Reminder about Rules for HHAs to Alert Patients about the HHCAHPS Survey
folder_openInformation for Home Health Agenciescalendar_todayPosted June 13, 2012

It was recently reported to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) that some Medicare-certified home health agencies (HHAs) are following guidelines provided by sources other than the Home Health Care CAHPS (HHCAHPS) Protocols and Guidelines Manual, especially guidance on how to improve response rates and/or survey results. Based on that guidance, some HHAs are reportedly distributing the HHCAHPS Survey questionnaire to their patients during admission or with informational materials.

CMS reminds HHAs that it is acceptable to inform patients during the patients’ next scheduled assessment that they may be asked to respond to a patient experience survey. It is not acceptable, however, for an HHA to:

• give a copy of the HHCAHPS Survey questionnaire to patients;
• contact patients to ask them if they want to participate in the survey;
• send letters or otherwise contact patients to advise them on how to respond to the survey questions; or
• tell patients that the HHA expects them to respond favorably or in a certain way to survey questions.

It is also not acceptable for any HHA personnel, including personal and skilled care providers, to discuss the HHCAHPS Survey with patients or help them answer survey questions. HHAs are reminded that the HHCAHPS Protocols and Guidelines Manual, which is available on the HHCAHPS Web site at the link below, is the official manual for the HHCAHPS Survey.

https://homehealthcahps.org/SurveyandProtocols/SurveyMaterials.aspx#catid1

HHAs are encouraged to make sure any guidance provided by other sources conforms to HHCAHPS protocols and guidelines. Failure to comply with the protocols described in the HHCAHPS Protocols and Guidelines Manual may put an HHA at risk of not receiving the annual payment update.

Please contact the HHCAHPS Coordination Team via email at hhcahps@rti.org or call toll-free at (866) 354-0985 if you have any questions.