PQRI began as a voluntary reporting program that provided an incentive payment to identified eligible professionals (EPs) who satisfactorily reported data on specific quality measures for covered professional services furnished to Medicare Part B fee-for-service beneficiaries and paid under the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS). The program was first implemented in 2007.
With the Accountable Care Act of 2010 major changes are made to the program including:
- Authorizing incentive payments through 2014;
- requiring a payment adjustment beginning in 2015 for eligible professionals who do not satisfactorily report data on quality measures in the applicable reporting period for the year;
- requiring timely feedback to participating eligible professionals;
- requiring the establishment of an informal appeals process whereby eligible professionals may seek a review of the determination that an eligible professional did not satisfactorily submit data on quality measures for purposes of qualifying for a PQRI incentive payment;
- making available an additional incentive payment for those eligible professionals satisfactorily reporting data on quality measures for a year and having such data submitted on their behalf through a Maintenance of Certification Program and participating in a Maintenance of Certification Program practice assessment more frequently than is required to qualify for or maintain board certification status;
- requiring the establishment of a Physician Compare Web site;
- and requiring the development of a plan to integrate reporting on quality measures relating to the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs).
Given that the program has moved from a time-limited trial to a permanent program, the name of the program was changed from "Initiative" (PQRI) to "System" (PQRS.)
For calendar year (CY) 2011, participants may earn an incentive payment of 1.0 percent of the EP's estimated total allowed charges for Medicare Part B covered professional services under Medicare Part B provided during the reporting period. For CY 2012 through 2014, the incentive payment will be reduced to 0.5 percent.
For the 2011 Physician Quality Reporting System, CMS has established the following reporting periods:
(1) 12-month reporting period for claims-based reporting and registry-based reporting (that is, January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011);
(2) 12-month reporting period for EHR-based reporting (that is, January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011; and
(3) 6-month reporting period for claims-based reporting and registry-based reporting (that is, July 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011). With this 6-month option the professional's incentive payment will be calculated based on the eligible professional's charges for covered professional services furnished between July 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 only. Services furnished prior to July 1, 2011 would not be included in the professional's incentive payment calculation.
Additionally, there is a 12-month reporting period for the group practice reporting option (GPRO) for both the Physician Quality Reporting System and the Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program Prescribing Incentive Program (January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011).
Following the distribution of 2011 incentive payments, CMS will, as required by MIPPA, post on its Web site the names of EPs and group practices that satisfactorily report quality measures.
PQRS General Information
2011 Physician Quality
Reporting System Implementation Guide![[PDF]](https://www.acponline.org/graphics/new/pdf.gif){kind=small}
Provides guidance about how to implement 2011 Physician Quality
Reporting claims-based reporting of measures to facilitate
satisfactory reporting of quality-data codes by eligible
professionals.
PQRS Reporting Options - Individual Measures
PQRS Reporting Options - Measure Groups
Measure-Applicability Validation Process
Group Practice Reporting Options
Maintenance of Certification Program Incentive
CMS is introducing a new Maintenance
of Certification Program Incentive.
Beginning in January 2011, physicians who are incentive eligible
for the PQRS can receive an additional 0.5% incentive payment when
Maintenance of Certification Program Incentive requirements have
also been met.
In order to qualify for the additional 0.5% incentive payment, the physician will need to complete the following:
- Satisfactorily submit data, without regard to method, on
quality measures under Physician Quality Reporting, for a 12-month
reporting period either as an individual physician or as a member
of a selected group practice.
AND
- More frequently than is required to qualify for or maintain board certification:
- Participate in a Maintenance of Certification Program and
- Successfully complete a qualified Maintenance of Certification Program practice assessment.
Clinical Guidance for Participating in PQRS
Recognizing PQRS Problems and Improving the Program
View brief summary of documented PQRS problems and access CMS report describing actions to improve the program.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services PQRS Information
"Medicare
Incentive Payments Tip Sheet" - How to coordinate participating in
multiple Medicare incentive programs (e.g., eRx, PQRS, EHR) at the
same time.
CMS's extensive PQRS resource page
Communicate with ACP and Colleagues
E-mail ACP staff your questions and/or comments on your Medicare PQRS experience.
Communicate with Colleagues about PQRS Using the Small Practice Discussion Group
Other Relevant ACP Resources
Access the ACP Diabetes Portal with Physician Tools and Resources for Managing Diabetes
Access the ACP EHR Roadmap Containing Tools for Each Stage of Electronic Health Record Adoption