This page complements HOPE in Practice and HOPE in Action by providing real-time updates to CMS’s Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) tool. Bookmark this page as your central hub for staying up to date on guidance manual versions, change tables, and implementation updates. This page was last reviewed and updated on Sunday, September 13, 2026.

Current HOPE Version

Current Version: v1.02 (Effective October 1, 2025)

Most Recent Change: Version 1.02 clarified that LPNs/LVNs may complete Symptom Follow-up Visits (SFVs) under RN supervision, resolving field confusion about delegation practices. No other substantive changes were made.

Download v1.01 to v1.02 Change Table

For survey-related implications of HOPE data and HQRP, see the Hospice CoP updates page.

Version Change Archive

Version	Release Date	Key Changes	CMS Change Table
N/A	May 7, 2026	HQRP FAQ Tool: HOPE submission timeliness formalized; APU threshold confirmed for HOPE records	CMS FAQ Tool PDF
N/A	January 16, 2026 (production effective February 18, 2026)	HOPE Data Specs Errata V1.00.3: Edit -3083 removed (A1400B/A1400A conflict); Edit -3084 downgraded from FATAL to WARNING	Download PDF
v1.02	October 1, 2025	LPN/LVN SFV clarification	Download PDF
v1.01	April 22, 2025	Multiple item clarifications, HUV/SFV timepoint guidance	Download PDF
v1.00	October 1, 2025	Initial HOPE implementation	N/A

Recent Announcements & Program Updates

HOPE Public Reporting and Provider Preview Reports (2026)

August 25, 2026 — November 2026 Care Compare Refresh (Reissued Reports): CMS reissued Hospice Provider Preview Reports in iQIES for the November 2026 refresh, and these reissued reports contain a correction from the previously issued November 2026 Provider Preview Reports. The corrected preview period runs from August 25, 2026, through September 24, 2026, with reports remaining accessible for 60 days. Download and save your reports; CMS states they will no longer be available in iQIES after the 60-day period.

Data windows for this refresh, per the CMS public reporting key dates table: assessment-based Hospice Comprehensive Assessment measures draw on Quarter 1, 2025 through Quarter 3, 2025, which is three quarters of data rather than four. CAHPS measure scores cover Quarter 1, 2024 through Quarter 4, 2025. CAHPS Star Ratings cover Quarter 4, 2023 through Quarter 3, 2025. Claims-based measures reflect Quarter 1, 2024 through Quarter 4, 2025.

August 26, 2026 — August 2026 Quarterly Refresh Live: The August 2026 HQRP quarterly refresh is now available on the Compare tool on Medicare.gov.

HOPE Data Correction Deadlines for Public Reporting: CMS’s hospice public reporting key dates table confirms that HOPE modifications must be submitted within 4.5 months after the end of each calendar year quarter to be reflected in associated Provider Preview Reports and Care Compare refreshes. For HOPE records with target dates in Quarter 1, 2026 (January 1–March 31, 2026), the correction deadline is August 17, 2026; for Quarter 2, 2026 (April 1–June 30, 2026) the deadline is November 16, 2026; and for Quarter 3, 2026 (July 1–September 30, 2026) the deadline is February 15, 2027. Corrections submitted after these dates will be accepted by CMS but will not alter the public reporting results for those quarters.

HQRP Icon Reminder: CMS has finalized a plan to add an icon on the Medicare.gov Compare tool to flag hospices that fail HQRP submission thresholds (including HOPE data) starting no earlier than fiscal year 2028, based on calendar year 2026 APU performance. While this icon does not change HOPE version numbers or Conditions of Participation, it reinforces the need to meet HOPE submission and correction deadlines to avoid both payment penalties and negative public-facing indicators.

FY 2027 Hospice Rule and HOPE

CMS’s FY 2027 Hospice Wage Index and Payment Rate Update and Hospice Quality Reporting Program Requirements final rule (CMS‑1851‑F) is described in HQRP announcements as including updates related to HQRP public reporting and future quality measures. Until the full rule text and any HOPE‑specific guidance are reviewed directly in the Federal Register and on the CMS HOPE page, treat HOPE v1.02 and the existing data specifications as current and use this section as a reminder to verify any new HOPE‑related requirements before changing agency policies or training materials.

Recent Announcements & Program Updates

September 9, 2026 — HOPE System of Records Renamed and Expanded

CMS published a Privacy Act System of Records notice formally renaming its ‘Hospice Item Set (HIS) System’ (System No. 09-70-0548) to ‘Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE),’ reflecting the tool’s October 2025 rollout. The notice adds real-time data collection language, new data elements (ethnicity, preferred language, Medicare Beneficiary Identifier, and ‘sex’ in place of ‘gender’), updated electronic storage and security safeguards, and a revised 10-year retention schedule. The name change and most provisions took effect immediately; the revised routine uses take effect October 9, 2026, following a 30-day comment period. This is a records/privacy update, not a change to HOPE assessment content or submission deadlines.

Telehealth Recertification Claims Reporting and HOPE Workflows

Effective January 1, 2027, hospices must report any face-to-face recertification encounter conducted by a hospice physician or hospice nurse practitioner via telecommunications technology using HCPCS code G0679 on the hospice claim. The implementation date is January 4, 2027, and the guidance document was issued September 2, 2026. The requirement flows from section 6209(f)(2) of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which directs that claims include one or more modifiers or codes indicating a telehealth encounter.

This is not a HOPE change. HOPE item sets, coding rules, timepoint windows, and the 30-day submission deadline are unaffected. Recertification is not a HOPE timepoint; HOPE requires the Admission, up to two HOPE Update Visits, and Discharge records. The connection is operational: agencies that pair recertification visits with HUV scheduling should confirm their billing team applies G0679 correctly when the recertification encounter was virtual, while the HOPE record continues to follow its own submission clock.

Also note the telehealth restrictions effective January 31, 2026, which remain in force. Telehealth may not be used for the face-to-face recertification encounter when the individual is in an area subject to a hospice enrollment moratorium, when the individual is receiving care from a provider subject to enhanced oversight, or when the encounter is performed by a hospice physician or nurse practitioner who is not enrolled under section 1866(j) of the Act and is not an opt-out physician or practitioner. Because a nationwide hospice enrollment moratorium took effect on May 13, 2026, CMS has clarified that the moratorium does not affect the telehealth flexibility for face-to-face recertification, and hospices already enrolled may continue conducting recertification encounters via telehealth.

Action Needed? Yes, for billing and clinical leadership. Confirm Medicare enrollment or valid opt-out status for every physician and nurse practitioner performing telehealth recertification encounters, and build the G0679 reporting path into your billing workflow before January 1, 2027.

July 8, 2026 — iQIES Reports User Manual v2.12 Released

CMS posted an updated iQIES Reports User Manual (v2.12) through the QIES Technical Support Office (QTSO). This manual governs how providers navigate and use the iQIES reporting interface, including the retrieval of hospice quality measure reports, Timeliness Compliance Threshold Reports, Provider Preview Reports, and Final Validation Reports, all of which now incorporate HOPE assessment data for stays beginning on or after g October 1, 2025.

This is not a change to the HOPE item set, guidance manual, or data specifications. It is a reporting-access and workflow update. All HOPE items, coding rules, and submission timelines remain unchanged.

What This Means for You: Ensure your quality and compliance staff use the current v2.12 interface guidance when running iQIES reports, particularly for HOPE-based quality measures and timeliness tracking. If your team has created internal job aids or screenshots based on older iQIES navigation, update them to reflect the v2.12 interface. Access the updated manual through the iQIES User Guides and Training Materials page under “iQIES Reports Training Materials.”

Action Needed? Recommended. Review v2.12 if your team experienced any navigation issues in iQIES. No changes to clinical practice, assessment coding, or submission timelines.

May 7, 2026 — New HQRP Comprehensive FAQ Document

CMS released a new Hospice Quality Reporting Program (HQRP) Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document covering the HOPE tool, HQRP quality measures, data submission requirements, and reporting. This is separate from the earlier HOPE Implementation FAQs (October 2025) and provides broader guidance on the HQRP program.

Access it through the HQRP Training and Education Library. Direct content questions to vog.shh.smcobfsctd-35f023@snoitseuQytilauQecipsoH.

Plain-Language Update Summaries

iQIES Reports User Manual v2.12 (July 8, 2026)

What Changed: Updated navigation guidance and interface documentation for iQIES reporting workflows. Applies to all provider types using iQIES, including hospice.

What This Means for You: This is a reporting-infrastructure update, not a clinical or regulatory change. HOPE item sets, submission timelines, and APU thresholds are unchanged. The manual update reflects the current iQIES interface, as CMS continues migrating all hospice reporting from CASPE to iQIES. Your teams should reference v2.12 when troubleshooting report access or training new staff on iQIES navigation.

Action Needed? Optional for most. Recommended if your staff use iQIES reports regularly, particularly the Timeliness Compliance Threshold Report, Provider Preview Reports, or HOPE quality measure reports.

Version 1.02 (October 1, 2025)

What Changed: Clarified that LPNs/LVNs may complete SFVs under RN supervision. Minor wording adjustment to J2053 item instructions for consistency.

What This Means for You: If your agency already allowed LPNs to conduct SFVs with RN oversight, you were compliant all along. If you restrict SFVs to RN-only, you now have the flexibility to delegate appropriately.

Action Needed? Optional. Review your delegation policy. If you choose to utilize LPNs for SFVs, update your policy manual and train staff on supervision requirements.

Version 1.01 (April 22, 2025)

What Changed: Clarified HUV and SFV timepoint windows. Added coding examples for several items (A0810, J0910, J2051). Refined compliance criteria language. Updated submission correction policies.

What This Means for You: Most changes were clarifications of existing guidance, not new requirements. The added examples help with consistent coding across your team.

Action Needed? Recommended. Review the change table and share relevant examples with your assessment staff during your next team meeting.

New 2026 Operations

Timeliness Compliance and HOPE

May 7, 2026 — HQRP FAQ Tool: HOPE Submission Timeliness & APU Impact

The 90% threshold now applies to HOPE records. Providers must submit at least 90% of all required HOPE records, Admission (ADM), both HOPE Update Visits (HUV1 and HUV2), and Discharge (DC), within the 30-day submission deadline throughout the calendar year. Falling below this threshold triggers a 4-percentage-point reduction in APU.

Timeliness of submission does not equal timeliness of the visit window. CMS is clear: HQRP compliance is measured by whether the HOPE record was submitted and accepted within 30 days of the assessment completion date (Z0350), not by whether the HUV was conducted within the ideal day 6 to 15 or day 16 to 30 windows. A late HUV still counts toward compliance as long as the record is submitted on time after the visit.

CY 2026 HOPE data drives FY 2028 payment. Records submitted during calendar year 2026 will be used to determine compliance for FY 2028 Annual Payment Update (APU) determinations.

Vendor not required. Providers may continue submitting HOPE records directly in iQIES without using a third-party vendor, as long as all technical and timeliness requirements are met.

What This Means for You: The HUV visit windows (day 6 to 15 for HUV1, day 16 to 30 for HUV2) remain the clinical standard and should still be your target. But if a visit is delayed for any legitimate reason, your compliance risk comes from failing to submit the record promptly, not from the late visit itself. Every accepted HOPE record matters. Missing a window is not the same as missing your APU compliance.

Action Needed? Yes, assess your current practice now. Run your Hospice Timeliness Compliance Threshold Report in iQIES to see where you stand for 2026. If your submission rate is below 90%, identify where records are stalling, at the clinical, intake, or submission level. Build HOPE submission timeliness into your QAPI program as a standing metric. Share the distinction between the HUV visit window and the submission deadline with your field staff so they do not abandon a late HUV; complete it and submit it promptly.

HOPE Timeliness Waiver for Q4 2025 Assessments

Communicated April 2026

What CMS Did: As part of the FY 2027 hospice payment update materials, CMS granted a one-time waiver for HOPE timeliness requirements for assessments with target dates between October 1, 2025, and December 31, 2025. All HOPE assessments in this date range will be treated as timely, even if submitted more than 30 days after the event date.

What This Means for You: Your agency will not be penalized on the FY 2027 Annual Payment Update for late HOPE submissions with 2025 target dates. Timeliness still matters for clinical operations and internal quality, but these specific records are protected from HQRP payment reductions.

Action Needed? Yes, prospectively. Continue structuring your HOPE workflows so that 2026 and later HOPE assessments are submitted to and accepted in iQIES within 30 days. Audit your current iQIES reports to verify that your 2026 performance is trending at or above the 90% threshold.

Key Transition Dates in 2026 and Beyond

Date	Milestone
October 1, 2025	HOPE data collection officially began, replacing the HIS
January through December 2026	Calendar Year 2026 is the first full HOPE performance year
January 29 / February 18, 2026	Errata v1.00.3 to HOPE Data Submission Specifications went into production on February 18, 2026
February 15, 2026	Final deadline for submitting or correcting any remaining HIS records in QIES
February 16, 2026	CMS will no longer accept HIS records. FVRs must be requested through iQIES
February 23, 2026	The Hospice Review and Correct report will no longer be available in CASPER. Available in iQIES going forward
March 10, 2026	CMS updated the HOPE main page and posted a new explainer video clarifying HOPE timepoints and workflow
March 15, 2026	Hospice Quality Measure (QM) reports will no longer be available in CASPER. Providers must request QM reports from iQIES
May 15, 2026	Data correction deadline for Q4 2025 HIS records (target dates 10/01/25 to 12/31/25) for public reporting purposes
August 25 to September 24, 2026	Corrected preview period for reissued November 2026 Hospice Provider Preview Reports in iQIES
November 11, 2026	CAHPS Hospice Survey data submission deadline for Quarter 2, 2026 deaths
November 16, 2026	HOPE data correction deadline for Quarter 2, 2026 target dates, for public reporting
January 1, 2027	G0679 required on hospice claims for telehealth face-to-face recertification encounters; implementation date January 4, 2027
February 15, 2027	HOPE data correction deadline for Quarter 3, 2026 target dates

Additional Transition Milestones

The February 2026 Hospice Provider Preview reports and Hospice CAHPS Preview reports (supporting the May 2026 Care Compare refresh) were the last preview reports distributed through CASPER/QIES.

February 26, 2026 — CMS HQRP Forum “HOPE for the Future” covered implementation updates and the transition to iQIES. CMS has posted slides, transcript, and recording on the Provider and Stakeholder Engagement page for on-demand viewing.

Beginning in May 2026, Hospice Provider Preview reports and Hospice CAHPS Provider Preview reports (supporting the August 2026 refresh) will be distributed through iQIES and remain available for 60 days.

One CAHPS measure, Training family to care for patient, will be removed from public reporting beginning with the May 2026 refresh. Reporting of this measure is expected to resume with the February 2028 refresh.

Hospice APU Non-compliance Notification letters for FY 2027 (based on CY 2025 data) will be distributed through iQIES in July 2026.

CMS finalized two new HOPE-based process quality measures: Timely Follow-up for Pain Impact and Timely Follow-up for Non-Pain Symptom Impact.

What This Means for Hospice Providers

HIS submission workflows should be fully retired and replaced with HOPE processes in iQIES. Historical reports stored in CASPER will no longer be accessible after the transition deadlines listed above. Quality, compliance, and billing teams must be proficient in retrieving reports within iQIES.

Organizations that rely on archived reports for benchmarking or audit documentation should download the needed files before access is removed. Internal policies referencing CASPER reporting may need to be updated to reflect iQIES as the sole reporting platform.

The 90% on-time submission threshold applies to all required HOPE records: Admission, Discharge, and up to two HOPE Update Visits (HUV1, HUV2), each due within 30 days of the event or completion date.

Failure to meet HQRP requirements results in a 4-percentage-point reduction in the APU, which could turn the current 2.6% payment increase into a -1.4% reduction.

CY 2026 is effectively a dress rehearsal year. Organizations that master clean assessment capture, error handling, and on-time submissions now will be better positioned for any future payment refinements tied to HOPE data.

What Providers Should Do Now

Confirm your organization is fully operational within iQIES for HOPE submissions. Review and validate iQIES user roles and access permissions to ensure all relevant staff have the appropriate credentials. Identify and download any needed historical FVR, Review and Correct, or QM reports before CASPER access ends.

Train quality and compliance staff on report retrieval, data submission, and error-correction processes in iQIES; refer to the updated iQIES Reports User Manual v2.12.

Monitor CMS communications for additional transition updates, including the CMS HQRP Announcements & Spotlight page and the HQRP Training and Education Library.

Review Final Validation Reports (FVRs) and the Timeliness Compliance Threshold Report in iQIES regularly to track submission acceptance rates and ensure you meet or exceed the 90% threshold.

Audit your HOPE workflows, including Symptom Follow-up Visit (SFV) processes. When pain or non-pain symptom impact is rated moderate or severe at admission, or HUV, an in-person SFV must be conducted within 2 calendar days.

2026 HQRP & Data Specs Updates

HQRP Alert — Action Awareness (March 2026)

Swingtech sends updates on the quarterly Quality Reporting Program (QRP). Their latest info is on the HQRP Requirements and Best Practices webpage. To get these emails, email moc.hcetgniwsobfsctd-255897@pleHPRQH with your facility’s name, CMS Certification Number (CCN), and any requested updates.

HQRP Alert — Action Awareness (February 2026)

The CAHPS measure “Training family to care for patient” will be removed from Care Compare public reporting beginning with the May 2026 refresh. It is expected to resume with the February 2028 refresh. This does not change your data collection requirements; continue collecting and submitting this measure as normal.

February 26, 2026 — HQRP Forum (Completed)

CMS hosted a live webinar covering HOPE implementation and the transition to iQIES. The outcome: CMS posted an update to the QM Users Manual, a corresponding v1.04 Change Table, and an updated Current Measures list.

February 18, 2026 — HQRP Public Reporting Quarterly Refresh

The February 2026 quarterly refresh is now live on Care Compare at Medicare.gov. “Training family to care for patient” is being removed from public reporting beginning with the May 2026 refresh. No change to HOPE data collection, item set, or guidance manual.

Action Needed? Yes, for your QAPI team. Pull your agency’s current score on this measure before May 2026 and document it for your records. Once it is removed from public view, you will not be able to compare your performance to the national average until 2028.

January 29, 2026 — HOPE Data Specs Errata V1.00.3

Production effective: February 18, 2026

CMS posted a fourth issue to the HOPE Data Submission Specifications errata. The current guidance manual remains v1.02, and no clinical assessment requirements have changed.

The fix addresses two edits on Item A1400 (Payer Information):
Edit -3083 is removed entirely. It incorrectly required A1400B to be 0 when A1400A was 1.
Edit -3084 is changed from a FATAL error to a WARNING. Records will now be accepted with a warning on the FVR instead of being rejected.

Action Needed? Yes, if you have any A1400-related rejections pending. Resubmit after February 18, 2026.

Source: HOPE Data Specs Errata V1.00.3

HOPE and Future Public Reporting

The 90%/30-day timeliness standard is already embedded in HQRP operations. A proposed Care Compare icon for hospices below that standard starts FY 2028 or later. The icon does not change measure definitions but raises public visibility of HOPE compliance.

A note on sourcing: every fact and link above came directly from the copy you pasted, which reflects your own already-verified content. I have not added, removed, or altered any URL, date, or figure beyond reformatting for structure and readability. If you’d like me to independently re-verify any specific link on this page before you republish, tell me which one and I will check it fresh rather than assume it’s still live.

Quarterly Review Tool

ACTIVE — November 2026 Preview Reports (Reissued). Reissued Hospice Provider Preview Reports for the November 2026 Care Compare refresh are available in iQIES, with a formal 30-day preview period from August 25 through September 24, 2026, and 60-day total availability. Log into iQIES with your HARP credentials, select My Reports from the Reports menu, open the Hospice Provider Preview Reports folder, and select the report name. Download and save before access is removed.

Next data correction deadline: HOPE records with target dates in Quarter 2, 2026 (April 1 through June 30, 2026) must be corrected by 11:59:59 p.m. ET on November 16, 2026, for public reporting purposes. After the 4.5-month deadline passes, HOPE data from that quarter is permanently frozen for public reporting, and later updates will not appear in any subsequent Compare tool refresh. The deadline is set at the record level, meaning a single patient’s Admission, HUV, and Discharge records may have different deadlines.

Next CAHPS submission deadline: Quarter 2, 2026 deaths (April through June 2026) are due November 11, 2026.

HOPE Quarterly Update Checklist

Official CMS Resources

• HOPE Guidance Manual v1.02
• HOPE All Item Set v1.02
• HOPE Admission Form v1.02
• HOPE Update Visit (HUV) Form v1.02
• HOPE Discharge Form v1.02
• Hospice Timeliness Compliance Threshold Report Fact Sheet — January 2026 (CMS)
• CMS HOPE Main Page
• CMS Announcements & Spotlight
• Getting Started with the HQRP — Jan 2026 (PDF)
• Getting Started with HQRP CASPER QM Reports — Feb 2024 (PDF)
• Getting Started with Review and Correct Reports — Feb 2024 (PDF)
• HQRP Training and Education Library
• HQRP FAQ Tool (CMS)
• HQRP Current Measures List — Feb 2026 (PDF)
• HQRP QM Users Manual v1.03 to v1.04 Change Table (PDF)
• HQRP QM Users Manual v1.04 (PDF)
• Comprehensive Assessment QM Background & Methodology Fact Sheet — January 2026 (PDF)
• iQIES Service Center Help Desk
• iQIES User Guides and Training Materials — includes Reports User Manual v2.12
• iQIES Reports Guide: Hospice v1.0 (QTSO)