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 YearMeasure Specifications
N/A*
  • Acute Hospital Utilization (AHU)**
  • Adult Immunization Status (AIS-E)
  • Breast Cancer Screening (BCS)
  • Breast Cancer Screening (BCS-AD)
  • Colorectal Cancer Screening (COL)
  • Colorectal Cancer Screening (COL-AD)
  • Controlling High Blood Pressure (CBP)
  • Controlling High Blood Pressure (CBP-AD)
  • Emergency Department Utilization (EDU)**
  • Follow-Up After Emergency Department Visit for Substance Use: Age 18 or Older (FUA-AD)
  • Follow-Up After Hospitalization for Mental Illness: Age 18 or Older (FUH-AD)
  • Hemoglobin A1c Control for Patients With Diabetes (HBD)
  • Hemoglobin A1c Control for Patients With Diabetes (HBD-AD)
  • Medical Assistance with Smoking and Tobacco Use Cessation (MSC-AD)
  • Plan All Cause Readmissions (PCR-AD)**
  • Prenatal and Postpartum Care: Age 21 and Older (PPC2-AD)

*Measure specifications currently posted reflect the most up-to-date versions of the measures. Specifications for Model Year 2026 will be released when available.

**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.

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