National Research (NRC) Status Update summary

CAHPS Hospice Survey updates

• Final rule for FY2025 introduces a new 39-question survey, down from 47, effective for April 2025 decedents.

• Data collection period extends from 42 to 49 days, giving caregivers an extra week to respond.

• Survey mode changes from telephone to mail-only, with pre-notification letters and CMS-approved web/mail options.

• NRC Health will not offer web/mail methodology for April 2025 but may consider it in the future.

• Twelve questions removed, four added, and minor updates to existing questions; detailed changes available in the August CAHPS Insider.

HCAHPS survey and methodology changes

• Three new web-first methodologies (web/mail, web/phone, web/mail/phone) added for January 2025 discharges.

• Outreach schedule for patients without email: first mail survey on day 8, second on day 30, data collection ends day 49.

• Supplemental question limit set at 12, with comment box included; preferred language (Spanish) now required.

• Proxy respondents allowed starting January 2025; IVR mode removed.

• HCAHPS survey expands from 29 to 32 questions, with five removed and eight added.

Public reporting and Value-Based Purchasing Program impacts

• Only eight unchanged sub-measures reported during January–July 2026; 11 sub-measures reported from October 2026 onward.

• Care Transitions and Responsiveness of Hospital Staff removed from reporting during overlap period; new sub-measures added in October 2026.

• Care Transitions permanently removed; Responsiveness, Care Coordination, and Restfulness added in FY2030.

• Value-Based Purchasing Program remains budget-neutral, withholding 2% of DRG payments for redistribution.

• Scoring system and weighting of dimensions adjust as the number of dimensions changes from eight to six to nine between FY2027 and FY2030.