CMS Will Not Update Overall Hospital Star Ratings in July

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today announced it will not update its overall hospital quality star ratings on Hospital Compare in July. “CMS has decided to postpone the July star ratings update to give time for additional analysis of the impact of changes to some of the measures on the star ratings and to address stakeholder concerns,” the agency said. “When changes are made to the underlying measures it is vital to take the time needed to understand the impact of those changes and ensure we are giving consumers the most useful information.” As part of this process, CMS said it will seek feedback from a multi-disciplinary technical expert panel, a provider leadership workgroup, and a public comment period. Prior to this announcement, AHA has raised questions to the agency regarding data in the star ratings preview reports. “CMS made the right call in postponing the July update of star ratings, and we appreciate the agency allowing more time for a fuller analysis of its methodology and measures and to hear from stakeholders, including hospitals and health systems, about concerns found in many preview reports,” said AHA Executive Vice President Tom Nickels. “As longstanding supporters of transparency, the AHA is committed to continuing the dialog with CMS about the goal we share – providing the public with accurate, meaningful information about quality."