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CAHPS Home and Community Based Services Survey

Overview

The Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Home and Community-Based (HCBS CAHPS®) Survey is the first cross-disability survey for adults receiving long-term services and supports from state Medicaid home and community-based services and supports (HCBS) programs. It is designed to facilitate comparisons across the hundreds of state Medicaid HCBS programs throughout the country that target different adults with disabilities, e.g., older adults, persons with physical disabilities, persons with intellectual or developmental disabilities, persons with acquired brain injury, and persons with mental health or substance use disorders.

The HCBS CAHPS Survey is available for voluntary use in HCBS programs as part of quality assurance and improvement activities and public reporting.

About the Survey

The HCBS CAHPS Survey is a questionnaire with a maximum of 69 core items developed for measuring experience with the Medicaid HCBS delivered by providers. Core questions cover topics such as: getting needed services, communication with providers, case managers, choice of services, medical transportation, and personal safety, as well as community inclusion and empowerment. The survey also includes three cognitive screening questions, nine questions to identify the relevant HCBS services to be asked about, and 15 demographic questions.  A 21-item module on experience with employment services is offered as a separate supplement. The survey was developed to be administered by an interviewer in person or by telephone. English and Spanish versions of the instrument are available.

The HCBS CAHPS Survey was developed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for voluntary use by state Medicaid programs, including both fee-for-service HCBS programs as well as managed long-term services and supports (MLTSS) programs. States with adequate sample sizes may consider using survey metrics in value-based purchasing initiatives. Among other metrics, the survey items support scale measures (or composite measures). Composite measures provide information on HCBS staff reliability, communication with HCBS staff, getting help from case managers, choice of services, personal safety, adequacy of medical transportation, and community inclusion and empowerment.

Attend Technical Assistance Events

CMS holds technical assistance events, including Early Adoption Work Group meetings to support Medicaid HCBS and MLTSS programs with implementation of the HCBS CAHPS Survey. Please email HCBSMeasures@lewin.com or HCBS-CAHPS@cms.hhs.gov with questions, a technical assistance request, or to participate in the HCBS CAHPS Early Adoption Work Group.

Download the Survey

Download Technical Assistance Materials

Additional Information

Questions or requests for technical assistance related to the HCBS CAHPS Survey can be directed to  HCBSMeasures@lewin.com or HCBS-CAHPS@cms.hhs.gov.

For more information about the CAHPS surveys, a program of the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, please visit this site.