Hospitals can preview star ratings, other quality data through Dec. 3

Inpatient and outpatient prospective payment system hospitals, inpatient psychiatric facilities and PPS-exempt cancer hospitals can preview their data for the January update to Hospital Compare through Dec. 3 at the QualityNet Secure Portal, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced today. For hospitals participating in the inpatient and outpatient quality reporting programs, the data includes their overall hospital quality star ratings. CMS last updated the star ratings in February, when it also requested comments on proposed future changes to the methodology in response to stakeholder feedback. AHA has urged the agency not to refresh the star ratings until potential improvements to the methodology have been vetted and are ready to implement.