CMS this week said it won't update its Overall Hospital Quality star ratings or any other quality data on Hospital Compare in January, according to AHA News.
CMS collected more than 800 comments on its star ratings during a public comment period in 2019 and plans to update its methodology in 2021. The agency shared the proposed changes in its Outpatient Prospective Payment System proposed rule released Aug. 4.
Skipping the January star ratings update will give CMS more time to review public comment and finalize proposed methodology changes, the agency said.
In an August interim final rule, CMS said it would not use quality data from Jan. 1 to June 30 for quality performance or value-based payment programs due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The next Hospital Compare update will occur in July 2021 for the following measures:
- Healthcare-associated infections measure
- HCAHPS measures for inpatient and cancer hospitals
- Inpatient timely and effective care measures
- Outpatient timely and effective care measures
- Outpatient and ambulatory surgery Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems measure
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