Mar 20 -- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) invites public comment by May 19, 2023 regarding the proposed extension of the QHP Consumer Experience Survey Data Collection.
Section 1311(c)(4) of the Affordable Care Act requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to develop an enrollee satisfaction survey system that assesses consumer experience with qualified health plans (QHPs) offered through an Exchange. It also requires public display of enrollee satisfaction information by the Exchange to allow individuals to easily compare enrollee satisfaction levels between comparable plans. HHS established the QHP Enrollee Experience Survey (QHP Enrollee Survey) to assess consumer experience with the QHPs offered through the Marketplaces. The survey includes topics to assess consumer experience with the health care system such as communication skills of providers and ease of access to health care services.
CMS developed the survey using the Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) principles (
https://www.ahrq.gov/cahps/about-cahps/principles/index.html) and established an application and approval process for survey vendors who want to participate in collecting QHP enrollee experience data. The QHP Enrollee Survey, which is based on the CAHPS® Health Plan Survey, will be used to (1) help consumers choose among competing health plans, (2) provide actionable information that the QHPs can use to improve performance, (3) provide information that regulatory and accreditation organizations can use to regulate and accredit plans, and (4) provide a longitudinal database for consumer research. CMS completed two rounds of developmental testing including 2014 psychometric testing and 2015 beta testing of the QHP Enrollee Survey.
The psychometric testing helped determine psychometric properties and provided an initial measure of performance for Marketplaces and QHPs to use for quality improvement. Based on psychometric test results, CMS further refined the questionnaire and sampling design to conduct the 2015 beta test of the QHP Enrollee Survey. CMS previously obtained clearance for the 2016-2023 administrations of the QHP Enrollee Survey. At this time, CMS is requesting to renew approval for the information collection related to the QHP Enrollee Experience Survey in 2024-2026. These activities are necessary to ensure that CMS fulfills legislative mandates established by section 1311(c)(4) of the Affordable Care Act to develop an “enrollee satisfaction survey system” and provide such information on Marketplace websites. CMS is also seeking approval to remove the flu vaccine question and revise the race and ethnicity questions to align with the 2011 HHS Data Collection Standard for the QHP Enrollee Survey 2024 administration.
QHP CE Survey:
https://www.cms.gov/medicare/quality-initiatives-patient-assessment-instruments/qualityinitiativesgeninfo/aca-mqi/consumer-experience-surveys/surveys-page
Draft survey instruments and technical documentation:
https://www.cms.gov/regulations-and-guidance/legislation/paperworkreductionactof1995/pra-listing/cms-10488-0
FRN:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2023-05557
