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2017 CAHPS Health Plan Survey Chartbook

Appendix B. Definition of Composites, Items, and Ratings

The following tables present the composites and individual items and ratings for the 5.0 Adult Medicaid and Child versions of the CAHPS Health Plan Survey.

Table B-1. Adult Medicaid Composites and Rating Items for 5.0 Version of CAHPS Health Plan Survey

Question Text Response Options
Getting Needed Care  
In the last 6 months, how often did you get an appointment to see a specialist as soon as you needed?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Usually
  • Always
In the last 6 months, how often was it easy to get the care, tests, or treatment you needed?
Getting Care Quickly  
In the last 6 months, when you needed care right away, how often did you get care as soon as you needed?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Usually
  • Always
In the last 6 months, how often did you get an appointment for a check-up or routine care at a doctor's office or clinic as soon as you needed?
How Well Doctors Communicate  
In the last 6 months, how often did your personal doctor explain things in a way that was easy to understand?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Usually
  • Always
In the last 6 months, how often did your personal doctor listen carefully to you?
In the last 6 months, how often did your personal doctor show respect for what you had to say?
In the last 6 months, how often did your personal doctor spend enough time with you?
Health Plan Information & Customer Service  
In the last 6 months, how often did your health plan's customer service give you the information or help you needed?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Usually
  • Always
In the last 6 months, how often did your health plan's customer service staff treat you with courtesy and respect?
Overall Ratings  
Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst health care possible and 10 is the best health care possible, what number would you use to rate all your health care in the last 6 months?
  • 0–10
Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst personal doctor possible and 10 is the best personal doctor possible, what number would you use to rate your personal doctor?
Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst specialist possible and 10 is the best specialist possible, what number would you use to rate the specialist?
Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst health plan possible and 10 is the best health plan possible, what number would you use to rate your health plan?

Table B-2. Child Medicaid and CHIP Composites and Rating Items for 5.0 Version of CAHPS Health Plan Survey

Question Text Response Options
Getting Needed Care  
In the last 6 months, how often was it easy to get the care, tests, or treatment your child needed?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Usually
  • Always
In the last 6 months, how often did you get an appointment for your child to see a specialist as soon as you needed?
Getting Care Quickly  
In the last 6 months, when your child needed care right away, how often did your child get care as soon as he or she needed?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Usually
  • Always
In the last 6 months, when you made an appointment for a check-up or routine care for your child at a doctor's office or clinic, how often did you get an appointment as soon as your child needed?
How Well Doctors Communicate  
In the last 6 months, how often did your child's personal doctor explain things about your child's health in a way that was easy to understand?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Usually
  • Always
In the last 6 months, how often did your child's personal doctor listen carefully to you?
In the last 6 months, how often did your child's personal doctor show respect for what you had to say?
In the last 6 months, how often did your child's personal doctor explain things in a way that was easy for your child to understand?
In the last 6 months, how often did your child's personal doctor spend enough time with your child?
Health Plan Information & Customer Service  
In the last 6 months, how often did customer service at your child's health plan give you the information or help you needed?
  • Never
  • Sometimes
  • Usually
  • Always
In the last 6 months, how often did customer service staff at your child's health plan treat you with courtesy and respect?
Overall Ratings  
Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst personal doctor possible and 10 is the best personal doctor possible, what number would you use to rate your child's personal doctor?
  • 0–10
Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst personal doctor possible and 10 is the best personal doctor possible, what number would you use to rate your child’s specialist?
Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst health care possible and 10 is the best health care possible, what number would you use to rate all your child’s health care in the last 6 months?
Using any number from 0 to 10, where 0 is the worst health plan possible and 10 is the best health plan possible, what number would you use to rate your child's health plan?

 

Page last reviewed October 2017
Page originally created October 2017

Internet Citation: Appendix B. Definition of Composites, Items, and Ratings. Content last reviewed October 2017. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD.
https://www.ahrq.gov/cahps/cahps-database/comparative-data/2017-health-plan-chartbook/appendix-b.html

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