Jul 31, 2025
To: Hospice Providers, Hospice Vendors
CMS is excited to announce that the Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) assessment submission and reporting functionality will be launched within the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) on October 1, 2025.
All Medicare-certified hospice providers should note significant changes to the Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) effective from October 1, 2025:
- The HOPE tool will replace the current Hospice Item Set (HIS) as of October 1, 2025. HOPE includes a combination of existing HIS items, revised items, and new items.
- HOPE records must be submitted to CMS via iQIES instead of QIES.
Note that: HIS records submitted before October 1, 2025, will be available for modifications and inactivations within the QIES system through February 15, 2026.
The HOPE Validation Utility Tool (VUT) for vendor testing is now available. The link to the VUT page is provided below. Once on the page select a provider data specification and upload a test file to validate assessment upload compatibility. Results will be displayed in the Final Validation report within the VUT.
Version: HOPE v1.00
The VUT Link: https://iqies.cms.gov/vut
CMS will provide additional information through various email notifications regarding training, onboarding, details on what to expect, and more.
For inquiries about iQIES:
- iQIES Service Center Email: iqies@cms.hhs.gov
- iQIES Service Phone Number: 1-800-339-9313. Please note that call volume may be higher than normal during this time.
Create a new ticket online or track an existing ticket please use the CCSQ Support Central: Self-Service Portal.
For questions regarding HOPE:
- HQRP Help Desk Email: HospiceQualityQuestions@cms.hhs.gov