CY 2016 eCQM Reporting
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) (@CMSGov) is notifying eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) and/or the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs of a deadline extension. The extension is for the submission of electronic Clinical Quality Measure (eCQM) data for the Calendar Year (CY) 2016 reporting period, pertaining to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 payment determination. The deadline has been changed from Tuesday, February 28, 2017, to Monday, March 13, 2017, at 11:59 p.m. PT. This extension is being granted to provide hospitals additional time to submit eCQM data.
For CY 2016 reporting, all other aspects of eCQM reporting requirements remain the same. Successful submission continues to be defined as reporting on at least four eCQMs utilizing certified EHR Technology (CEHRT), certified to the 2014 or 2015 edition. The reporting must be a combination of Quality Reporting Document Architecture (QRDA) Category I files, zero denominator declarations, and/or case threshold exemptions. This information is reported through the QualityNet Secure Portal. Data submitters will continue to have access to the Pre-Submission Validation Application (PSVA) for test and production QRDA I file format validation activities. The deadline for hospitals submitting an Extraordinary Circumstances Extensions/Exemptions (ECE) request for CY 2016 reporting is April 1, 2017.
NOTE: This extension applies to the eCQM submission requirement for the Hospital IQR Program and the CQM submission options (reporting by attestation or electronically) for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program for eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals.
CY 2017 eCQM Reporting
For CY 2017 reporting, CMS intends to initiate the rulemaking process regarding modifications to the eCQM requirements established in the FY 2017 Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) final rule in response to concerns raised by stakeholders. These intended changes would help reduce reporting burden while supporting the long term goals of these programs. For additional information, please refer to the CMS blog released on January 17, 2017.
For More Information:
Visit the eCQM Reporting Overview page on QualityNet.org and the Hospital IQR Program Resources and Tools page on QualityReportingCenter.com websites to obtain additional information on reporting eCQMs for the Hospital IQR Program. The resources available there range from an overview of the CY 2016 eCQM reporting requirements and technical documentation, to archived webinar education and outreach materials. Information regarding the 2017 EHR Incentive Program requirements, tip sheets, and fact sheets can be found on the CMS website.