CMS releases potential reporting measures

CMS last week released a list of 97 reporting measures for hospitals, clinician practices, nursing homes, dialysis facilities, and other settings. The measures are being considered for use in Medicare’s quality and value-based purchasing programs.

This year, 39% of the measures focus on patient outcomes, while the remainder focus on patient safety, cost, and appropriate use of diagnostics and services. There was also an increase in measures submitted by specialty societies. CMS annually publishes a list of potential Medicare quality measures to hear back from patients, clinicians, payers, and purchasers on the which measures they think are the best. CMS is teaming up with the National Quality Forum (NQF) for the sixth year in a row on this effort. The feedback the NQF collects will be sent to the multi-stakeholder Measure Applications Partnership (MAP) for consideration.

“We invite you to review the Measures under Consideration List in detail and to participate in the public process during the MAP review,” wrote Kate Goodrich, MD, MHS, CMS director of the Center for Clinical Standards & Quality, in a blog post. “We believe it is critically important to hear all voices in the selection of quality and efficiency measures that are used for accountability and transparency purposes and look forward to another successful pre-rulemaking season. We are committed to working with patients, clinicians, and others on how to best measure the quality and value of care while reducing burden on providers and driving improved outcomes for patients at lower costs.”

The proposed measures are available on CMS and NQF websites, and comments on can be made until 6 p.m. on December 2 at the NQF website.