CMS HOPE Assessment Tool Quick Guide
This document is a one stop shop for The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) user materials, education, technical information, frequently asked questions and questions & answers, and CMS help information.
CHAP developed the following HOPE resources which are available on at the links below on our website.
HOPE Assessment Tool User Materials
The HOPE updated final materials were posted by CMW 0n 4/22/2025 and include the HOPE Guidance Manual v1.01, the Items sets (HOPE Admission v1.01, HOPE Update Visit (HUV) v1.01, HOPE Discharge v1.01 and HOPE ALL Item v1.01), the HIS to HOPE v1.01 Change Table, and the HOPE Guidance Manual v1.00 to v1.01.
- HOPE-Guidance-Manual_v1.01 (PDF)
- HOPE-v1.01_All-Item_508c (PDF)
- HOPE-Item-Set-Change-Table_HIS-v3.00-to-HOPE-v1.01 (PDF)
- HOPE-Guidance-Manual_Change-Table_v1.00-to-v1.01 (PDF)
- HQRP QM User Manual Chapter-HOPE Measures 508c (PDF)
- HQRP Hospice Outcomes and Patient Evaluation (HOPE) Development and Testing Report (PDF)
HOPE Education
CMS offers a series of five self-paced recorded presentations and corresponding PDFs which highlight items that are new for HOPE, as well as the existing and updated items carried over from the Hospice Item Set (HIS).
- Part 1: Training Overview and Introduction to the HOPE Tool
- Part 2: HOPE Section A. Administrative Information Didactic Training
- Part 3: HOPE Sections F. Preferences, and I. Active Diagnoses Didactic Training
- Part 4: HOPE Section J. Health Conditions Didactic Training
- Part 5: HOPE Sections M. Skin Conditions, N. Medications, and Z. Record Admin. Didactic Training
- HOPE Timepoints Explainer Video
CMS facilitated a live coding workshop on August 5, 2025, which provided coding practice for items that are new for HOPE, as well as the existing and updated items carried over from the Hospice Item Set (HIS).
HOPE Q&A’s
CMS is answering Frequently Asked Questions about the transition from the HIS to the HOPE tool and updated HQRP reporting requirements.
HOPE Technical Information
- HOPE data specifications
The final HOPE data submission specifications (V1.00.1) version of the specifications are in effect on October 1, 2025.
- HOPE Data Specs (V1.00.1) FINAL 04-04-2025 (ZIP)
- Errata (V1.00.2) for HOPE Data Specs (V1.00.1) FINAL 05-22-2025 (PDF)
- CMS_Hospice_Vendor_Training_6-24-2025 (PDF)
- Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES)
The HOPE assessment submission and reporting functionality will be launched within the Internet Quality Improvement and Evaluation System (iQIES) on October 1, 2025.
- For information and instructions to register for a PSO iQIES account,
CASPER manual and resources – not yet posted by CMS
HOPE Validation Utility Tool (VUT)
The link to the webpage for VUT, v 1.00 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.
The VUT Link: https://iqies.cms.gov/vut
CMS resources for HOPE assistance
- Communicate with CMS about HOPE or quality measures – Hospice Quality Help Desk at HospiceQualityQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.
- Questions about accessing resources or feedback regarding training, please email the PAC Training Mailbox. Content-related questions should be submitted to HospiceQualityQuestions@cms.hhs.gov.
- For inquiries about iQIES:
- iQIES Service Center Email: iqies@cms.hhs.gov
- iQIES Service Phone Number: 1-800-339-9313
