News: CMS seeks feedback on quality measure removal in OPPS proposed rule

Along with quality measure removals in the 2018 outpatient prospective payment system (OPPS) and Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) final rules, CMS continues to propose additional removals in its proposals for 2019 and it wants greater flexibility to remove quality measures in the future, JustCoding reported.

Currently, CMS has seven factors for evaluating when to remove a measure from the Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program, in addition to groups for immediate removal based on specified patient safety concerns (see p. 507 of the 2019 OPPS proposed rule).

Now, CMS proposes an eighth that would  consider measures for removal when “the costs associated outweigh the benefit of its continued use.” These costs could include the burden associated with reporting a measure, as well as the costs associated with implementing and maintaining a program. CMS notes a key benefit is assessing improved beneficiary health outcomes if a measure is retained.

While CMS says proposed quality measure changes would have no material impact for hospitals in the 2020 payment determination year, it does expect other proposals to have an impact in the 2021 payment determination year, according to JustCoding.

CMS estimates the 3,300 participating providers will experience a paperwork burden reduction of nearly 1.5 million hours and collection of information cost reduction of approximately $57.3 million.

CMS also seeks feedback on the MyHealthEData initiative, standard charges, drug pricing, and out-of-pocket expenses.

Editor’s note: To read JustCoding’s coverage of this story, click here. To read more about the OPPS proposed rule, click here. To read about the 2019 inpatient PPS final rule, click here.