CMS Sponsored Calls

New! April 16, 2013 National Provider Call with Question & Answer Session on the Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program; 1:30 - 3:00pm ET. (03-22-2013)

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) Provider Communications Group will be hosting a national provider conference call on the Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program. This toll-free call will take place from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., ET, on Tuesday, April 16, 2013.  

Description: This National Provider Call provides an overview on the 2013 PQRS Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO) and Registry Reporting, including how to participate, how to report through a registry, key points, and tips for successful participation. This presentation will also provide basic information about the 2013 PQRS group option for reporting data through registries for purposes of earning the 2013 PQRS incentive payment and avoiding the 2015 PQRS payment adjustment. A Question & Answer session follows the presentation.

Registration: The direct link to the registration page will be available at http://www.eventsvc.com/blhtechnologies.  

New!  CMS to Begin Accepting Suggestions for Potential Physician Quality Reporting System Measures and/or Measures Groups in May 2013 (03-22-2013)

In May, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will begin accepting quality measure suggestions for potential inclusion in the proposed set of quality measures in the Physician Quality Reporting System for future rule-making years.

Each measure submitted for consideration must include all required supporting documentation. Documentation requirements will be posted on the Measures Management System Call for Measures Web page on or around May 1, 2013. Only those measures submitted in the provided format will be accepted for consideration.

When submitting measures for consideration, please ensure that your submission is not duplicative of another existing or proposed measure. CMS is not seeking duplicative measures in this process.

CMS is seeking a quality set of measures that are outcome-based rather than clinical process measures and fall into one of the National Quality Strategy (NQS) Priorities domains where there are known measure and performance gaps. The measure gaps that CMS most wishes to fill include clinical outcomes, patient-reported outcomes, care coordination, safety, appropriateness, efficiency, and patient experience and engagement. CMS is less interested in clinical process or intermediate outcome measures.

Measures submitted for consideration will be assessed to ensure that they meet the needs of the Physician Quality Reporting Program, based upon the stated objectives outlined in this announcement. In addition, CMS encourages eligible providers to submit measures that do not have an adequate representation within the program for participation.

Suggested measures must address CMS’ measure selection core criteria (listed below) to be considered for inclusion in the Physician Quality Reporting System. Measure submissions omitting the required core criteria will be disqualified from consideration.

CMS’ Measure Selection Core Criteria (must meet all elements):

• Measure addresses an important condition/topic with a performance gap and has a strong scientific evidence base to demonstrate that the measure, when implemented, can lead to the desired outcomes and/or more appropriate costs (i.e., the National Quality Forum’s Importance criteria)
• Measure addresses one or more of the six National Quality Strategy Priorities (safer care, effective communication and care coordination, preventing and treating leading causes of mortality and morbidity, person- and family-experience of care, better health in communities, making care more affordable)
• Promotes alignment with specific program attributes and across CMS and HHS programs
• Program measure set includes consideration for health care disparities
• Measure reporting is feasible

The measure selection criteria requirements seek to support the NQS’ three-part aim of better health care for individuals, better health for populations, and lower costs for health care. CMS strives to utilize measures that balance breadth while minimizing provider burden, and take into account measures that address, as fully as possible, the six domains of measurement from the NQS priorities:

• Patient Safety
• Person and Caregiver-Centered Experience and Outcomes
• Communication and Care Coordination
• Effective Clinical Care
• Community/Population Health
• Efficiency and Cost Reduction.

This Call for Measures will run from May 1, 2013 through July 1, 2013. All required documentation must be completed for each measure submitted for consideration no later than 5:00 p.m. EDT July 1, 2013.

Note: Suggesting individual measures or measures for a new or existing measures group does not guarantee the measure(s) will be included in the proposed or final sets of measures of any Proposed or Final Rules that address the Physician Quality Reporting System. CMS will determine which individual measures and measures group(s) to include in the proposed set of quality measures, and after a period of public comment, the agency will make the final determination with regard to the final set of quality measures for the Physician Quality Reporting System.

The presentation materials will be posted below.  To view click on the document titled "April 16, 2013 National Provider Call Presentation"  in the "Downloads" section when available.

March 19, 2013 National Provider Call with Question & Answer Session on the Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program; 1:30 - 3:00pm ET. (02-08-2013)

• Announcements
• 2013 Claims-based Reporting Made Simple
• Question & Answer Session

The presentation materials are posted below in the "Downloads" section.  To view click on link entitled "March 19, 2013 National Provider Call Presentation".

• Announcements
• How to Avoid 2014 eRx and 2015 PQRS Payment Adjustment
• Question & Answer Session

The presentation materials are posted below in the "Downloads" section.  To view click on link entitled "February 19, 2013 National Provider Call Presentation".

January 22. 2013 National Provider Call with Question & Answer Session on the Physician Quality Reporting System and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program; 1:30 - 3:00pm ET.

• Announcements
• Program Year 2012 Data Submission for Registry, Maintenance of Certification, Group Practice Reporting Option and EHR Submission
• Question & Answer Session

Topics for 2012 National Provider Calls

All of the 2012 National Provider Call topics have been placed in a file and posted below.  To view click on the document entitled "Topics for 2012 National Provider Calls" in the "Downloads" section below.