HHCAHPS

Proposed Survey Updates

CMS has issued a Proposed Rule that, if finalized, would make updates to the HHCAHPS Survey to take effect with the April 2026 sample month.

Key updates include:

→ Reducing the survey from 34 to 25 questions

→ Adjusting reported measures to reflect the updated survey

→ Adding a mode adjustment with mail only mode as the reference

→ Removing the requirement to submit ICD-10 procedure codes

The rule does not propose any changes to survey modes or administration.

For a crosswalk of current to proposed survey questions and reported measures, please click here. The Final Rule is expected to be published in November 2025.

CAHPS Hospice

Public Reporting Refresh

Publicly reported CAHPS Hospice results on Care Compare have been updated to reflect results from Q4 2022 – Q3 2024 (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2024) decedents. Star Ratings are also available.

Preview Reports

Hospices can review their results that will be published on

Care Compare in advance of the November 2025 refresh. Preview Reports reflecting CAHPS Hospice results from Q1 2023 – Q4 2024 (January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2024) and Star Ratings are available for review through the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) application until September 19, 2025. The reports will be available to download for an additional 30 days after the preview period ends.

Please click here for additional information on CAHPS Hospice Preview Reports.

ICH CAHPS

Proposed Survey Updates

In the CY 2026 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System Proposed Rule published in June 2025, CMS proposed changes to the ICH CAHPS Survey that, if finalized, will take effect in Spring 2026. The proposed changes include the removal of 23 questions, reducing the survey from 62 to 39 questions, and adjustments to the case-mix analysis.

No changes are proposed for survey modes or administration.

For an overview of the proposed changes, please click here. A Final Rule is expected to be issued later this year.

Update Files

ICH CAHPS participants are encouraged to provide update files with current patient contact information and language preference. NRC Health requests that dialysis facilities provide update files by September 23rd. If you would like to provide update files, please reach out to your Customer Success Team or NRC Health CAHPS Compliance to arrange a secure file transfer.

CAHPS for MIPS

Vendor Authorization Deadline

The survey vendor authorization deadline for PY 2025 CAHPS for MIPS is September 10, 2025. Please note that all participating organizations are required to authorize a survey vendor each year, even if they have participated in the past.

Update Files

CAHPS for MIPS participants are encouraged to provide update files with current patient contact information and language preference. NRC Health requests that Clinician Groups and SSP ACOs provide update files by September 26th. If you would like to provide update files, please reach out to your Customer Success Team or NRC Health CAHPS Compliance to arrange secure file transfer.

PIX

Psychiatric Inpatient Patient Experience Survey

Starting in CY 2026, the Psychiatric Inpatient Patient Experience (PIX) Survey will be mandatory for inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs) participating in the Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting (IPFQR) program.

Surveys must be administered anonymously, starting up to 24 hours before discharge, with a goal of 300 completed surveys per year. PIX methodologies include paper handout surveys and paper handouts plus web.

NRC Health will submit data annually to CMS, and CMS will provide aggregated feedback reports to IPFs.

CMS recently released an Implementation Guide and FAQ document, which provide guidance on assisting patients with the survey, communicating with patients about the survey, and more.

Please reach out to your Customer Success Manager if you are interested in learning more about PIX.

External Submission Deadlines