The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the final versions of the Outcome and Assessment Information Set – E2 (OASIS-E2) data collection materials in advance of the April 1, 2026 implementation date.

Home health agencies should review these finalized materials promptly to ensure operational readiness across clinical, quality assurance, coding, compliance, and information technology teams.

Final OASIS-E2 Instruments and Change Table

CMS has posted the final versions of the OASIS-E2 All-Item Instrument, Time Point Instruments, and the Change Table. These documents are available on the Home Health Quality Reporting Program (HHQRP) OASIS Data Sets webpage.

CMS noted that several important revisions were made since draft versions were posted, including:

• Updated fall injury item descriptions for J1900B and J1900C
• Addition of Item A1110 (Language) to the Resumption of Care time point

Providers should ensure they are using the final instrument versions rather than earlier drafts.

Final OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual

CMS has also posted the final OASIS-E2 Guidance Manual to the Home Health Quality Reporting Program OASIS User’s Manual webpage.

The updated manual includes a comprehensive 50-page appendix detailing changes in guidance from OASIS-E1 to OASIS-E2. Given the scope of revisions, agencies are encouraged to conduct a careful review of updated definitions, scoring instructions, and data collection expectations.

Updated CMS OASIS Questions and Answers

To align with implementation, CMS released updated February 2026 versions of the CMS OASIS Questions and Answers (Q&As) on the Quality Improvement and Evaluation System Technical Support Office (QTSO) website.

Categories 1 through 4 have been revised, with more than 50 prior Q&As updated or retired to reflect OASIS-E2 guidance.

Action Steps for Agencies

With substantial updates to the instruments, manual, and Q&A resources, home health agencies should:

• Download and circulate the final materials to relevant teams
• Update internal training materials and reference guides
• Refresh clinician education to reflect revised guidance
• Confirm electronic health record systems are aligned with the final instrument specifications

Proactive preparation will help ensure accurate data collection, compliance with reporting requirements, and successful implementation on April 1, 2026.

HCAF will continue to monitor federal guidance and provide updates as implementation approaches.