Reminder: CMS testing overall star ratings for hospitals

Hospitals have until Aug. 17 to review their results from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ “dry run” test of a proposed star rating system for overall hospital-level quality. The test allows hospitals to ask questions and provide feedback, which may contribute to refinements of the methodology before overall star ratings are posted on the Hospital Compare website next year. Each hospital will receive a Hospital-Specific Report, which includes its star rating results and the measures used to calculate them. CMS encourages hospitals to review their results and email their questions and comments to cmsstarratings@lantanagroup.com. For more on the dry run, including links to a mock report and HSR User Guide, visit www.qualitynet.org. CMS will host an Aug. 13 call on the overall star ratings methodology, Hospital-Specific Reports and lessons learned from the dry run. To register for the call, click here.