CAHPS

Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) is a member satisfaction survey that is included as a part of Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) and National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) accreditation. It is a standardized survey administered annually to members by an NCQA certified survey vendor. The adult CAHPS survey provides information on the experiences of Medicaid members with the MCO services and gives a general indication of how well the MCO meets members’ expectations. Global rating questions reflecting overall satisfaction include rating of members’ personal doctor and rating of specialist seen most often. Composite scores summarize responses in key areas such as getting care quickly, getting needed care, how well doctors communicate and shared decision-making. The child CAHPS survey looks at the same global and composite areas but provides information on parents’ experience with Absolute Total Care services. Member responses to the CAHPS survey are used in various aspects of the quality program including monitoring of practitioner access and availability.