Quantum Metric

• SORN Number: Not Applicable
• If not published: Not applicable

• OMB Approval Number: Not applicable
• Expiration Date: Not applicable
• Explanation: Not applicable

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) uses Quantum Metric to analyze user interaction with CMS’ websites, including Medicare.gov, MyMedicare.gov, HealthCare.gov, CuidadoDeSalud.gov, and various subdomains of the above top-level domains (TLDs). These TLDs are hereafter referred to as “CMS’ websites.”

Quantum Metric is a technology platform that provides digital analytics and session replay. The CMS staff analyze and report using Quantum Metric. The reports are available only to CMS managers, teams who implement CMS represented on CMS’ websites, members of the CMS communications and web teams, and other designated federal staff and contractors who need this information to understand behavioral data related to areas where users are frustrated or unable to complete tasks on CMS’ websites  to better perform their duties.

CMS uses this information to determine what types of changes need to be made to CMS’ websites to improve the user experience for visitors by delivering different user interfaces to consumers and observing which allows consumers to perform a task easier.

CMS will use Quantum Metric in a manner that protects the privacy of consumers who visit CMS’ websites and respects the intent of visitors. CMS will conduct periodic reviews of Quantum Metric’s privacy practices to ensure its policies continue to align with agency objectives and privacy policies and do not present unreasonable or unmitigated risks to consumer privacy. Quantum Metric is employed solely for the purposes of improving CMS’ services and activities online related to operating CMS’ websites. Information collected by Quantum Metric is created and maintained by Quantum Metric.

Potential Risk: 
Quantum Metric uses persistent cookies on CMS’ websites and can be stored on a user’s local system.

Mitigation:
Users can opt-out of Quantum Metric by using the Tealium iQ Privacy Manager on each CMS website’s privacy page. Alternatively, a consumer can disable their cookies, if they do not want their information to be collected. Quantum Metric privacy policies, notices from CMS websites and Quantum Metric informing consumers of its privacy policies, and the ability of consumers to opt out of providing their information to Quantum Metric, mitigate risks to consumer privacy.

For consumers that do not opt out, CMS has configured its use of Quantum Metric to mask IP addresses before being stored to add additional safeguards to ensure that this data cannot be connected with other data.

CMS will not deploy the Quantum Metric tool if the website is not using Tealium iQ.

Potential Risk: 
In addition to using persistent cookies, Quantum Metric uses local object storage such as HTML5.

Mitigation: 
Local object storage, can store data within the user's browser. Local object storage is more secure, and large amounts of data can be stored locally, without affecting website performance. Unlike cookies, the storage limit is far larger and information is never transferred to the server. Users can opt-out of Quantum Metric by using the Tealium iQ Privacy Manager on each CMS website’s privacy page. Alternatively, users have the ability to block this functionality in the browsers Flash player settings manager, Global Privacy Settings panel.