Hospice QRP Announcements & Spotlight

Hospice QRP Announcements & Spotlight

About this Page

The Announcements & Spotlight web page provides recent news and updates pertinent to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). On this page, you will find announcements about newly posted resource guides and factsheets, available Quarterly Update documents, and Annual Payment Updates (APU) updates, among other notifications.

Updates

March 1, 2024

Updated documents have now been posted to the Provider Toolkit section on the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices page. These documents are designed to assist providers to be successful with the HQRP requirements and include: Getting Started with the HQRP, Getting Started with HQRP CASPER QM Reports, and Getting Started with Review and Correct Reports. 

March 1, 2024

The HQRP Quarterly Q&A for Q4, 2023 is now available. This Q&A includes selected questions received by the Hospice Quality Help Desk during the fourth quarter of 2023 (Oct. 1 to Dec. 31). A link to the document can be found in the Downloads section of the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices page.

February 26, 2024

The Hospice CAHPS Provider Preview Reports for the May 2024 refresh (Hospice CAHPS Survey data from Q3 2021 – Q2 2023) are delayed by 2 weeks and will be available on 2/28/2024. The 30-day preview period for CAHPS data will begin the same day reports become available. For additional information about how to access preview reports and the 30-day preview period please visit the Hospice Quality Reporting Program webpage 

https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality/hospice/public-reporting-cahps-preview-reports-and-requests-cms-review-cahps-data

February 21, 2024

Care Compare Quarterly Refresh – February 2024

The February 2024 quarterly refresh for the Hospice Quality Reporting Program is now available on Care Compare.

For additional information, please see the FY2024 Hospice Wage Index Final Rule at https://www.cms.gov/Center/Provider-Type/Hospice-Center. Please visit the Hospice Background and Announcements webpage to review the Claims-Based Measures Questions and Answers downloadable (PDF) for more information on the HCI and HVLDL.

February 14, 2024

NOW AVAILABLE IN QIES – Hospice Preview Reports for the May 2024 Refresh

Providers can now access the latest Provider Preview Reports via the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) application. Once released in CASPER, providers will have 30 days during which to review their quality measure results.  Although the actual “preview period” is 30 days, the reports will continue to be available for another 30 days, or a total of 60 days. The preview period for the latest Provider Preview Report lasts from February 14, 2024 to March 16, 2024. CMS encourages providers to download and save their Hospice Provider Preview Reports for future reference, as they will no longer be available in CASPER after this 60-day period.  

Learn more about the Provider Preview Report (HIS and Claims-based measures)  here and about the CAHPS Preview Report here. Hospice QRP Key Dates for Providers can be found here. The 3rd Edition HQRP Public Reporting Tip Sheet is available here (PDF).

February 9, 2024

Updated documents are now posted on the Current Measure page and the HIS page. CMS updated these documents primarily to incorporate the change in terminology, referencing the Consensus-based Entity, or CBE. 

The updated Current Measure page documents include the Hospice Comprehensive Assessment QM Background and Methodology Fact Sheet, and the HQRP QM Users Manual V1.02. A HQRP QM Users Manual V1.01 to V1.02 Change Table has also been posted for ease of reference.

The HIS page updates include the HIS Manual V3.01 and an HIS Manual Change Table V3.00 to V3.01. 

For details, click on the links for each page above.

December 27, 2023

Important Updates on the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP)

Swingtech sends informational messages to hospices related to the Quality Reporting Program (QRP) on a quarterly basis. Their latest outreach communication can be found on the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices web page. If you want to receive Swingtech’s quarterly emails, add or update the email addresses to which these messages are sent by sending an email to QRPHelp@swingtech.com. Be sure to include the name of your facility and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Certification Number (CCN) along with any requested updates.

December 15, 2023

Materials from the November Hospice Forum are Available

On November 14, 2023, CMS hosted a webinar outlining hospice provisions within the Calendar Year 2024 Home Health Perspective Payment System Final Rule (88 FR 77676). This webinar discussed the finalized Informal Dispute Resolution process, and the Hospice Special Focus Program, including selection criteria, public reporting requirements, enforcement, completion, and termination. A recording of the webinar is available here. A copy of the slides and a transcript are available in the “Downloads” section of the SFP webpage.

November 22, 2023

Care Compare Quarterly Refresh – November 2023

The November 2023 quarterly refresh for the Hospice Quality Reporting Program is now available on Care Compare.

For additional information, please see the FY2024 Hospice Wage Index Final Rule at https://www.cms.gov/Center/Provider-Type/Hospice-Center. Please visit the Hospice Background and Announcements webpage to review the Claims-Based Measures Questions and Answers downloadable (PDF) for more information on the HCI and HVLDL.

November 16, 2023

NOW AVAILABLE IN QIES – Hospice Preview Reports for the February 2024 Refresh

Providers can now access the latest Provider Preview Reports via the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) application. Once released in CASPER, providers will have 30 days during which to review their quality measure results.  Although the actual “preview period” is 30 days, the reports will continue to be available for another 30 days, or a total of 60 days. The preview period for the latest Provider Preview Report lasts from November 15, 2023 to December 15, 2023. CMS encourages providers to download and save their Hospice Provider Preview Reports for future reference, as they will no longer be available in CASPER after this 60-day period.  

Learn more about the Provider Preview Report (HIS and Claims-based measures)  here and about the CAHPS Preview Report here. Hospice QRP Key Dates for Providers can be found here. The 3rd Edition HQRP Public Reporting Tip Sheet is available here (PDF).

November 06, 2023

Register Now: CMS Hospice November Forum

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will host a webinar on Tuesday, November 14 from 1:00 – 2:00 P.M. ET to share hospice-related updates around the Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Medicare Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PS) Final Rule published on November 1.

CMS will discuss the following topics during the webinar: 

  • The finalized Informal Dispute Resolution (IDR) process, and
  • The finalized Hospice Special Focus Program (SFP) including selection, public reporting, enforcement, completion, and termination.

Subject matter experts will also answer questions at the end of the webinar, as time permits. 

Webinar Details

  • Title: Hospice Forum
  • Date: Tuesday, November 14, 2023
  • Time: 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET

To register, please visit https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-c2S6lIHRXG1FvbYPbzpzw.

Questions?

For general questions about the webinar, please contact CMSQualityTeam@ketchum.com.   

November 01, 2023

The HQRP Quarterly Q&A for Q3 2023 is now available. This Q&A includes selected questions received by the Hospice Quality Help Desk during the third quarter of 2023 (July 1 to Sept. 30). A link to the document can be found in the Downloads section of the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices page. 

October 31, 2023

HQRP TEP Summary Report 2023

CMS has released the 2023 HQRP Technical Expert Panel (TEP) Summary Report. This report provides a summary of the TEP’s input on options for HOPE-based quality measure development for the HQRP. The Report covers TEP meetings convened in both 2022 and 2023. Specific topics include risk adjustment and future quality measurement priorities. 

The 2023 HQRP TEP Summary Report is available in the Downloads section of the HQRP Provider and Stakeholder Engagement page. 

October 27, 2023

The CMS HQRP website has added a new page entitled How to Update Hospice Demographic Data. This new page can be accessed via the left hand scrollbar and can be found here: How to Update Hospice Demographic Data.

September 19, 2023

Important Updates on the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP)

Swingtech sends informational messages to hospices related to the Quality Reporting Program (QRP) on a quarterly basis. Their latest outreach communication can be found on the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices web page. If you want to receive Swingtech’s quarterly emails, add or update the email addresses to which these messages are sent by sending an email to QRPHelp@swingtech.com. Be sure to include the name of your facility and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Certification Number (CCN) along with any requested updates.

August 30, 2023

Care Compare Quarterly Refresh – August 2023

The August 2023 quarterly refresh for the Hospice Quality Reporting Program is now available on Care Compare.

For additional information, please see the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 Hospice Wage Index Final Rule at https://www.cms.gov/Center/Provider-Type/Hospice-Center. Please visit the Hospice Background and Announcements webpage to review the Claims-Based Measures Questions and Answers downloadable (PDF) for more information on the HCI and HVLDL.

August 16, 2023

NOW AVAILABLE IN QIES – Hospice Preview Reports for the November 2023 Refresh

Providers can now access the latest Provider Preview Reports via the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) application. Once released in CASPER, providers will have 30 days during which to review their quality measure results.  Although the actual “preview period” is 30 days, the reports will continue to be available for another 30 days, or a total of 60 days. The preview period for the latest Provider Preview Report lasts from August 16, 2023 to September 15, 2023. CMS encourages providers to download and save their Hospice Provider Preview Reports for future reference, as they will no longer be available in CASPER after this 60-day period.  

Learn more about the Provider Preview Report (HIS and Claims-based measures)  here and about the CAHPS Preview Report here. Hospice QRP Key Dates for Providers can be found here. The 3rd Edition HQRP Public Reporting Tip Sheet is available here (PDF).

August 7, 2023

The HQRP Quarterly Q&A for Q2 2023 is now available. This Q&A includes selected questions received by the Hospice Quality Help Desk during the first quarter of 2023 (April 1 to June 30). A link to the document can be found in the Downloads section of the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices page.

July 28, 2023

Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update, Hospice Conditions of Participation Updates, Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements, and Hospice Certifying Physician Provider Enrollment Requirements Proposed Rule (CMS-1787-F)

On July 28, 2023, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a final rule (CMS-1787-F) that provides updates to the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP). This rule includes updates on HOPE, future quality measures, and provides updates to the Hospice CAHPS Survey mode experiment. Finally, CMS is codifying   the hospice data submission thresholds for the HQRP and providing updates to hospice survey and enforcement procedures special focus program (SFP). 

The final  rule went on display at the Federal Register and will be available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/current

For further information, see the hospice webpage here: http://www.cms.gov/Center/Provider- Type/Hospice-Center.html.

July 20, 2023

Hospice Quality Reporting Program: Non-Compliance Notifications

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is providing notifications to hospices that were determined to be out of compliance with Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) requirements for calendar year (CY) 2022, which will affect their fiscal year (FY) 2024 Annual Payment Update (APU). Non-compliance notifications will be distributed by the Medicare Administrative Contractors (MACs) and will be placed into hospices’ CASPER folders in QIES on July 20, 2023. Hospices that receive a letter of non-compliance may submit a request for reconsideration to CMS via email no later than 11:59 pm, August 18, 2023. If you receive a notice of non-compliance and would like to request a reconsideration, see the instructions in your notification and on the Reconsideration Requests webpage.

Please note: Any reconsideration containing protected health information (PHI) will not be processed. All PHI must be removed in order for a reconsideration to be reviewed.

June 23, 2023

Important Updates on the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP)

Swingtech sends informational messages to hospices related to the Quality Reporting Program (QRP) on a quarterly basis. Their latest outreach communication can be found on the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices web page. If you want to receive Swingtech’s quarterly emails, add or update the email addresses to which these messages are sent by sending an email to QRPHelp@swingtech.com. Be sure to include the name of your facility and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Certification Number (CCN) along with any requested updates.

June 5, 2023

NOW AVAILABLE IN QIES – Hospice Preview Reports for the August 2023 Refresh

Providers can now access the latest Provider Preview Reports via the Certification and Survey Provider Enhanced Reports (CASPER) application. Once released in CASPER, providers will have 30 days during which to review their quality measure results.  Although the actual “preview period” is 30 days, the reports will continue to be available for another 30 days, or a total of 60 days. The preview period for the latest Provider Preview Report lasts from May 24, 2023 to June 23, 2023. CMS encourages providers to download and save their Hospice Provider Preview Reports for future reference, as they will no longer be available in CASPER after this 60-day period.  

Learn more about the Provider Preview Report (HIS and Claims-based measures)  here and about the CAHPS Preview Report here. Hospice QRP Key Dates for Providers can be found here. The 3rd Edition HQRP Public Reporting Tip Sheet is available here (PDF).

June 5, 2023

Care Compare Quarterly Refresh – May 2023

The May 2023 quarterly refresh for the Hospice Quality Reporting Program is now available on Care Compare.

For additional information, please see the FY2023 Hospice Wage Index Final Rule at https://www.cms.gov/Center/Provider-Type/Hospice-Center. Please visit the Hospice Background and Announcements webpage to review the Claims-Based Measures Questions and Answers downloadable (PDF) for more information on the HCI and HVLDL.

May 30, 2023

UPDATED RESOURCE AVAILABLE: Introduction to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) Web-Based Training

This resource has been updated and can be accessed through the HQRP Training and Education Library.

May 25, 2023

The HQRP Quarterly Q&A for Q1 2023 is now available. This Q&A includes selected questions received by the Hospice Quality Help Desk during the first quarter of 2023 (January 1 to March 31). A link to the document can be found in the Downloads section of the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices page.

Hospice Quality Reporting Program Archives

Page Last Modified:
03/01/2024 02:06 PM