FAQ Directory

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about NCQA’s various programs. If you don’t see what you are looking for in one of the entries below, you can  ask a question through My NCQA.

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11.06.2026 Health Plan Ratings Medicare CAHPS Data Does Not Match CMS Data Why doesn’t my Medicare CAHPS data match what my vendor provided?

Using Medicare CAHPS data in HPR depends on yearly approval by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Because the submission schedule for Medicare CAHPS measures differs from the HEDIS submission schedule, NCQA scores organizations using the previous year’s data and percentiles for measures in the CAHPS domain.

There are also calculation differences between NCQA’s Medicare CAHPS and CMS. For example, NCQA scores some items based on a two-question composite where CMS uses a three-question composite. CMS case-mixes CAHPS results, NCQA does not. NCQA uses top-box scoring for HPR, CMS uses linear mean scoring converted from a 0-100 scale.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:

11.06.2026 Health Plan Ratings Data for Scoring What data is HPR using to score plans?

HPR utilizes HEDIS and CAHPS datasets, and Measurement Years can vary based on product line. To find specific information on each HPR year, please access that year's Measure List by navigating to NCQA’s Health Plan Ratings site.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:

11.06.2026 Health Plan Ratings Measure Weights How does NCQA weigh measures used in HPR?

"1" = Race/Ethnicity Description of Membership and Language Description of Membership
"1” = Process measures (e.g., screenings, visits)
“1.5” = Patient experience measures (CAHPS)
“3” = Outcome and intermediate outcome measures (e.g., Glycemic Status <8%, Blood Pressure Control)

This applies to the following Programs and Years:

11.06.2026 Health Plan Ratings Overview How do the Ratings work, in brief?

The overall rating is the weighted average of a plan's HEDIS and CAHPS measure ratings, plus Accreditation bonus points (if the plan is Accredited by NCQA as of the last business day in June of the release year), calculated on a 0–5 scale in half-points (5 is highest), displayed as stars and rounded to the nearest half-point.

 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:

11.06.2026 LDM Measure Scoring in Health Plan Ratings How is the LDM measure scored?

NCQA will give organizations credit (an individual measure rating of “5”) if the reported “Total Known” Preferred Written Language and “Total Known” Preferred Spoken Language is ≥25%. Organizations that do not report “Total Known” Preferred Written Language and “Total Known” Preferred Spoken Language ≥25% will receive an individual measure rating of “0”. The measure has a weight of 1.0.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:

11.06.2026 RDM Measure Scoring in Health Plan Ratings How is the RDM measure scored?

NCQA will give organizations credit (an individual measure rating of “5”) if both reported Direct Race and Direct Ethnicity is ≥25%. Organizations that do not report Direct Race and Direct Ethnicity ≥25% will receive an individual measure rating of “0”. The measure has a weight of 1.0. 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:

10.15.2026 Cervical Cancer Screening (CCS-E) Vaginal HPV Self-Swab Identification How can organizations identify vaginal self-swab HPV samples for the CCS-E measure?

The CCS-E measure allows at-home, self-collected HPV vaginal samples that are sent to a laboratory or provider's office for analysis (see General Guideline: Self-Collected Samples). Organizations can identify qualifying screenings through multiple approved data sources, including claims, laboratory data, electronic clinical data and medical records. The absence of a specific code does not exclude identification of a qualifying screening if the organization can demonstrate numerator compliance using an approved data source that meets the requirements of the measure.

When using supplemental data (e.g., laboratory data, electronic clinical data or medical record documentation) to assess the numerator (i.e., the provider did not bill one of the codes in the measure), the documentation must meet the requirements outlined in General Guideline: Supplemental Data. NCQA does not approve code mapping, and the auditor will determine whether the data meet the intent of the measure.

If a laboratory bills for the test using any of the CPT codes in the High Risk HPV Lab Test Value Set then this meets numerator criteria. The CPT codes are not specific to sample type (vaginal versus cervical) therefore billing is based on the specific assay and types being detected by the laboratory.

 

**This FAQ applies to HEDIS Volume 2 MY 2026 & MY 2027. 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2027

10.15.2026 Cervical Cancer Screening (CCS-E) LOINC Codes for Vaginal HPV Self-Swab Are there LOINC codes available to capture Vaginal self-swab HPV samples for the CCS-E measure?

No, because new LOINC codes were released after publication of MY 2026, organizations can use supplemental data to meet the numerator requirements. The documentation must meet the requirements outlined in General Guideline: Supplemental Data. NCQA does not approve code mapping, and the auditor will determine whether the data meet the intent of the measure.

New codes for self-collected specimens were included in LOINC’s recent release and additional pre-release codes are currently published on the LOINC website (and will be included in the next LOINC release).  NCQA will review and include appropriate codes in the MY 2027 Technical Update release scheduled for March 31, 2027.

**This FAQ applies to HEDIS Volume 2 MY 2026 & MY 2027.  

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2026, 2027

10.15.2026 HEDIS MY 2027 Measure Retirements What is the final NCQA-supported version of the retired MY 2027 measures?

The final NCQA-supported version of these retired measures are the HEDIS MY 2026 Volume 2 Technical Update version of the measure specifications. Any subsequent change to a measure specification is an independently modified version and is not maintained, reviewed or endorsed by NCQA. 

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2027

10.15.2026 Qualifications for Case Managers Does NCQA require case managers to be RNs?

No. Organizations make the determination regarding the qualifications of case managers, based on industry standards and regulatory requirements. NCQA is not prescriptive regarding the type of professionals who may perform case management.

Applicable standards:

  • Health Plan Accreditation: PHM 5, Element C and LTSS 1, Element J
  • Behavioral Health Accreditation: PHM 5, Element C and LTSS 1, Element J
  • Case Management Accreditation: CM 2, Element D and LTSS 1, Element D
  • CM-LTSS Accreditation: LTSS 2, Element D

FAQ ID #26314

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
CM 2020|HP 2026, 2027|BHA 2026|CM-LTSS 2026

10.15.2026 Combining commercial and Exchange product lines for reporting UM rates for BHA or UMA May an organization combine product lines (e.g., commercial and Exchange product lines) when reporting Utilization Management (UM) rates for UMA or BHA?

Yes. Organizations are not required to provide UM rates by product line for BHA surveys and UMA surveys, but the organization must indicate the product lines included in the reported UM rates in the UM Data Collection Workbook.

Applicable standards:

  • Utilization Management Accreditation: UM 1, Elements B and C.
  • Behavioral Health Accreditation: UM 3, Elements B—E.

FAQ ID #26313

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HP 2026, 2027|UM 2026, 2027|BHA 2026

10.15.2026 HEDIS MY 2027 Measure Retirements Will NCQA maintain the measures post-retirement?

NCQA will not maintain the measures post-retirement. Organizations that choose to use a retired measure are responsible for determining whether and how to use, adapt, update or interpret it. NCQA assumes no responsibility for the continued availability, accuracy, maintenance or licensing of retired measure value sets.

This applies to the following Programs and Years:
HEDIS MY 2027