their data files. Auditors may approve standard supplemental data files that include only the date and the BMI value or percentile.
For the WCC nutrition and physical activity counseling indicators, a date of service and an applicable code from the VSD counts as compliant.
NCQA is evaluating the standard supplemental data requirement for all other hybrid measures for HEDIS 2020.
No. With a shared EMR, evidence that the information was filed/accessible by the PCP or ongoing care provider on the day of admission/discharge or the following day meets criteria for Notification of Inpatient Admission and Receipt of Discharge Information indicators. The organization is not required to find additional notation of a “received date” if it is evident that the information was in the shared EMR on the day of admission/discharge or the following day.
