CAHPS Insider: September 2026
Insights and Updates for Effective Compliance
Here is a recap of the latest news and updates to CAHPS in September 2026.
By Kayce Kovanda, Corporate Compliance Communication Manager, NRC Health.
Print PDFHCAHPS
Preview Reports
CMS has released preview reports for the October 2026 Care Compare refresh, giving hospitals an opportunity to review their data before it becomes publicly available.
The preview window is open through September 18, 2026, in the Hospital Quality Reporting (HQR) system and reflects the data that will appear on Care Compare and the CMS Provider Data Catalog.
Organizations should use this preview period to carefully review their data for accuracy and escalate any questions through QualityNet before public reporting.
Public Reporting Refresh
HCAHPS results based on data from Q4 2024 – Q3 2025 (October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025) discharges have been
published. These results are available on the Provider Data Catalog and Care Compare.
OAS CAHPS
Public Reporting Refresh
CMS has released updated OAS CAHPS results based on patient experiences from Q4 2024 – Q3 2025 (October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025). These results are now available on the Provider Data Catalog for both ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs), with HOPD results also reflected on Care Compare.
OAS CAHPS results are available at the facility, state, and national levels and are updated quarterly.
CAHPS Hospice
Public Reporting Refresh
Care Compare data have been refreshed to display CAHPS Hospice results from caregivers of Q4 2023 – Q3 2025 (October 1, 2023 –
September 30, 2025) decedents.
Public Reporting Resources
CMS has posted several updated CAHPS Hospice Survey public reporting resources for the Q1 2024 – Q4 2025 reporting period.
- Survey Response Rate: The CAHPS Hospice Survey response rate for the Q1 2024 – Q4 2025 public reporting period.
- Case–Mix Adjustment: Updated documentation and supporting files are available to help hospices and survey vendors estimate the impact of case-mix adjustment using publicly reported adjustors and national means.
- State Scores: Average CAHPS Hospice Survey measure scores by state for the Q1 2024 – Q4 2025 reporting period.
- National Percentiles: National percentiles for CAHPS Hospice Survey measures for the same reporting period.
Hospices may find these resources helpful for reviewing performance trends and benchmarking results against state and national averages.
CAHPS for MIPS
PY 2026 Fielding Schedule
With the CAHPS for MIPS vendor authorization deadline behind us, we are looking forward to this year’s fielding. The schedule is outlined below.
| PY 2026 CAHPS for MIPS Survey | Date |
| All participants authorize an approved survey vendor | 9/9/2026 |
| Data collection | 10/14/2026 – 1/7/2027 |
| Mail prenotification letter | 10/14/2026 |
| Mail 1st questionnaire | 10/20/2026 |
| Mail 2nd questionnaire | 11/6/2026 |
| Telephone follow-up | 11/27/2026 – 1/7/2027 |
| Interim data submission deadline | 12/4/2026 |
| Final data submission deadline | 1/15/2027 |
ACO REACH
PY 2026 Fielding Schedule
Data collection has begun for the 2026 fielding of the ACO REACH CAHPS Survey. The full schedule is outlined below.
| PY 2026 ACO REACH CAHPS Survey | Date |
| Data collection | 9/8 – 12/4/2026 |
| Mail 1st questionnaire | 9/8/2026 |
| Mail reminder/thank you postcard | 9/28/2026 |
| Mail 2nd questionnaire | 10/13/2026 |
| Telephone follow-up | 11/9 – 12/4/2026 |
| 1st interim data submission deadline | 10/5/2026 |
| 2nd interim data submission deadline | 11/23/2026 |
| Final data submission deadline | 1/19/2027 |
Waiting Room FAQs
To help encourage participation and provide clarity for patients, CMS has released ACO REACH CAHPS waiting room FAQs. ACOs are encouraged to print these materials and make them available to patients. FAQs are available in both English and Spanish.
External Submission Deadlines
| Q1 2026 Discharges | Q2 2026 Discharges | Q3 2026 Discharges | Q4 2026 Discharges | |
| HCAHPS | 7/8/2026 | 10/14/2026 | 1/13/2027 | 4/14/2027 |
| Premier | 7/24/2026 | 10/30/2026 | 1/29/2027 | 4/30/2027 |
| Vizient | 7/17/2026 | 10/23/2026 | 1/22/2027 | 4/23/2027 |
| HHCAHPS | 7/16/2026 | 10/15/2026 | 1/21/2027 | 4/15/2027 |
| CAHPS Hospice | 8/12/2026 | 11/11/2026 | 2/10/2027 | 5/12/2027 |
| OAS CAHPS | 7/8/2026 | 10/14/2026 | 1/13/2027 | 4/14/2026 |
| ICH CAHPS | 7/29/2026 (Spring 2026) | 1/27/2027 (Fall 2026) | ||
| ACO REACH | 1/19/2027 (2026) | |||
| CAHPS for MIPS | 1/15/2027 (2026) | |||
| *Activity COMPLETE | ||||
If you have any questions regarding the information included in this edition of the CAHPS Insider, please contact NRC Health CAHPS Compliance at [email protected].