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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10.14.2022 Statin Therapy for Patients With Cardiovascular Disease (SPC) and Statin Therapy for Patients With Diabetes (SPD) Should we exclude members with a history of allergies or intolerance to statins (including to the PCSK-9 inhibitor) from the SPC and SPD measures?

The Statin Therapy for Patients With Cardiovascular Disease (SPC) and Statin Therapy for Patients With Diabetes (SPD) measures include an exclusion for members with myalgia, myositis, myopathy or rhabdomyolysis during the measurement year. However, an allergy or history of an intolerance to a statin medication is not considered an exclusion for the measure.  
The general guidance NCQA received from our experts, as well as guidance from the American College of Cardiology , is that patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease should be rechallenged on lower statin doses and alternative statins before being put on non-statin therapies (e.g., PCSK-9 inhibitors) due to statin intolerance. The decision-making process might vary from case to case. Although we incorporated exclusions for muscle-related statin side effects, we acknowledge that the measure may not address all instances of true statin intolerance. We will consider all feedback on this issue, while also ensuring that changes to the measure are valid, scientifically sound and true to the measure's intent (to measure the quality of cardiovascular care provided at the population level).

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2023, 2022

10.14.2022 General Guideline 16: Deceased Members The deceased member exclusion is now required for MY 2023. The last bullet in the Notes section states, “This is a member-level exclusion. For episode-based measures, if one event does not meet numerator criteria, remove all member events/episodes from the measure.”
Does this mean that for episode-based measures that if one event meets numerator criteria the member can remain in the measure?

No. Members who die during the measurement year must be removed from all applicable measures. For episode-based measures, a member who died during the measurement year must be removed for all events (even if they meet numerator criteria for an event).

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

9.15.2022 Quality Compass License Agreement How can we determine if the Quality Compass license agreement meets my needs?

The standard license agreement for Quality Compass allows internal or external reporting for 15 measure indicators, 20 health plan submissions and 2 benchmarks (averages and/or percentiles) outside of the users licensed on the account. If your organization’s expected data usage does not align with the standard agreement, we can review your requested permissions and draft a customized agreement, subject to a different fee structure.
 

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

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Data Extract What if I only need access to a subset of the data from Quality Compass? Can I obtain a data extract?

If you do not need access to all the data results available within Quality Compass, you can request a custom data extract. Pricing for data extracts start at $2,500 and are determined by the amount of data requested and the client’s use case.

You can obtain a custom quote by reaching out to the Information Products team and completing a data request form that details your data needs and requested permissions.
 

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

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Access When will I receive access to Quality Compass?

Access to the data is granted as soon as payment is received by check or credit card.

The default email address used for access will be the individual’s whose information was included under the “Ship To” section completed at checkout Login and password information will be emailed to the default user after NCQA sets up the account. The default user, also known as the Administrative User, will have access to manage the additional licensed users on the account.

 

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

9.15.2022 Purchasing Quality Compass How do I purchase Quality Compass?

If you are purchasing Quality Compass directly from the NCQA Store and your organization does not require a custom license agreement, you can simply visit the NCQA Store page to complete your purchase.
If you require a custom data license agreement and have accepted the quote provided by the Information Products (IP) team, the next step is to have a customized agreement forwarded to you for the organization’s review and signature. The customized agreement will include information on the permissions, data usage and fees discussed with the IP department.

Once the agreement is signed by both parties, NCQA will issue an invoice for payment. Once payment is received, you will be granted access to the data and/or the agreed upon permissions take effect.
 

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

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 Purchase Order Number Will NCQA accept a purchase order number?

Purchase order numbers may be included for payment and tracking purposes; however, NCQA does not accept additional terms and conditions outside the executed legal agreement. Any and all purchase order terms and conditions have no legal effect and the license is governed solely by the terms of the executed agreement between your entity and NCQA.
 

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

9.15.2022 Race/Ethnicity Diversity of Membership (RDM) The RDM measure references General Guideline 31: Race and Ethnicity Stratification, but the MY 2023 Value Set Directory does not list race/ethnicity value sets or direct reference codes. Are these used when reporting the RDM measure?

Yes. Use the race/ethnicity value sets and direct reference codes in Tables RES-C-1/2/3 and RES-D-1/2/3 (in General Guideline 31) to report the RDM measure. This clarification will be in the MY 2023 Technical Update.

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

9.15.2022 Cost to Purchase Quality Compass How much does Quality Compass cost?

Quality Compass is priced according to the number of users, years of trended data, and whether your organization needs access to the Data Exporter feature. The cost breakdown is available on our pricing table on the NCQA Store .
 

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

9.15.2022 Audit Timeline The HEDIS MY 2022 Audit Timeline posted on NCQA’s website states that organizations must submit all documentation, including Sections 5 and 5a of the Roadmap, by March 1. Does this mean that organizations have until March 1 to submit Sections 5 and 5a?

No. The Roadmap is due January 31. All sections must be submitted by this date. The “March 1” date for Sections 5 and 5a is meant to account for the rare occasion where a supplemental data source is identified after the January 31 deadline and must be considered for audit. These sources must be identified no later than March 1, with a completed Roadmap section. This should be the exception, not the standard process.

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

9.15.2022 Antibiotic Utilization for Respiratory Conditions (AXR) The Antibiotic Utilization for Respiratory Conditions (AXR) does not include age stratifications and total rate bullets. Was this intentional?

No. A correction will be in the MY 2023 Technical Update. The Ages section in the Eligible Population should read as follows:
Members who were 3 months of age or older as of the Episode Date. Report three age stratifications and a total rate:

  • 3 months–17 years.
  • 18–64 years.
  • 65 years and older.
  • Total.

The total is the sum of the age stratifications.

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