UDS Submissions for Calendar Year 2025 are due in EHB 2/15/2026
As 2025 draws to a close and health centers finalize their annual data collection, it's time to shift focus toward the February 15, 2026 UDS reporting deadline. This year brings notable changes to the Uniform Data System that will affect how your organization collects and reports data. Understanding these updates now positions your team for success when submission season arrives.
HRSA released modifications to the 2025 UDS reporting requirements through the Program Assistance Letter 2025-03. These changes span multiple tables and introduce new clinical measures while removing others, requiring health centers to adjust data collection systems, EHR configurations, and staff workflows well before year-end reporting begins.
Below you'll find the essential updates you need to know, plus practical guidance on preparing your organization for seamless 2025 data collection and 2026 submission.
View the complete 2025 UDS Manual.
What’s Changing in 2-25 UDS Reporting
Table 3B: Demographic Characteristics – Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Measures Removed
HRSA has eliminated sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) data collection requirements to align with current Administration priorities. While health centers may continue collecting this information internally for quality improvement purposes, these fields will no longer be reported through UDS. Update your EHR data extraction configurations to exclude SOGI from UDS reporting workflows.
Table 6A: Three New Measures Address Critical Health Priorities
1. Tobacco Use Cessation Pharmacotherapies (Line 26c2)
This measure captures visits and patients receiving medication-based tobacco cessation treatment, including nicotine replacement therapies, varenicline, and bupropion. With health center patient smoking rates (21.3%) nearly double the national average, tracking pharmacotherapy utilization helps HRSA understand the full spectrum of tobacco cessation interventions being deployed across health centers.
2. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder - MOUD (Line 26c3)
Report the number of visits and patients receiving MOUD as part of comprehensive substance use disorder treatment. This measure enhances existing MOUD reporting in Appendix E and recognizes the essential role health centers play in combating the ongoing opioid crisis through evidence-based medication treatment.
3. Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias Screening (Line 26f)
Track cognitive screenings using standardized assessment tools for aging populations served by your health center. This new measure supports early detection and intervention for patients experiencing or at risk for cognitive decline, addressing the growing healthcare needs of older adults in your community.
Table 6B: New Substance Use Disorder Treatment Quality Measure
Lines 23a and 23b introduce a new two-part measure tracking initiation and engagement of substance use disorder treatment for patients aged 13 and older:
Line 23a: Percentage of patients who initiated treatment within 14 days of new SUD episode diagnosis
Line 23b: Percentage of patients who engaged in ongoing treatment within 34 days of initiation
This measure aligns with CMS eCQM CMS137v13 and emphasizes the importance of timely treatment access and sustained patient engagement in substance use disorder care.
Tables 6B & 7: Electronic Clinical Quality Measure Updates
Thirteen clinical quality measures have been revised to align with the versions of CMS Electronic-clinical quality measures (eCQM) designated for the 2025 reporting period. This alignment decreases reporting burden, improves data quality, and ensures consistency across national programs including CMS' Measures Inventory, Medicaid Core Sets, and the Quality Payment Program.
Updated measures include:
Childhood Immunization Status (CMS117v13)
Cervical Cancer Screening (CMS124v13)
Breast Cancer Screening (CMS125v13)
Weight Assessment and Counseling for Nutrition and Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents (CMS155v13)
Preventive Care and Screening: Body Mass Index Screening and Follow-Up Plan (CMS69v13)
Preventive Care and Screening: Tobacco Use: Screening and Cessation Intervention (CMS138v13)
Statin Therapy for the Prevention and Treatment of Cardiovascular Disease (CMS347v8)
Colorectal Cancer Screening (CMS130v13)
HIV Screening (CMS349v7)
Preventive Care and Screening: Screening for Depression and Follow-Up Plan (CMS2v14)
Depression Remission at 12 months (CMS159v13)
Controlling High Blood Pressure (CMS165v13)
Diabetes: Glycemic Status Assessment Greater than 9% (CMS122v13) – This measure was renamed from 'Diabetes: Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) Poor Control (> 9%)'
Health centers should review the 2025 UDS Manual and Attachment 3 of the Program Assistance Letter for detailed specifications of these measure updates.
Final Steps Before February 15, 2026 Submission
With the February 15, 2026 deadline approaching, now is the time for final preparation and data validation. Here's what your team should focus on in the coming weeks:
Verify Your 2025 Data Collection
Run preliminary UDS reports now to identify any data gaps or inconsistencies in the three new Table 6A measures and the SUD treatment quality measure. If you haven't been tracking these measures throughout 2025, work with your IT team to extract any available data before year-end closes.
Complete Year-End Reconciliation
Finalize your year-end close processes and reconcile financial data, patient counts, and service utilization across all tables. Ensure your EHR data extraction excludes SOGI fields from UDS reporting as these measures have been removed.
Allocate Tables and Set Internal Deadlines
Assign specific UDS tables to team members and establish internal deadlines well before February 15. Building in time for review and quality checks prevents last-minute submission stress and reduces errors.
How Community Link Consulting Supports Your UDS Success
The February deadline doesn't have to be stressful. At CLC, we specialize in UDS submissions and know exactly what it takes to get your report submitted accurately and on time. From the complex financial tables (8A, 9D, and 9E) to coordinating your staffing and utilization data in Table 5, we handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on running your health center.
We'll work with you to gather the right information, prepare your workbooks, and if you need it, even handle the EHB data entry and navigate those post-submission review remarks. Think of us as an extension of your team during UDS season; experienced, reliable, and ready to help you meet the deadline with confidence.
Contact Community Link Consulting:
Phone: 509-226-1393
Email: info@communitylinkconsulting.com
Website: https://www.communitylinkconsulting.com
About the Author
Carolyn Commers, Lead Consultant
Carolyn brings 20 years of healthcare financial management experience to Community Link Consulting, specializing in UDS reporting, cost reports, and financial analysis for health centers. With her background as Director of Practice Management for a large hospital system and extensive expertise in operational management and regulatory compliance, Carolyn helps FQHCs navigate complex reporting requirements with confidence.
Additional UDS Support Resources
HRSA provides extensive technical assistance for health centers preparing UDS submissions:
UDS Support Center
Phone: 1-866-UDS-HELP (1-866-837-4357)
Email: udshelp330@bphcdata.net
The UDS Support Center offers training, technical assistance, and resources about UDS data and reporting requirements. Contact them for questions about specific measure specifications or guidance on your health center's unique reporting needs.
References:
Health Resources and Services Administration. (2025). Program Assistance Letter 2025-03: Final Uniform Data System Changes for Calendar Year 2025.
Health Resources and Services Administration. (2025). 2025 UDS Manual: Health Center Data Reporting Requirements.
