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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9.15.2022 Differences Between Quality Compass Data and State of Healthcare What are the differences between the State of Healthcare (SOHC) report and the data included in Quality Compass?

The State of Healthcare Report includes data that is publicly available on the NCQA site. It contains national averages based on the prior measurement year and is updated once a year. The State of Healthcare Quality Report classifies health plans differently than NCQA’s Quality Compass. HMO corresponds to All LOBs (excluding PPO and EPO) within Quality Compass. PPO corresponds to PPO and EPO within Quality Compass.
To get access to the most recent data as well as additional data points such as plan level performance and percentiles check out Quality Compass. at this link:

https://www.ncqa.org/programs/data-and-information-technology/data-purchase-and-licensing/quality-compass/

If you would like to discuss Quality Compass further, please reach out to our Information products team by submitting a case through your my.NCQA.org account.
 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 Difference Between HPR and Quality Compass How are HPR and Quality Compass different?

Quality Compass is NCQA’s interactive database containing individual plan performance results for HEDIS® and CAHPS® measures, as well as benchmark data at the national, regional (Census, HHS) and state levels. It reports individual plan data from plans that chose to publicly report their performance results. Benchmark results comprise all plan data submitted to NCQA, regardless of reporting status.
NCQA Health Plan Ratings (HPR) is a separate method of evaluating and distributing information related to health plan quality and performance. It assesses and reports plan performance in several domains. The goal of HPR is to give plans a scale to assess their current operating status, to help ensure quality. HPR provides consumers with information that helps them select a high-quality health plan that suits their needs.
NCQA’s Health Plan Ratings 2022 assesses commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid health plans. The overall rating is the weighted average of a plan’s HEDIS® and CAHPS® measure ratings, plus bonus points for plans with a current Accreditation status. Please visit our HPR website (https://www.ncqa.org/hedis/reports-and-research/ncqas-health-plan-ratings-2022/) to learn more.
 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 Invoice for Quality Compass How do I obtain an invoice to purchase Quality Compass?

If your organization needs an invoice prior to placing your order for Quality Compass, please reach out to our Information Products team by submitting a case through your my.NCQA.org account.
 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Data Extract What if I only need access to a subset of the data from Quality Compass? Can I obtain a data extract?

If you do not need access to all the data results available within Quality Compass, you can request a custom data extract. Pricing for data extracts start at $2,500 and are determined by the amount of data requested and the client’s use case.

You can obtain a custom quote by reaching out to the Information Products team and completing a data request form that details your data needs and requested permissions.
 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Medicare Include CAHPS Data Does the Medicare dataset include CAHPS data?

The Medicare product line does not include CAHPS survey results. We recommend contacting Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) if you are interested in obtaining Medicare CAHPS data.

 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 Cost to Purchase Quality Compass How much does Quality Compass cost?

Quality Compass is priced according to the number of users, years of trended data, and whether your organization needs access to the Data Exporter feature. The cost breakdown is available on our pricing table on the NCQA Store .
 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Prior Year Data or Trended Data Does Quality Compass allow users to access prior year data or trended results?

Customers interested in accessing prior year data can choose to add up to three years of trended results to their Quality Compass purchase. For example, if you purchase Quality Compass 2022 (MY 2021), you can choose to add the trended data feature to access MY 2020 MY 2019 results.

It is important to note that not all data can be trended due to significant changes in the measure specifications. Quality Compass indicates when measures should be trended with caution or if there has been a break in trending and results should not be trended year-to-year. These trending determinations can be found on the Help tab within the Quality Compass tool or in the Volume 2 HEDIS technical specifications.

Access to the latest data year must be purchased annually.
 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Release Dates 2022 What are the release dates for the Quality Compass 2022(MY2021) product lines?

The expected release dates for Quality Compass 2022(MY2021) are as follows:

    • Commercial – July 29th, 2022
    • Medicaid – September 30th, 2022
    • Medicare – October 28th, 2022
    • Exchange – November 2022 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 Quality Compass Exchange Product Does NCQA have Exchange data available on Quality Compass?

In 2022, NCQA will be releasing  Quality Compass Exchange data for the first time. Exchange data will be available outside of the Quality Compass tool via a data file delivered on NCQA’s Download Center. The data file will contain individual plan level performance and benchmarks (averages and percentiles) for Exchange plans. It will contain results for QRS measure indicators used in the QRS Scoring program only. The Exchange data file is available for purchase now and will be released in November 2022.
 

HEDIS 2021

9.15.2022 File Review Scope for NCQA-Accredited Health Plans seeking UM-CR-PN Accreditation How many files are reviewed in a UM-CR-PN Survey for Accredited Health Plans?

For UM Accreditation, 75 files are reviewed per product line.  For CR Accreditation, 75 initial credentialing files and 75 recredentialing files are reviewed. 

Note: For non-health plan organizations, 30 files are reviewed per product line.  

UM-CR-PN 2023

9.15.2022 Durable medical equipment in the scope of credentialing Are durable medical equipment entities in the scope of credentialing?

Yes. Durable medical equipment entities are in the scope of CR 7, Element A, to the extent that organizations must have policies and procedures for initial and ongoing assessment of the entities with which it contracts. NCQA’s review of the organization’s assessment of organizational providers is limited to the organizations listed in CR 7, Elements B and C.

UM-CR-PN 2022

9.15.2022 Use of expired board certification to verify education and training Can an expired board certification be used to verify education and training?

Yes. Because the board would have primary-source verified education and training before awarding certification, NCQA allows organizations to use expired board certifications to meet the requirements. Education and training information does not change even if board certification expires.

CVO 2022