Medicare Health Outcome Survey (HOS)

Date: 10/01/19

What is the Health Outcomes Survey (HOS)?

The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS), in collaboration with the National Committee for Quality Assurance
(NCQA), is committed to monitoring the quality of care provided by Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAO’s) and
their providers. The Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) measures Buckeye Health Plan’s success in improving and
maintaining the functional status of our member’s for a period of time. The HOS evaluates members, 65 years and older,
each year to collect a baseline measurement, and then surveyed again two years later to measure the change in health
over time. The survey includes questions that address physical/mental health, social/physical functioning and quality of life.
The administration timeframe for HOS is between April and July.

Did you know?

The Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) is one of two annual member surveys that monitor patient/member satisfaction that
can affect CMS Star ratings. There are five HOS measures, two functional health measures and three HEDIS® Effectiveness
of Care measures, are included in the annual Medicare Part C Star Ratings.

Five HOS Measures:

• Improving or Maintaining Physical Health – Functional health measure
• Improving or Maintaining Mental Health – Functional health measure
• Monitoring Physical Activity – HEDIS® Effectiveness of Care
• Improving Bladder Control – HEDIS® Effectiveness of Care
• Reducing the Risk of Falling – HEDIS® Effectiveness of Care
  

Questions are collected to include the following four HEDIS measures that include, Management of Urinary Incontinence in Older Adults, Physical Activity in Older Adults, Fall Risk Management, and Osteoporosis Testing in Older Women.
Three Star rates from these four measures are utilized by CMS for the Medicare Part C Star Ratings:

• Improving Bladder Control is the Treatment of Urinary Incontinence rate
• Monitoring Physical Activity is the Advising Physical Activity rate
• Reducing the Risk of Falling is the Managing Fall Risk rate

Please view our Provider Tip Sheet (PDF) for more information and suggested answers to HOS survey questions.