NCQA Accreditation Public Comment: We’re Listening to Feedback

April 18, 2016 · Shireesha Jevaji

Earlier this year, NCQA invited stakeholders to comment on updates affecting our accreditation products: Health Plan Accreditation, Case Management Accreditation, Managed Behavioral Health Organization Accreditation and our new Case Management Accreditation program for organizations providing long-term services and supports (LTSS).

We thank all commenters for their valuable feedback during our Accreditation Products Public Comment period.

The Post-Public Comment Process

NCQA’s Public Comment period is a chance for representatives from health plans, community-based organizations and other interested individuals to voice their opinions, suggestions and recommendations about NCQA’s proposed changes to the next year’s standards and guidelines.

After the Public Comment period ends, the NCQA team analyzes feedback by product. In May, it proposes selected recommendations to NCQA’s Standards Committee, a group of expert advisors to review and modify. The committee passes its modified recommendations to NCQA’s Board of Directors, which reviews and approves the updated accreditation standards and guidelines to release in July.

Hot Topics of Proposed Changes

NCQA received almost 3,000 comments from more than 68 organizations—health care providers, consultants, community-based organizations, health plans, state/federal agencies and more. The topics that accumulated the greatest number of comments included:

• Care Transitions. This is a continuous process in which provision of care shifts from one setting to another. Commenters proposed changes to improve care transitions, reduce health care costs and increase health care quality.
• New LTSS Requirements. These cover services and supports used by people of all ages who have functional limitations and chronic illnesses and need help to perform routine daily activities. Submitted public comment focused on expanding the scope of our current accreditation requirements to address social needs.
• Retire Standards. The name of the game is “out with the old, in with the new.” Recognizing the rapid evolution of the health care delivery system, many of the comments recommended retiring some standards and guidelines.

Stay Current

NCQA will publish a series of Public Comment blog posts that will discuss product updates. Subscribe to the NCQA Blog to keep up with the latest developments.