Only ICD-10 codes will be accepted by the HHCAHPS Survey Data Center for the primary and other diagnosis data variables for the fourth quarter of 2015 and beginning with the October 2015 sample month.
 
HHCAHPS survey vendors that do not receive an appropriate ICD-10 code(s) for these data variables need to code them as “M” for missing, CMS says in an announcement on the HHCAHPS website Nov. 19. If any ICD-9 codes are included in the XML file, it will cause the file to fail during upload to the HHCAHPS website.
 
It is permissible, according to HHCAHPS survey protocols, to allow agencies to submit a secondary file that contains ICD-10 codes to their vendor at a later date if it’s not possible to submit them by the monthly file deadline, CMS says. They must, however, be submitted before the quarterly data submission deadline.
 
Contact the HHCAHPS survey coordination team with questions at hhcahps@rti.org or call 866-354-0985.