AHA Statement on Star Ratings Update

Tom Nickels

Executive Vice President

American Hospital Association

February 28, 2019

America’s hospitals and health systems have long supported transparency on quality and safety data because patients and their families need clear, useful information to make health care decisions. However, CMS’s approach to star ratings has been flawed from the outset. Today’s update has not addressed the major concerns about the methodology and usefulness of the star ratings. That is why the AHA asked CMS to postpone its publication until concerns about the methodology could be remedied. We appreciate that CMS continues to seek comment on changes, but would have preferred the agency had waited to release these ratings until a more reliable methodology is in place. We remain committed to working with CMS on our shared goal – providing the public with accurate, purposeful information about quality.

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Contact:      

Colin Milligan (202) 638-5491, cmilligan@aha.org