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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Practices need to identify behavioral health-related criteria pertinent to their specific patient population such as a behavioral health diagnosis, substance use, a positive screening result from a standardized behavioral health screen, or psychiatric hospitalizations. If the practice feels that patients with temper tantrums is an identifier for patients in need of care management, the practice can use that defining criteria.
NCQA is not prescriptive regarding which depression screening tool is used as long as it’s a standardized tool. Some depression screening tool examples that would be appropriate for adolescents include but are not limited to PHQ2, PHQ9, PHQ-A, PSC, PSC-Y, RAAPS, or HEADSS.
Yes, unhealthy behaviors can be the result of parent behavior but ultimately, we're looking for the unhealthy behaviors demonstrated by the patient (child). Secondhand smoke may be a direct example of a parent’s behavior affecting the child’s health and poor oral hygiene may be a child’s unhealthy behavior, but could result from lack of parental oversight or health literacy.
No, just having extra appointments based on the season would not meet the intent. The practice may have more same day appointments offered during these high-volume time periods but some same day appointments should be provided daily throughout the year.
KM 12 categories A-C refer to needed services and are intended for routine, proactive reminders.
Category D addresses patients who miss routine visits, annual exams or follow-up appointments and need to be reminded to visit the practice for services.
If the condition is acute care management, the plan may be simpler than for a patient with a complex, chronic condition. The plan of care would include current medications, tests, treatment, patient/family self-care and important information about the family. While not every referral would have the same level of detail, be prepared to show a referral example for a patient that does have a care plan with the expected details.
Identifying children with Medicaid insurance would meet the intent of this criterion, as this identifies a population that could be at risk or require additional attention or care management. Other areas of diversity could include homelessness, immigrant status, living in a rural or urban environment, family employment status, family socioeconomic status, families with a single parent, etc.
