FAQ Directory

Case-mix adjustment considers variations in the health of physicians populations, often defined by age and gender. Severity is a patients degree of illness for a specific mix of conditions (e.g., cancer stages), morbidity or comorbidity. Together, case mix and severity are often called risk. Risk can be either the risk for needing a mix of medical services (utilization and associated costs) or the patients likelihood of achieving a specific level of quality-related outcome.

Risk adjustment may not apply to quality measures, particularly process measures. For quality measures, NCQA requires the organization to demonstrate that it has considered whether to risk-adjust measuresand that it has an explicit methodology if it does and an explicit rationale if it does not. If the organization determines that case-mix and severity adjustment do not apply to a quality measure, it provides documentation that supports the determination. If the organization adjusts measures for case-mix or severity, it provides documentation describing the methodology used.

NCQA no longer conducts surveys under the 2006 PHQ standards. If an organization had distinction for its HMO under the 2006 standards and seeks certification for its PPO, the PPO must be reviewed against the 2008 standards. Under the 2008 PHQ standards, if a plan manages both products (e.g., HMO and PPO) the same, NCQA can survey both products together. The organization should contact NCQA to discuss its options, including a possible option to upgrade (i.e., apply some results from its 2006 survey to a 2008 survey). Note: An Upgrade does not extend the expiration date of the Distinction; that date transfers to the new certification status.

NCQA recognizes that some NQF-endorsed or AQA-approved specifications may require additional specifications to implement in specific contexts. Organizations may supplement endorsed specifications as long as they follow all endorsed specifications and if such supplementation does not alter the intended numerator, denominator and exclusion criteria for the measure.

To achieve certification, the organization must score at least 50% on Element A, Measuring Physician Performance. The 50% score threshold requires that at least 50% but fewer than 60% of the measures used by the organization to measure physician quality for taking action meet the element (i.e., are standardized). To achieve full points (100%), at least 70% of the measures used by the organization to measure physician quality for taking action must meet the element (i.e., must be standardized)

Certification in PHQ, PQ or HQ is valid for two years. Organizations must undergo a survey against the standards at least every two years to maintain their certification status. Provisional Certification is valid for 12 months; it is a temporary option and will not be offered after June 30, 2009.

No. Changing the referent time period materially alters the measure and would therefore not qualify as a standard measure for Element A.

Patient experience measures endorsed, developed or accepted by the NQF, AQA, AMA PCPI, national accreditors or government agencies may be used, but the organization must follow the measure or instrument specifications as written.

Yes. Assumption of appropriate quality in this context is permitted.

Yes. The organization may not take action based on cost, resource use or utilization results alone. This is a must pass requirement for certification and is consistent with the Consumer-Purchaser Disclosure Project Patient Charter.

The organization is required to consider quality in conjunction with cost, resource use or utilization when it takes action. To the extent that the organization develops and presents a composite score or rating using cost, resource use or utilization and quality measures, it must disclose the specific measures for each category and their relative weight when it determines the composite or rating.

No. NCQA does not evaluate an organizations code; it reviews the organizations measure specifications and compares them to the original source specification (if applicable).

NCQA performs surveys on the PHQ standards, but may develop standards for auditing physician measurement and a program for certifying auditors. With such standards, NCQA will consider making external audit a requirement.

For Element A, the denominator is all quality measures on which the action is based and the numerator is measures that meet the definition of standardized in the Explanation.

Yes. The substance of the standards did not change and the purpose of HIP is to give autocredit.