C15 performance rose only slightly between rating years, from 57% in the 2025 Star Ratings to 58% in 2026, with the average measure rating moving from 2.6 to 2.7 Stars. The 2026 base-group cut points also fell, with four Stars now at 62% and five Stars at 71%, down from 63% and 73%. Because the measure asks patients aged 65 and older who had a fall or balance problem whether their practitioner recommended how to prevent falls, the gap it exposes is rarely screening. It is the step from identifying risk to delivering an intervention the patient recognizes as care.
AAVBC's Reducing the Risk of Falling Stars Quick Reference Guide equips primary care clinicians and care teams with a comprehensive, evidence-aligned reference covering the C15 measure specification and HEDIS-HOS survey mechanics, 2026 cut points and Star scoring, the 12-month recall window, what a care team actually controls, risk stratification and outreach priority, high-yield interventions from exercise and medication review to assistive devices and home-safety action, common pitfalls, HOS survey integrity prohibitions, disparity gaps requiring targeted action, and documentation that closes the loop. Grounded in current CMS Star Ratings Technical Notes and peer-reviewed fall-prevention evidence, this guide supports consistent, individualized clinical decision-making, helping care teams convert an identified risk into a specific, feasible intervention, with the clarity and continuity that durable outcomes require.
AAVBC’s Deep-Dive series offers a comprehensive, structured analysis of C15 performance — moving far beyond quick-reference essentials. These guides provide an integrated review of measurement importance and impact, clinical integrations, technical details, challenges and barriers, strategies for team coordination and quality improvement as well as regulatory and financial considerations. The Deep-Dives combine evidence-informed clinical guidance with practical operational tools to support a deeper understanding of C15 performance and provide care teams with strategies to thrive within a value-based model.
C15 performance rose only slightly between rating years, from 57% in the 2025 Star Ratings to 58% in 2026, with the average measure rating moving from 2.6 to 2.7 Stars. The 2026 base-group cut points also fell, with four Stars now at 62% and five Stars at 71%, down from 63% and 73%. Because the measure asks patients aged 65 and older who had a fall or balance problem whether their practitioner recommended how to prevent falls, the gap it exposes is rarely screening. It is the step from identifying risk to delivering an intervention the patient recognizes as care.
AAVBC's Reducing the Risk of Falling Stars Quick Reference Guide equips primary care clinicians and care teams with a comprehensive, evidence-aligned reference covering the C15 measure specification and HEDIS-HOS survey mechanics, 2026 cut points and Star scoring, the 12-month recall window, what a care team actually controls, risk stratification and outreach priority, high-yield interventions from exercise and medication review to assistive devices and home-safety action, common pitfalls, HOS survey integrity prohibitions, disparity gaps requiring targeted action, and documentation that closes the loop. Grounded in current CMS Star Ratings Technical Notes and peer-reviewed fall-prevention evidence, this guide supports consistent, individualized clinical decision-making, helping care teams convert an identified risk into a specific, feasible intervention, with the clarity and continuity that durable outcomes require.
AAVBC’s Deep-Dive series offers a comprehensive, structured analysis of C15 performance — moving far beyond quick-reference essentials. These guides provide an integrated review of measurement importance and impact, clinical integrations, technical details, challenges and barriers, strategies for team coordination and quality improvement as well as regulatory and financial considerations. The Deep-Dives combine evidence-informed clinical guidance with practical operational tools to support a deeper understanding of C15 performance and provide care teams with strategies to thrive within a value-based model.
