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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10.12.2018 AR-PH-1 (2018 Version) AR-KM 01 (2019 Version) Is it necessary to provide evidence in addition to affirming that we send out proactive reminders for all the necessary categories and noting the frequency?

No additional evidence is needed beyond answering the questions. Since all practices completing Annual Reporting have already shown detailed evidence previously during the transformation phase, Annual Reporting has reduced the administrative burden of maintaining recognition by reducing the amount of evidence that must be submitted.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

10.12.2018 AC 10 & 11 Does a single clinician practice need to provide a documented process and report for AC 10 and AC 11 as all patients would be on the same panel and always see their selected clinician by default?

No, a single clinician practice may simply attest to having a single clinician. This can be done using the text box option of Q-PASS to receive credit for these criteria.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

10.12.2018 CM 05 If a practice offers to print a care plan for the patient but the patient declines, would this count as a 'Yes' or 'No' in the numerator.

If the practice offers to print the care plan and the patient declines, the practice may count the patient as a 'Yes'.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

10.12.2018 BH 06 How would a practice fulfill this criteria if they are already fully integrated?

A practice with integrated behavioral health may provide its documented process and evidence of implementation. For evidence of implementation, the practice might demonstrate the practice's internal process for entering patient treatment notes, referral guidance and medication management within its system and how the integrated BH provider updates the PCP about the patient's progress. The documented process may also include how the practice facilitates transition to BH, such as through warm handoffs.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017

9.15.2018 Life-planning activities for Complex Case Management (CCM) Policies and Assessment Are organizations required to address life-planning activities at the first contact and start of the CCM initial assessment?

No. After consideration, NCQA removed the requirement for case managers to address life-planning activities at the start of the initial assessment (first contact). This FAQ replaces the previous FAQ issued on October 15, 2017 (which has been deleted) regarding first contact, and the workbook has been adjusted to accommodate the change.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2018, 2019|CM 2017|CM-LTSS 2017|MBHO 2018

9.15.2018 Data collection for prevention programs for behavioral healthcare for QI 6, Element A, factor 5 For QI 6, Element A, factor 5, are organizations required to have implemented a preventive behavioral healthcare program in order to meet the factor?

No. Element A does not require organizations to implement a preventive behavioral healthcare program. The intent of factor 5 is that organizations collect data to determine if there are behavioral health issues that could be prevented if a program were to be implemented. Organizations collect data to meet Element A. Identifying the opportunity for such a program and implementing it is applicable to Element B.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2018, 2019

9.15.2018 Level of Analysis Required for Appointment Accessibility Does the organizational analysis in NET 2, Element A need to be stratified by practitioner type?

No. NCQA does not require the analysis to be stratified by practitioner type.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2018, 2019

9.15.2018 Terminated arrangements more than 90 calendar days before submission (CM and CMLTSS 2017) If an organization terminated an arrangement with an NCQA-Accredited/Certified/Recognized delegate more than 90 calendar days before it submitted the completed survey tool, is the organization eligible for automatic credit for the portion of the look-back period when activities were performed by the delegate?

Yes. For non-file review requirements, if the arrangement was terminated more than 90 calendar days before submission of the completed survey tool, the organization is eligible for automatic credit for the portion of the look-back period when the NCQA-Accredited/ Certified/Recognized delegate conducted activities. For file review requirements, automatic credit is applied if the delegate processed (or handled) the file, regardless of when the delegation arrangement was terminated.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
CM 2017|CM-LTSS 2017

9.15.2018 Terminated arrangements more than 90 calendar days before submission If an organization terminated an arrangement with an NCQA-Accredited/Certified/Recognized delegate more than 90 calendar days before it submitted the completed survey tool, is the organization eligible for automatic credit for the portion of the look-back period when activities were performed by the delegate?

Yes. For non-file review requirements, if the arrangement was terminated more than 90 calendar days before submission of the completed survey tool, the organization is eligible for automatic credit for the portion of the look-back period when the NCQA-Accredited/ Certified/Recognized delegate conducted activities. For file review requirements, automatic credit is applied if the delegate processed (or handled) the file, regardless of when the delegation arrangement was terminated.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2017, 2018, 2019|MBHO 2017, 2018|UM-CR 2017|UM-CR-PN 2018, 2019

9.15.2018 Revised Look-back Period for UM 7, Elements C, F, I (factors 2 and 3) In the 2019 HPA Standards and Guidelines, NCQA added a fifth bullet to the factor 2 Explanation and revised the factor 3 Explanation in UM 7, Elements C, F and I. Will NCQA give organizations a grace period for the added information in factors 2 and 3 of UM 7, Elements C, F and I?

The intent of the added language in factors 2 and 3 was to clarify the minimum information required for expedited appeals. NCQA recognizes these are new requirements, and for this reason, has added the following language to the scope of review:

Organizations must implement the changes in factors 2 and 3 for files processed on or after 11/1/18.

NCQA will post an update in December for the 2019 HP publication to reflect this change.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2019|UM-CR-PN 2019

9.14.2018 Risk of Continued Opioid Use In the HEDIS 2019 Volume 2 Technical Specifications, the Risk of Continued Opioid Use (COU) measure includes the Medicare product line; however, this measure was not included in the CMS Reporting Requirements memo for HEDIS 2019. Given this discrepancy, is the COU measure reported by Medicare plans?

The COU measure does include the Medicare product line, and it will be collected in IDSS by NCQA from Medicare plans; however, because it was not included in the CMS Reporting Requirements memo, it is not required to be reported to CMS for HEDIS 2019.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS 2019

9.07.2018 KM 13 Would the annual UDS report, by which FQHC’s are required to submit data to HRSA, be acceptable to provide as a report?

For FQHCs that are part of a larger organization with multiple practices under the same umbrella, UDS reporting would not meet KM 13 because the data is at the organizational/corporate level. The data for KM 13 must be at the practice level because recognition is at the practice level. An exception to this is for standalone practices whose UDS data is specific to the practice site location.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
PCMH 2017