States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD)

Measure Specification Files

To access measure specifications and related resources for NCQA measures used in the States Advancing All-Payer Health Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) model, please click on the links below for the applicable model year.

Model Year	Measure Specifications
2026	Acute Hospital Utilization (AHU)* Adult Immunization Status (AIS) Breast Cancer Screening (BCS) Colorectal Cancer Screening (COL) Controlling High Blood Pressure (CBP) Emergency Department Utilization (EDU)* Follow-Up After Emergency Department Visit for Substance Use (FUA) Follow-Up After Hospitalization for Mental Illness (FUH) Glycemic Status Assessment for Patients With Diabetes (GSD) Plan All Cause Readmissions (PCR) Pharmacotherapy for Opioid Use Disorder (POD) Prenatal and Postpartum Care (PPC) *This is a risk-adjusted utilization measure that compares observed to expected rates. The exact risk weights that will be used for this measure in this Innovation Center model will be determined at a date closer to implementation. Therefore, NCQA is providing access to the specifications without the risk weights needed for calculating expected values.

Model Year

Measure Specifications

2026

Acute Hospital Utilization (AHU)*
Adult Immunization Status (AIS)
Breast Cancer Screening (BCS)
Colorectal Cancer Screening (COL)
Controlling High Blood Pressure (CBP)
Emergency Department Utilization (EDU)*
Follow-Up After Emergency Department Visit for Substance Use (FUA)
Follow-Up After Hospitalization for Mental Illness (FUH)
Glycemic Status Assessment for Patients With Diabetes (GSD)
Plan All Cause Readmissions (PCR)
Pharmacotherapy for Opioid Use Disorder (POD)
Prenatal and Postpartum Care (PPC)

*This is a risk-adjusted utilization measure that compares observed to expected rates. The exact risk weights that will be used for this measure in this Innovation Center model will be determined at a date closer to implementation. Therefore, NCQA is providing access to the specifications without the risk weights needed for calculating expected values.