HEDIS VOLUME 6 LICENSE AGREEMENT
In downloading HEDIS® Volume 6 (the "Product"), I certify that my organization and/or I will use the Product solely for one of the following purposes as related to CMS's HEDIS Medicare Health Outcomes Survey ("HOS") and/or Medicare Health Outcomes Survey-Modified ("HOS-M") (individually, a "Survey"and collectively, the "Surveys"):
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Internal, non-commercial informational (reference) purposes
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Participating in or fielding the official CMS Survey
Survey use outside of the above permitted uses, including but not limited to fielding Survey questions outside the official CMS-sponsored HOS Program (e.g., health plan quality improvement surveys), or providing commercial services (e.g., offering products or services for a fee), requires submission of the HOS Survey Intake Form, stating the purpose which you are downloading the Surveys, a Survey Use Request Form, and signed Terms of Use, found on NCQA's HOS Webpage. Email the completed Survey Use Request Application and Terms of Use form to hos@ncqa.org. NCQA will let you know the status of the Survey Use Request Application within 10 business days.
Blackout Period
Survey vendors, health plans, or their agents are prohibited from administering any Survey questions to Medicare beneficiaries eight weeks before and during HOS administration.
Risks of Off-Cycle Surveys:
Surveys of Medicare beneficiaries that overlap with official CMS surveys could have a negative effect on how Medicare beneficiaries respond to the non-CMS as well as the CMS survey. Some Medicare beneficiaries may be confused by the similarities between the surveys which could result in even stronger negative effects.
Medicare beneficiaries who receive requests to participate in multiple off-cycle or overlapping surveys are likely to ignore one or more of those requests, putting all official Survey response rates at risk.
I acknowledge that any use outside the aforementioned categories, including but not limited to fielding of Survey questions outside the official CMS-sponsored HOS Program or commercial use of the Product, must be approved by NCQA and I must submit the HOS Survey Intake Form, complete a Survey Use Request Form, and acknowledge the Terms of Use, found on NCQA's HOS Webpage.
