The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) is a vital tool for helping Medicare eligible members assessing the effectiveness of care provided by Medicare Advantage plans and their network of health care providers.

In 2025, HOS will be conducted July 21 through November 3 and it’s important to be familiar with the survey’s key measures and how you as your patient’s provider can impact them. If your patient receives a HOS survey from CMS and asks you about it, please encourage them to take the survey.

Key Measures

Outcomes measures

• Physical health status – Evaluates the general physical well-being of members, including mobility, physical activity, and pain management. It may also include managing chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease.

• Mental health status – Assesses the psychological well-being of members, focusing on anxiety, depression, and overall mental health.

Process measures

• Monitoring physical activity – Assesses whether the patient has discussed their level of activity with their provider and received advice about increasing or maintaining their activity level.
   
• Fall risk management – Assesses if the patient has concerns about balance, walking, or falls and whether their health care provider offered advice on treatment or intervention techniques.

• Managing urinary incontinence – Assesses if a patient has experienced bladder leakage. Those who have are asked if they discussed it with their health care provider and been given treatment options and advice. 

Strategies for Improvement

Patient–provider communication is key to enhancing the effectiveness of care and improving health-related outcomes. By focusing on the following strategies, you can better support your patients’ health and well-being through ongoing assessment and targeted improvements:

EMPOWER yourself and your staff

• Educate yourself and your staff about the key Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) measures.
• Participate in Cigna’s HOS Success Series and Mental Health Awareness trainings on Brainshark.
• Use Cigna tools such as Conversation Starters and questionnaires.
• Ask your Provider Performance Enablement representative about additional tools and resources.

ENCOURAGE patient to take a lead role

• Reassure patients that it is ok to be open and honest about their health.
• Offer a questionnaire for patients to fill out for sensitive topics such as incontinence.
• Promote frequent check ins by offering telehealth options for follow up conversations.
• Remind patients about the importance of completing HOS if they receive one.

Please reach out to your PPE representative for more information on Provider Toolkit pieces and resources.