Medicare Hospital Compare Updates: How to Use the Latest CMS Data Tools
Medicare Hospital Compare — now integrated into the Medicare Care Compare platform — is the federal government's primary tool for helping patients research and compare hospital quality. Regular updates to the platform bring new features and more comprehensive data to support informed healthcare decisions.
What Is Medicare Care Compare?
Formerly known as Hospital Compare, Medicare Care Compare is a free CMS website that provides detailed quality information about Medicare-certified hospitals across the United States. The platform now also covers nursing homes, home health agencies, dialysis facilities, doctors, and other healthcare providers.
Recent Platform Updates
CMS has made several improvements to the Care Compare tool:
- Enhanced search functionality: More intuitive location-based search and filtering options
- Improved comparison tools: Side-by-side comparisons with clearer visual presentation of quality differences
- Mobile-friendly design: Better access to hospital quality data on smartphones and tablets
- Additional data points: New quality measures and patient experience metrics
- Data download options: Enhanced ability to access raw quality data for research and analysis
Key Information Available
Medicare Care Compare provides several categories of hospital information:
- Overall star rating: The 1-to-5 star summary quality score
- Individual quality measures: Detailed performance data across seven quality categories
- Patient survey results: HCAHPS data on patient experience and satisfaction
- Timely and effective care: How well hospitals follow clinical guidelines
- Complications and deaths: Outcome data for specific conditions and procedures
- Unplanned hospital visits: Emergency visits and readmissions after care
- Payment and value of care: Medicare spending patterns and payment information
Tips for Using Care Compare Effectively
- Start with an overall star rating comparison, then drill into specific quality categories
- Focus on measures most relevant to your healthcare needs
- Compare at least three hospitals in your area for a meaningful comparison
- Check the data reporting period to ensure you're reviewing recent information
- Use the tool alongside your physician's recommendations
- Bookmark hospitals of interest for future reference
Data sourced from CMS. Visit Medicare Care Compare or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.
Important
This article explains how hospital quality data works and is for general information only. It is not medical advice and must not be used to decide whether to seek, delay or refuse care — that is a decision for you and a clinician who knows your situation.
CMS quality measures describe care delivered during earlier reporting periods and are refreshed roughly quarterly. A hospital's staffing, services and performance can change well before the published numbers do.
hospiguide.org is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to CMS, Medicare, or any U.S. government agency, and publishes no ratings of its own.
Before acting on anything here, verify current details at Medicare.gov Care Compare or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), TTY 1-877-486-2048.
HospiGuide.org Editorial Team
Our editorial team explains U.S. hospital quality data using official CMS datasets and government publications. We are not medical professionals, we do not recommend hospitals, and we accept no payment for coverage. Every factual claim is checked against a CMS or federal source. Read our editorial policy.
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