New Measures Help LTSS Providers
August 16, 2018 · NCQA Communications
At NCQA, we’re all about improving quality through measurement. That’s why we created the Healthcare Effectiveness and Data Information Set (HEDIS®).
Our HEDIS sets measure performance in health care. Improvements can make a meaningful difference in peoples lives. We have measures across the spectrum of health care. And now we’re adding a new measure set.
New Measures Help LTSS Providers
New Measures Help LTSS Providers
The new set is called the HEDIS Technical Specifications for LTSS Organizations. This new set creates standards for organizations to gauge their performance, allows comparison of LTSS quality, and establishes national benchmarks. Organizations will use this set of measures to monitor and improve the care they deliver.
What are LTSS?
LTSS include a range of supportive services that people may need—for weeks, months or years—when they have difficulty completing self-care tasks because of aging, chronic illness or disability. The goal of LTSS is to establish a support system that provides people with choice, control and access to services that ensure optimal outcomes, such as independence, health and quality of life. These services are vital in helping millions of Americans live more independent lives by allowing them to remain in their preferred setting—often, their home and community.
A Partnership Approach
NCQA and our partner Mathematica Policy Research developed and tested the measures under a contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
The set of four measures evaluates quality of assessment, care planning and care coordination for organizations providing LTSS:
- LTSS Comprehensive Assessment and Update.
- LTSS Comprehensive Care Plan and Update.
- LTSS Shared Care Plan with Primary Care Practitioner.
- LTSS Reassessment/Care Plan Update After Inpatient Discharge.
Webinar to Review Measures – Happening Soon!
CMS and Mathematica Policy Research will host a webinar on Thursday, August 23, from 1:30–3:00 pm ET to review the measures. Although Comparing the Quality of Managed Long-Term Services and Supports (MLTSS) Plans: New Measures of Person-Centered Assessment and Care Planning is targeted to staff responsible for quality measurement in state Medicaid agencies and MLTSS plans, it is open to the general public. Click here to register for the webinar.
The latest version of the MLTSS Quality Measures Technical Specifications along with additional information about MLTSS can be found on Medicaid.gov.
The measures will be included in the HEDIS 2019 Technical Specifications for LTSS Organizations ePublication available on September 12, 2018. To pre-order these specifications, go to the NCQA Store website.
Questions?
Contact Erin Giovannetti, Senior Research Scientist, NCQA, at giovannetti@ncqa.org, or Debra Lipson, Senior Fellow, Mathematica, at dlipson@mathematica-mpr.com, for additional questions.
