Medicare Health Outcomes Survey
Welcome to the Medicare Health Outcomes Survey (HOS) website. The Medicare HOS (formerly the Health of Seniors Survey) is the first outcomes measure used in Medicare managed care and the largest survey effort ever undertaken by CMS. It is a longitudinal, self-administered survey, which utilizes the SF-36® (a physical and mental health status measure), and additional case mix/risk adjustment variables. The Medicare HOS is being used as part of the effectiveness of care component of the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS®). All managed care plans with Medicare + Choice contracts must participate.
One thousand Medicare beneficiaries, who were continuously enrolled for a six month period, are randomly sampled from each plan and surveyed every spring (i.e., a survey is administered to a different baseline cohort, or group, each year). Two years later, these same respondents are surveyed again (i.e., follow up measurement). Cohort I was surveyed in 1998 and was resurveyed in 2000. Cohort II was surveyed in 1999 and was resurveyed in 2001. Cohort III was surveyed in 2000 and was resurveyed in 2002. Cohort IV was surveyed in 2001 and was resurveyed in 2003. During the most recent HOS administration in 2004, Cohort VII was surveyed and Cohort V was resurveyed.
This website is designed to provide current information on the progress of the HOS project, as well as house the full spectrum of Medicare HOS related data and reports. The site includes the following sections:
- What's New section provides updates on the latest HOS project developments.
- HOS Overview section reviews the history of the Medicare HOS project, timelines, reporting results, and the survey instrument.
- HOS Instrument section provides downloadable versions of the survey instrument from each year of the HOS.
- HOS Results section discusses HOS results and the HOS reporting process, and it provides links to sample reports.
- HOS Publications section provides an overview of Medicare HOS research, a comprehensive list of HOS publications, and links to HOS-related technical reports.
- HOS Data Files section contains information on accessing Medicare HOS data, and it includes downloadable Medicare HOS public use files (PUFs) available for research purposes.
- Data User's Guides section provides documents which detail the QIO, M+CO, and PUF data specifications, instructions, and information on how to use these data.
- FAQs section provides answers to questions encountered regularly on the HOS Information and Technical Support Telephone Line and E-mail Address.
- HOS Partners section provides information on the organizations involved in the HOS project, including links to their respective websites.
- HOS Technical Expert Panel (TEP) section provides information on the HOS TEP. The TEP continues to provide input for developing the science of the HOS measure.
- Contact Us section provides contact information for the HOS project, including the Medicare HOS Information and Technical Support Telephone Line (1-888-880-0077) and E-mail Address (hos@azqio.sdps.org).
