August Edition of MMS Newsletter Now Available

Posted:
Tuesday, August 15, 2023

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) Measures Management System (MMS) publishes a monthly bulletin about quality measurement resources and opportunities. Subscribe to receive more MMS news in your inbox. Have questions or suggestions? Contact MMS Support!

What’s New with MMS

Use De Novo Measure Scan to Speed Search Process
The De Novo Measure Scan (DNMS) compiles content from PubMed, PubMed Central, and CINAHL into
one search process and allows you to specify search concepts specific to target populations, health
outcomes/events, and care settings. DNMS is a free resource, located on the password-protected
portion of CMS Measures Inventory Tool (CMIT). Request an account on the CMIT site.

In Case You Missed It: Navigating Measure Implementation
Check out July’s MMS Information Session, “Navigating Measure Implementation: Turning Data into Actionable Results” (YouTube | Slides).

Announcements: Stay Up to Date

Now Available: Value Set Updates on the Electronic Clinical Quality Improvement (eCQI) Resource Center
CMS has posted new Value Set Review and Maintenance Guidance on the Value Set Information on the eCQI Resource Center. The information provides guidance for creating, reviewing, and maintaining value sets on the Value Set Authority Center (VSAC). This new guidance includes information and recommendations on frequency of value set maintenance review, VSAC’s review and maintenance statuses, and determining value set use. It also addresses transfer of stewardship, value set grouping and member review, and value set expansions in relation to maintenance status.

Now Available: 2024 Quality Reporting Data Architecture (QRDA) III Implementation Guide
CMS has published the 2024 CMS QRDA Category III Implementation Guide (IG), Schematron, and Sample Files for Eligible Clinician Programs. The 2024 CMS QRDA III IG outlines requirements for eligible clinicians to report electronic clinical quality measures for the calendar year 2024 performance period for:

  • APM Performance Pathway
  • MIPS Value Pathway
  • Primary Care First
  • Traditional Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)

Learn more on the eCQI Resource Center.

Nominations Now Open for Qualified Clinical Data Registries (QCDRs) or Qualified Registries
To be considered for the 2024 MIPS performance period, QCDRs and/or Qualified Registries must submit their self-nomination form by 8 p.m. (ET) September 1. Intermediaries who intend to participate in MIPS as a QCDR and/or Qualified Registry must complete and submit a self-nomination form for each intermediary type for the 2024 MIPS performance period. Learn more by downloading the Self-Nomination Toolkit for QCDRs and Registries.

Now Available: 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Proposed Rule
The Calendar Year 2024 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, which includes proposed Quality Payment Program policies for the 2024 performance year, is now available for viewing. The 60-day public comment period ends on September 11. Download the QPP fact sheet to learn more.

Attend Partnership for Quality Measurement (PQM) Webinar
Battelle is hosting an informational webinar at 12 p.m. (ET) September 15 about submitting measures for PQM endorsement review. The Fall 2023 Intent to Submit deadline is October 2, with full measure submissions due by November 1. Register for informational webinar.

Stakeholder Engagement Opportunities

Public Comment, Technical Expert Panels, and Federal Register Rule Comment
 

Technical Expert Panel: Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings on Care Compare

Public Comment Opportunity: Home and Community Based Services Measures Development, Endorsement, Maintenance, and Alignment Contract

Federal Register Rule Comment Opportunity: Request for Information; Episode-Based Payment Model

  • This opportunity closes for comment on August 17.
  • Learn more on the Federal Register.

Federal Register Rule Comment Opportunity: Medicare Program; End-Stage Renal Disease Prospective Payment System, Payment for Renal Dialysis Services Furnished to Individuals with Acute Kidney Injury, End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program, and End-Stage Renal Disease Treatment Choices Model

  • This opportunity closes for comment on August 25.
  • Learn more on the Federal Register.

Federal Register Rule Comment Opportunity: Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2024 Home Health (HH) Prospective Payment System Rate Update; HH Quality Reporting Program Requirements; HH Value-Based Purchasing Expanded Model Requirements; Home Intravenous Immune Globulin Items and Services; Hospice Informal Dispute Resolution and Special Focus Program Requirements, Certain Requirements for Durable Medical Equipment Prosthetics and Orthotics Supplies; and Provider and Supplier Enrollment Requirements

  • This opportunity closes for comment on August 29.
  • Learn more on the Federal Register.

Federal Register Rule Comment Opportunity: Medicare Program: Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment and Ambulatory Surgical Center Payment Systems; Quality Reporting Programs; Payment for Intensive Outpatient Services in Rural Health Clinics, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and Opioid Treatment Programs; Hospital Price Transparency; Changes to Community Mental Health Centers Conditions of Participation, Proposed Changes to the Inpatient Prospective Payment System Medicare Code Editor; Rural Emergency Hospital Conditions of Participation Technical Correction

  • This opportunity closes for comment on September 11.
  • Learn more on the Federal Register.