Encourage Medicare Members to Respond to Health Outcomes Survey
June 18, 2026
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services sends its annual Health Outcomes Survey to a sample of our members from mid-July through early November. The survey asks Medicare members to rate their last six months of care.
If you get questions from members who have received the survey, please encourage them to respond. Consider discussing survey topics with our members throughout the year, as appropriate. These include:
Maintaining or improving physical health, including managing pain and how easy or difficult it is to move and perform daily activities
Maintaining or improving mental health, including energy levels, mood swings and sleeping habits
Monitoring physical activity
Improving bladder control
Preventing falls
Their relationship with their providers
How survey results are used: The survey’s goal is to gather data to improve the health of the Medicare population, support quality improvement activities and monitor health plan performance. The survey results also affect metrics for the CMS Five-Star Quality Rating System.
Learn more
See our Patient Experiences Checklist to review survey topics and related questions to consider discussing with your patients.
Refer to our Stars Guidebook for more details on patient experience surveys and tips to positively affect results. You can access the guidebook in Availity® Essentials in the HealthSpring Medicare Advantage payer space.
The above material is for informational/educational purposes only and is not a substitute for the independent medical judgment of a physician or other health care provider. Physicians and other health care providers are encouraged to use their own medical judgment based upon all available information and the condition of the patient in determining the appropriate course of treatment. The fact that a service or treatment is described in this material, is not a guarantee that the service or treatment is a covered benefit and members should refer to their evidence of coverage for more details, including benefits, limitations and exclusions. Regardless of benefits, the final decision about any service or treatment is between the member and their health care provider.