Encourage Medicare Advantage Members to Respond to Survey on Health Care Experiences
Feb. 12, 2026
In March, the annual Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey begins for our members in Medicare Advantage and prescription drug plans. The CAHPS® survey asks members to rate their experiences with their health care providers and plans during the previous six months. It is sent by independent company Press Ganey to a random sample of members from March through June.
For HealthSpring members who had a Cigna Medicare plan in 2025, the survey will list the HealthSpring plan name on the back along with the Cigna Medicare plan they had in 2025. The survey is intended to capture their experiences over the past six months, so they may be answering questions related to both Cigna Medicare and their current HealthSpring plan.
If you get questions from members who have received the survey, please encourage them to respond. Survey topics our members may discuss with you include:
- Annual flu and pneumonia vaccines
- Ease of getting needed care and seeing specialists
- Getting appointments and care quickly
- Clear communication with providers
- Help with smoking cessation
The survey measures important aspects of care from the patient perspective, including how our members interact with you. Responses obtained from the survey influence the CMS Star Ratings, which rate Medicare Advantage plans on a scale from one to five stars.
How you may affect results: Following are tips to consider to support positive member experiences.
Access to care
- Leave openings for sick visits and urgent appointments.
- Discuss how to access telehealth services and after-hours care.
- Follow up with members’ specialists to ensure continuity of care.
Communications
- Ask members about their top health concerns.
- Keep conversations clear and simple.
- Follow up after urgent or emergency care.
Preventive care
- Recommend or administer the flu shot during flu season.
- Educate members on preventive services, chronic conditions and ongoing care.
- Screen members for risk factors, like tobacco use, and recommend appropriate lifestyle changes.
- Complete and document any health assessments.
- Identify and follow up with members who haven’t visited in the past year.
Learn more about patient experiences from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
CAHPS is a registered trademark of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.