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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11.15.2023 Excluding Laboratory Claims (Claims with POS Code 81) Will instructions to exclude laboratory claims (claims with POS code 81) be added to additional measures and value sets in the Technical Update memo?

Yes. We anticipate the laboratory claim exclusion will be added to the following measures and value sets in the Technical Update memo:
AMR:    Step 2 of the event/diagnosis (Asthma Value Set)
GSD:    Numerators (HbA1c Test Result or Finding Value Set)
EED:     Event/diagnosis (Diabetes Value Set)
OMW:   Step 2 of the event/diagnosis (Fractures Value Set)
SSD:     Numerator (HbA1c Test Result or Finding Value Set)
SMD:    Numerator (HbA1c Test Result or Finding Value Set; LDL-C Test Result or Finding Value Set)
SMC:    Numerator (LDL-C Test Result or Finding Value Set)
IET:      Step 2 of the event/diagnosis (Alcohol Abuse and Dependence Value Set; Opioid Abuse and Dependence Value Set; Other Drug Abuse and Dependence Value Set)
APM-E: Numerators (HbA1c Test Result or Finding Value Set; LDL-C Test Result or Finding Value Set)
DSF-E:  Exclusions 1 (Bipolar Disorder Value Set; Other Bipolar Disorder Value Set; Depression Value Set)
DMS-E: Exclusions 1 (Bipolar Disorder Value Set; Other Bipolar Disorder Value Set; Personality Disorder Value Set; Psychotic Disorders Value Set; Pervasive Developmental Disorder Value Set)
DRR-E: Exclusions 1 (Bipolar Disorder Value Set; Other Bipolar Disorder Value Set; Personality Disorder Value Set; Psychotic Disorders Value Set; Pervasive Developmental Disorder Value Set)
ASF-E: Exclusions 1 (Alcohol Use Disorder Value Set; Dementia Value Set)

HEDIS 2024

11.15.2023 Members Recommended for Routine Cervical Cancer Screening The Cervical Cancer Screening (CCS and CCS-E) measures include the following criteria to identify members recommended for routine cervical cancer screening:
• Administrative Gender of Female (AdministrativeGender code F) any time in the member’s history.
• Sex Assigned at Birth (LOINC code 76689-9) of Female (LOINC code LA3-6) any time in the member’s history.
• Sex Parameter for Clinical Use of Female (SexParameterForClinicalUse code Female-typical) during the measurement year.
What data sources can be used to identify these members?

When reporting CCS-E, all three methods may be used, using any data source. When reporting CCS, use only administrative data (Administrative Gender of Female [AdministrativeGender code F] any time in the member’s history) to determine members recommended for routine cervical cancer screening.
Where supplemental data may be used for CCS remains the same for MY 2024. Supplemental data may not be used for denominator criteria, except in required exclusions.

HEDIS 2024

10.16.2023 Explanation of Benefit (EOB) The digital measure packages for MY 2024 include “Explanation of Benefit” (EOB) criteria. What does that mean?

Although HEDIS digital measure logic references “Explanation of Benefit (EOB),” this is not referenced as a data source in HEDIS Volume 2. In FHIR, the EOB resource represents claims that have been adjudicated, and includes data elements from both Claim and ClaimResponse. The digital logic was written to include the Claim/ClaimResponse resource for claims that are still processing; the ExplanationOfBenefit resource is for claims that are adjudicated.

HEDIS 2024

10.16.2023 Race and Ethnicity Stratification for Childhood Immunization Status (CIS) and Cervical Cancer Screening (CCS) Race and ethnicity stratification criteria are listed for CIS-E but not for CIS, and for CCS-E but not for CCS. Is this intentional?

Yes. Race and ethnicity stratification is not required for traditional reporting of CIS and CCS. The race and ethnicity stratifications are reported when using the Electronic Clinical Data Systems reporting standard for CIS-E and CCS-E.

HEDIS 2024

10.16.2023 Palliative Care Timeframe for Risk of Continued Opioid Use (COU) The time frame for palliative care (bullets 2 and 3 under “Required exclusions”) in the COU measure states to identify palliative care during the measurement period. Is this correct?

No. The correct time frame for identifying palliative care is “at any time during the 365 days prior to the IPSD through 61 days after the IPSD.” This correction will be in the MY 2024 Technical Update.

HEDIS 2024

10.16.2023 External organizations providing print services only Does NCQA consider it delegation if an organization contracts with an external organization that provides print services only and does not provide mail services?

No. An organization that only provides print services is not considered a delegate or a vendor, and is outside the scope of NCQA requirements.

HP 2024

10.16.2023 UM 13, Element C, factor 2 for mail service delegates Can organizations submit a mail service delegate's timeliness report of mail distribution of UM denials and appeals in lieu of an audit for UM 13, Element C, factor 2?

Yes. Organizations may submit the mail service delegate's timeliness report of mail distribution of UM denials and appeals in lieu of an audit. This is not required to be specified in the delegation agreement.

HP 2024

10.16.2023 UM 12, Element C, factor 2 for mail service delegates Can organizations submit a mail service delegate's timeliness report of mail distribution of UM denials and appeals in lieu of an audit for UM 12, Element C, factor 2?

Yes. Organizations may submit the mail service delegate's timeliness report of mail distribution of UM denials and appeals in lieu of an audit. This is not required to be specified in the delegation agreement.

MBHO 2023

10.16.2023 Updated: Mail Service Organization Delegates Are any delegation oversight factors considered not applicable for organizations that use a mail service organization delegate to meet distribution requirements (per a July 15, 2021 FAQ)?

Yes. Using UM 13: Delegation of UM as an example, the following describes factors that would be considered NA:
UM 13, Element A: Delegation Agreement

  • Factor 3 (semiannual reporting): This factor is NA for mail service organization delegates that only perform annual distribution (e.g., UM 11, Element B (annual updates for pharmaceutical restrictions/preferences).
    • Note: Factor 4 (performance monitoring): Annual distribution must be specified as part of the organization’s process for monitoring delegate performance, if applicable.
    • Factor 3 is not scored NA for distribution that occurs more frequently than annually (e.g., denial and appeal notices).
  • Factor 5 (process for providing member experience and clinical performance data to delegates when requested): This factor is NA for mail service organization delegates.

UM 13, Element C: Review of the UM Program:

  • Factor 1 (annual review of delegate’s UM program): This factor is NA for mail service organization delegates.
  • Factor 4 (semiannual evaluation of reports): This factor is NA for mail service organization delegates that only perform annual distribution.
    • Factor 4 is not scored NA for distribution that occurs more frequently than annually (e.g., denial and appeal notices).

Note: Factor 2 (annual audits): This factor is not scored NA, but the organization may submit the delegate’s timeliness report of mail distribution in lieu of an audit.  This must be specified in the delegation agreement.

Update: The strikethrough text is an update to the FAQ posted on October 15, 2022.

HP 2024

10.16.2023 Updated: MBHO: Mail Service Organization Delegates Are any delegation oversight factors considered not applicable for organizations that use a mail service organization delegate to meet distribution requirements (per a July 15, 2021 FAQ)?

Yes. Using UM 12: Delegation of UM as an example, the following describes factors that would be considered NA:

UM 12, Element A: Delegation Agreement

  • Factor 3 (semiannual reporting): This factor is NA for mail service organization delegates that only perform annual distribution
    • Note: Factor 4 (performance monitoring): Annual distribution must be specified as part of the organization’s process for monitoring delegate performance.
    • Factor 3 is not scored NA for distribution that occurs more frequently than annually (e.g., denial and appeal notices).
  • Factor 5 (process for providing member experience and clinical performance data to delegates when requested): This factor is NA for mail service organization delegates.

UM 12, Element C: Review of the UM Program

  • Factor 1 (annual review of delegate’s UM program): This factor is NA for mail service organization delegates
  • Factor 4 (semiannual evaluation of reports): This factor is NA for mail service organization delegates that only perform annual distribution.
    • Factor 4 is not scored NA for distribution that occurs more frequently than annually (e.g., denial and appeal notices).

Note: Factor 2 (annual audits): This factor is not scored NA, but the organization may submit the delegate’s timeliness report of mail distribution in lieu of an audit. This must be specified in the delegation agreement.

Update: The strikethrough text is an update to the FAQ posted on October 15, 2022.

MBHO 2023

10.16.2023 CAQH Application: Illegal drug use question (CVO) Does the CAQH application question about lack of current illegal drug use meet the intent of NCQA’s requirement in CVO 12, Element A, factor 2 and CVO 13, Element A, factor 2?

Yes, the following CAQH question meets the intent of the requirement in  CVO 12, Element A, factor 2 and CVO 13, Element A, factor 2:

Are you currently engaged in the illegal use of drugs?* ("Currently" means sufficiently recent to justify a reasonable belief that the use of drugs may have an ongoing impact on one's ability to practice medicine. It is not limited to the day of, or within a matter of days or weeks before the date of application, rather that it has occurred recently enough to indicate the individual is actively engaged in such conduct. "Illegal use of drugs" refers to drugs whose possession or distribution is unlawful under the Controlled Substances Act, 21 U.S.C. § 812.22. It "does not include the use of a drug taken under supervision by a licensed health care professional, or other uses authorized by the Controlled Substances Act or other provision of Federal law." The term does include, however, the unlawful use of prescription controlled substances.)"

CAQH provides additional information regarding what "currently" means that aligns with language in the explanation of CVO 12, Element A, factor 2 and CVO 13, Element A, factor 2 that the organization may use more general or extensive language to query practitioners about impairment.

CVO 2022

10.16.2023 Credentialing application question about present illegal drug use (CVO) Would the following question on a credentialing application meet the intent of CVO 12, Element A, factor 2 and CVO 13, Element A, factor 2? “Are you currently using illegal drugs that could affect your ability to practice medicine?”

Yes. NCQA uses language in the Explanation that organizations may use more general or extensive language to query practitioners about impairment.

Note: This question was previously posted on August 15, 2023 and reevaluated by NCQA. This FAQ answer replaces the previously posted response.

CVO 2022