Significant changes to the HHCAHPS survey will take effect April 1, 2026, marking the first major update since the survey’s original implementation.

Several existing questions will be removed, including four medication-related questions, questions asking whether patients received nursing or therapy services, and a poorly performing question related to discussions at the start of care. In their place, three new questions will be added.

One notable addition asks whether the patient felt the agency cared about them as a person. Because this question appears early in the survey, it has the potential to influence how patients respond to subsequent questions, underscoring the importance of person-centered care. Another new question focuses on whether family members or friends received enough information to support the patient, to the extent the patient desired, highlighting the need for clear communication and appropriate consent.

These survey changes will also affect quality measurement. Under the Home Health Value-Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model, the number of HHCAHPS-related measures will be reduced from five to two, and HHCAHPS Star Ratings will be updated to align with the revised survey.

Agencies should connect with their HHCAHPS vendor before April 1 to confirm readiness. CMS has also confirmed that an email version of the HHCAHPS survey will not be allowed, citing poor testing results.