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Hospice Quality Reporting Program - Public Reporting: Background and Announcements

Guidance for explaining the background, resources and updates surrounding the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP).

Issued by: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

Issue Date: September 08, 2020

About this Page

This page provides an overview of public reporting, Care Compare, and some general resources for the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP).

Public Availability of Reported Data

Publicly reporting hospice quality data fulfills the HQRP mandate, as directed in section 1814(i)(5) of the Social Security Act. Care Compare on Medicare.gov is the official Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) website for publicly reporting quality measures for care provided by hospices and other healthcare providers. The quality measures displayed are based on the Hospice Item Set (HIS), Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (CAHPS®) Hospice Survey data, and administrative data (Medicare claims). You can search and download the publicly reported data displayed on Care Compare on the Provider Data Catalog on CMS.gov.

Care Compare

Care Compare provides a single user-friendly interface that patients and caregivers can use to make informed healthcare decisions based on data, such as cost, quality of care, the volume of services, and caregiver feedback, including the willingness to recommend a hospice. This site, which replaced the original Hospice Compare in 2020, was created to help consumers compare hospice providers’ performance and assist consumers in making decisions that are right for them. Providers with data on Care Compare can start a conversation with their patients and family members:

  • Explaining that Care Compare provides a snapshot of the quality of care a hospice offers,
  • Encouraging patients and their family members to review quality ratings, and
  • Helping to strengthen patients’ and family members’ ability to make the best decisions for their care.

For the HQRP quality measures reported on Care Compare, visit the Current Measures page. Care Compare also posts data on the characteristics of Medicare hospice organizations from the Hospice Provider Utilization and Payment Public Use File (PUF) and the Post-Acute Care (PAC) PUF. By providing these data in a user-friendly way on Care Compare, consumers can use this information, along with the quality measure data when selecting a hospice.

Updates

Sign up for Hospice QRP updates today!

Hospice Quality Reporting Program Archives

 

 

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DISCLAIMER: The contents of this database lack the force and effect of law, except as authorized by law (including Medicare Advantage Rate Announcements and Advance Notices) or as specifically incorporated into a contract. The Department may not cite, use, or rely on any guidance that is not posted on the guidance repository, except to establish historical facts.