CY 2018 eCQM and Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program Reporting

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is notifying eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) Program and/or the Promoting Interoperability Program of a deadline extension. The deadline for the submission of electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) data for the calendar year (CY) 2018 reporting period, pertaining to the fiscal year (FY) 2019 payment determination, has been extended from Thursday, February 28, 2019, to Thursday, March 14, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time (PT).  The Promoting Interoperability Program attestation deadline for eligible hospitals and CAHs has similarly been extended from Thursday, February 28, 2019, to Thursday, March 14, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time (PT).  CMS understands that some hospitals and their health information technology (IT) vendors need additional time to submit their eCQM data and attest for Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program requirements.  This extension is intended to reduce reporting burden and is part of CMS’ continued commitment to ensuring successful data submissions to the Hospital IQR and Medicare Promoting Interoperability Programs.

For CY 2018 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 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) tool for test and production QRDA Category I file format validation activities.  For hospitals participating in the Hospital IQR Program, the deadline for submitting an Extraordinary Circumstances Exceptions (ECE) request for CY 2018 eCQM reporting remains April 1, 2019.

The Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program has a separate hardship exception process. The Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program hardship instructions and applications for eligible hospitals and CAHs based on payment adjustment year are available on the Payment Adjustments & Hardship Information page in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program section of the CMS.gov website.

Note: This extension applies to the eCQM submission requirement for the Hospital IQR Program and all attestation submission requirements for the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program for eligible hospitals and CAHs.

More Information

Visit the eCQM Reporting Overview page on QualityNet.org and the Hospital IQR Program Resources and Tools page on QualityReportingCenter.com to obtain additional information on reporting eCQMs for the Hospital IQR Program. The eCQM reporting resources include an overview of the CY 2018 eCQM reporting requirements and technical documentation and archived webinar education and outreach materials.

Information regarding the 2018 Promoting Interoperability Program requirements, tip sheets, and fact sheets can be found on the CMS.gov 2018 Program Requirements web page. Additional details regarding attestation via the QualityNet Secure Portal are available on the CMS.gov Promoting Interoperability Program Eligible Hospital Information web page.

Contact Information

• For further assistance regarding the Hospital IQR Program and policy information contained in this message, which includes questions about the eCQM ECE submission process, please contact the Hospital Inpatient Value, Incentives, and Quality Reporting Outreach and Education Support Contract Team at https://cms-ip.custhelp.com or (844) 472-4477.
• Questions regarding any aspect of the attestation process and the Promoting Interoperability Program can be directed to the QualityNet Help Desk at qnetsupport@hcqis.org or (866) 288-8912. The QualityNet Help Desk can also assist with questions regarding the PSVA tool and file-error messages.
• For questions regarding eCQM specifications, value sets, and appropriateness of mapping, please submit questions to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) CQM Issue Tracker at https://oncprojectracking.healthit.gov/support/projects/CQM/summary.

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