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.

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9.15.2022 Quality Compass Medicare Include CAHPS Data Does the Medicare dataset include CAHPS data?

The Medicare product line does not include CAHPS survey results. We recommend contacting Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) if you are interested in obtaining Medicare CAHPS data.

 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2021

9.15.2022 File Review Scope for NCQA-Accredited Health Plans seeking UM-CR-PN Accreditation How many files are reviewed in a UM-CR-PN Survey for Accredited Health Plans?

For UM Accreditation, 75 files are reviewed per product line.  For CR Accreditation, 75 initial credentialing files and 75 recredentialing files are reviewed. 

Note: For non-health plan organizations, 30 files are reviewed per product line.  

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2022, 2023|UM-CR-PN 2022

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Prior Year Data or Trended Data Does Quality Compass allow users to access prior year data or trended results?

Customers interested in accessing prior year data can choose to add up to three years of trended results to their Quality Compass purchase. For example, if you purchase Quality Compass 2022 (MY 2021), you can choose to add the trended data feature to access MY 2020 MY 2019 results.

It is important to note that not all data can be trended due to significant changes in the measure specifications. Quality Compass indicates when measures should be trended with caution or if there has been a break in trending and results should not be trended year-to-year. These trending determinations can be found on the Help tab within the Quality Compass tool or in the Volume 2 HEDIS technical specifications.

Access to the latest data year must be purchased annually.
 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2021

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Exchange Product Does NCQA have Exchange data available on Quality Compass?

In 2022, NCQA will be releasing  Quality Compass Exchange data for the first time. Exchange data will be available outside of the Quality Compass tool via a data file delivered on NCQA’s Download Center. The data file will contain individual plan level performance and benchmarks (averages and percentiles) for Exchange plans. It will contain results for QRS measure indicators used in the QRS Scoring program only. The Exchange data file is available for purchase now and will be released in November 2022.
 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2021

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Appearance Prior to Purchasing How can I see what Quality Compass looks like prior to purchase?

You can experience Quality Compass’ functionality by watching the demo videos available on the Quality Compass webpage (https://www.ncqa.org/programs/data-and-information-technology/data-purchase-and-licensing/quality-compass/). The demo videos walks viewers through some of the key features of Quality Compass as well as how to navigate the tool.

You can also request a walk-through live demo from the Information Products team. Please submit your request through your my.NCQA.org account or contact NCQA’s Customer Support team.
 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2022

9.15.2022 Use of NSC to verify education and training Can the National Student Clearinghouse be used to verify education and training?

Although the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) is not an approved source for primary source verification, NCQA allows verification of credentials through an agent of an approved source. NSC can serve as an agent for some institutions. 

Before using NSC, the organization must obtain documentation of a contractual relationship between it and the approved source (institutions that work with NSC). The contractual relationship must entitle the agent to provide verification of credentials on behalf of the approved source. 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2022|MBHO 2022|UM-CR-PN 2022|CVO 2022

9.15.2022 PCS Questions Do answers from the Policy Clarification Support system have an expiration date?

We recommend that organizations not use PCS responses that are over 3 years old. If a question relates directly to a measure specification or a general guideline that was revised from a previous measurement year, you should resubmit the question.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2023

9.15.2022 Retaining practitioner records How long should practitioner records be retained?

At a minimum, credentialing files must be retained for the period covering the survey look-back period. Otherwise, NCQA does not prescribe a specific time period for retaining credentialing files.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2022|MBHO 2022|UM-CR-PN 2022|CVO 2022

9.15.2022 Oral Evaluation, Dental Services (OED) The OED measure references the NUCC Provider Taxonomy Value Set to identify dental providers. Is this correct?

No. Replace “NUCC Provider Taxonomy Value Set” with “Dental Provider Value Set.” This correction will be in the MY 2023 Technical Update.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2023

9.15.2022 Electronic signatures Are electronic signatures (e.g., DocuSign) acceptable?

Yes, if there is a unique electronic signature or identifier and if the organization can demonstrate that the signature/identifier can only be entered by the signatory. NCQA reviews organizations’ security and login policies and procedures to confirm that the signature/identifier can only be entered by the signatory.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2022|MBHO 2022|UM-CR-PN 2022|CVO 2022

9.15.2022 Follow-Up After Emergency Department Visit for Substance Use (FUA) Should the Residential Program Detoxification Value Set be used when reporting the FUA measure? It is not listed in the Value Set Directory.

Yes. The Residential Program Detoxification Value Set and codes will be included in the Update release of the Value Set Directory on March 31, 2023. The OID for the value set is 2.16.840.1.113883.3.464.1004.2408, and it includes two HCPCS codes:

  • H0010     Alcohol and/or drug services; sub-acute detoxification (residential addiction program inpatient) (H0010)
  • H0011   Alcohol and/or drug services; acute detoxification (residential addiction program inpatient) (H0011)

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2023

9.15.2022 Quality Compass HEDIS Benchmark Percentiles: Payers and Patient Ages Do the Quality Compass products have the HEDIS benchmark percentiles across all payers and patient ages?

Only the measures whose results were eligible for public reporting are included in Quality Compass. Additionally, certain HEDIS measures are specific to certain product lines and do not have data across all product lines. Specific age and gender stratifications are only applicable to specific measures.
 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2021