Making the most
of CAHPS for
effective
compliance

High quality HCAHPS service ensures our partner hospitals have positive relationships with CMS, accurate representations of their quality of care, and provides a solid foundation for learning about patient perceptions and opportunities for growth.

The Hospital CAHPS (HCAHPS) Survey captures feedback from adult inpatients about their hospital experience and is the national standard for measuring and publicly reporting patient perspectives of hospital care. Results are publicly available, enabling consumers to compare hospitals and make informed care decisions.

HCAHPS is required under the Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and must be administered by a CMS‑approved vendor. NRC Health administers HCAHPS via mail, phone, mixed mail + phone, mixed web + mail, mixed web + phone, and mixed web + mail + phone in multiple languages, with strict adherence to CMS guidelines.

The Accountable Care Organization Realizing Equity, Access, and Community Health (ACO REACH) Model evolved from the Global & Professional Direct Contracting (GPDC) Model, advancing efforts to reduce costs while improving care quality.

ACO REACH emphasizes health equity, expands access to care for underserved populations, promotes provider‑led governance, and strengthens beneficiary protections. Beginning in Performance Year (PY) 2023, REACH ACOs are required to field a CAHPS Survey based on the 2022 GPDC CAHPS Survey, incorporating pay‑for‑performance measures.

While the ACO REACH Model is scheduled to retire after CY 2026, the ACO REACH CAHPS Survey will continue through this performance year. NRC Health serves as a trusted partner, ensuring compliant survey administration and accurate submission of results to CMS.

The CAHPS for the Merit‑based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Survey evaluates clinician performance and supports improved quality and value in healthcare. It allows clinicians to participate in the Quality Payment Program and enables Shared Savings Program (SSP) ACOs to meet their reporting requirement through the Alternative Payment Model Performance Pathway.

Organizations must administer the survey through a CMS‑approved vendor to earn a performance‑based Medicare payment adjustment. NRC Health administers the CAHPS for MIPS Survey using a mixed mail and telephone methodology, delivering a seamless experience and meaningful insights to improve the patient experience.

The Home Health Care CAHPS (HHCAHPS) Survey measures the experiences of patients receiving care from Medicare‑certified Home Health Agencies (HHAs). Eligible agencies are required to administer the survey through an authorized vendor to avoid a reduction in their annual payment update.

NRC Health simplifies HHCAHPS administration, provides clear and user‑friendly reporting, and takes a proactive approach to helping organizations drive improvement. Surveys are available in multiple languages to support diverse patient populations.

Understanding the experiences of children and their families during an inpatient hospital stay is essential to delivering high‑quality, patient‑centered care. NRC Health has played an integral role in the development of the Child HCAHPS Survey, reflecting our commitment to advancing pediatric patient experience measurement.

Funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Child HCAHPS is part of the CAHPS family of surveys and may be used to satisfy a portion of The Leapfrog Group’s Hospital Survey requirements for Pediatric Care.

The Outpatient and Ambulatory Surgery (OAS) CAHPS Survey measures patient experiences in Hospital Outpatient Departments (HOPDs) and Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs). The survey captures feedback on communication, care, preparation for surgery, discharge, and recovery.

As of PY 2024 for HOPDs and PY 2025 for ASCs, participation is tied to reimbursement, and surveys must be administered by a CMS‑approved vendor. NRC Health partners with outpatient organizations to deliver compliant OAS CAHPS administration and actionable insight into this growing patient population.

The CAHPS Hospice Survey gathers feedback from family members and caregivers following a patient’s death to measure the quality of care provided at the end of life. Results help hospices identify opportunities for improvement and support informed decision‑making for future patients and families.

CMS requires participation through an approved vendor. NRC Health administers the CAHPS Hospice Survey via mail, phone, or mixed methodologies, ensuring compliance while honoring the experiences of this valued population.

The In‑Center Hemodialysis (ICH) CAHPS Survey is part of the End‑Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Incentive Program and supports value‑based purchasing under the Medicare Program. The survey is fielded twice annually using mail, phone, or mixed methodologies.

As a CMS‑approved vendor, NRC Health partners with dialysis organizations to assess patient experience, improve performance, and ensure full compliance with CMS requirements.

The Psychiatric Inpatient Experience (PIX) Survey is a CMS‑mandated survey for Medicare‑participating inpatient psychiatric facilities (IPFs), required beginning in 2026 to support quality reporting and payment programs. PIX enables CMS to collect consistent, comparable data on beneficiary experiences, informing quality improvement, public reporting, and value‑based purchasing.

NRC Health supports partners in meeting PIX requirements, including both paper and electronic survey formats.