The Home Health Care CAHPS® Survey (HHCAHPS) Mode Experiment (CMS-10784)
New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)
No
Regular
10/18/2021
Requested
Previously Approved
36 Months From Approved
6,280
0
1,049
0
0
0
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) implements the Home Health Care Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HHCAHPS®) Survey to measure and publicly report patientsâ experiences with the health care they receive from Medicare-certified home health agencies (HHAs).
National implementation of the survey launched in October 2009. Since October 1, 2010, HHAs have been required to participate on a monthly basis to receive the full Annual Payment Update (APU). Public reporting of the results on a CMS website started in April 2012. Implementation is ongoing with monthly data collection.
In recent years, CMS has received feedback from HHA stakeholders requesting (1) the option to administer the survey using a web mode as an alternative to the existing approved modes of mail only, telephone only, and mixed mode (mail with telephone follow-up); and (2) to shorten the survey instrument. Both suggestions, the focus of this OMB/PRA submission, are aimed in part at improving the survey response rate.
CMS plans to use information from this mode experiment to determine whether an additional mode of administration (i.e. Web data collection) should be included in the current national implementation of the HHCAHPS Survey. The national HHCAHPS survey is used by Medicare-certified HHAs to improve their internal quality assurance in the care that they provide in home health, CMS uses the HHCAHPS survey in the Home Health Quality Reporting Program, and consumers use the Survey to evaluate options for home health care. Given the widespread use and importance of this survey, CMS wants to improve current response rates and ensure that the survey remains relevant to all stakeholders.
On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).
The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:
(i) Why the information is being collected;
(ii) Use of information;
(iii) Burden estimate;
(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);
(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and
(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;
If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.