The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will soon open the 2026 Call for Measures. Section 3014 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act established CMS’s pre-rulemaking process for selecting measures for use in select Medicare quality programs. This process helps identify gaps in quality measurement and incorporates stakeholder input into measure selection.

The CMS Measures Under Consideration (MUC) Entry/Review Information Tool (MERIT) is expected to open in mid-March. Once open, measure developers and stewards will be able to submit candidate measures through the CMS MERIT tool.

The CMS MERIT Data Template is now available. This Microsoft Word template includes all questions and fields required for CMS MERIT submissions. Content developed in advance can be copied directly into the tool once it opens.

A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document is also available to address common questions about the pre-rulemaking and submission process.