CAHPS Insider: February 2026

HHCAHPS

Public Reporting Refresh

HHCAHPS Survey results have been refreshed on Care Compare and now reflect patient responses from Q3 2024 – Q2 2025 (July 2024 through June 2025). HHCAHPS data are updated quarterly, and archived publicly reported results are available on the HHCAHPS website. These resources include agency-level results, state and national averages, star rating cut points, and patient-mix adjustment coefficients.

CAHPS Hospice

Exemption for Size

Hospices that serve fewer than 50 survey-eligible patients per year may request a CAHPS Hospice participation exemption based on size. This exemption allows eligible hospices to be excluded from CAHPS Hospice Survey data collection and reporting requirements for a single year. The Participation Exemption for Size Form is available on the CAHPS Hospice website and must be submitted by December 31, 2026 to be considered. Hospices that continue to meet the eligibility criteria must reapply each year, as exemptions are not carried forward automatically.

ICH CAHPS

ICH CAHPS Data In Preview Reports

The ICH CAHPS Survey Coordination Team has shared guidance

related to the April 2026 Care Compare refresh.

ICH CAHPS results appear in Table 5 of the Quarterly Dialysis Facility Care Compare Preview Reports and are publicly reported twice each year, in April and October.

To be publicly displayed, facilities must have at least 30 completed surveys across two consecutive survey periods. Facilities that do not meet this threshold, or that participated in only one included period, will not have ICH CAHPS results shown.

For additional information on ICH CAHPS reporting, please visit the ICH CAHPS Public Reporting FAQ.

As a reminder, results reported in NRC Health Preliminary Reports, which will be provided this month, are unofficial preliminary results and may differ from final results, which are provided by CMS.

CAHPS Insider Live

CAHPS Insider Live On Demand

If you were unable to join us live, the February 3, 2026 CAHPS Insider Live webcast is now available to watch on demand. During this 30-minute session, NRC Health experts walked through key updates and reminders to help organizations stay current and focused in 2026.

Topics included a refresher on the 2025 HCAHPS changes, a walkthrough of NRC Health’s VBP Dashboard, updates to In-Center Hemodialysis CAHPS and Home Health Care CAHPS, and reminders on upcoming events and deadlines. Access the recording to catch up on what’s new, what’s finalized, and what’s coming next across CAHPS initiatives. Click here to view today!

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