Disability Services Survey Stays Put: Comment If You Care
Published Date: 3/11/2026
Notice
Summary
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality wants to keep collecting info from people using home and community-based services without changing the survey. This helps states and researchers understand how well these services work for adults with disabilities. If you have thoughts, you’ve got until April 10, 2026, to share them—no cost or big time changes are expected.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
HCBS-CAHPS Database Continued Collection
AHRQ will continue collecting the HCBS-CAHPS survey data without changing the survey (OMB Control No. 0935-0245, last approved January 3, 2023). The de-identified data will remain available to states, programs, and researchers to compare Medicaid home- and community-based services for adults with disabilities and help identify quality improvements. Public comments on this continuation are due by April 10, 2026.
Respondent Time and Cost Burden
Programs and survey vendors that submit HCBS-CAHPS data will incur an estimated total annual burden of 63 hours and an estimated total annual labor cost of $6,940. The notice estimates 51 program points-of-contact (POCs) and about 13 survey vendors; registration and forms take minutes each and data file submission about 1 hour per program.
De-identified Data and Confidentiality Protections
AHRQ collects and makes available de-identified HCBS-CAHPS survey data and requires submitters to sign Data Use Agreements to protect the confidentiality of participating organizations and their data. The database uses a web-based submission platform with data use agreements and technical assistance.
Survey Metrics May Be Used in Value-Based Purchasing
The notice states that states with adequate sample sizes may consider using HCBS-CAHPS survey metrics in value-based purchasing initiatives for Medicaid HCBS programs. This means states could use the survey results as part of program performance measurement.
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Key Dates
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