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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regularly provides important updates for post-acute care (PAC) quality reporting programs (QRP), including training opportunities, public reporting details and reminders of data submission and review deadlines.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities
Provider Preview Reports
Inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) provider preview reports are now available with first through fourth quarter 2017 data. IRFs are reminded to review performance data on quality measures by Oct. 8, prior to public display on IRF Compare in December 2018. While corrections to the underlying data are not permitted during this time, providers may request a CMS review if they believe that the data are incorrect.
IRF Compare Refresh
The September 2018 quarterly IRF Compare refresh, including new quality measure results based on data submitted to CMS between fourth quarter 2016 and third quarter 2017, is now available. In addition to IRF QRP measures that are currently displayed on IRF Compare, the following four new quality measures will be displayed:
- Assessment-based measures:
- Application of Percent of Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Patients With an Admission and Discharge Functional Assessment and a Care Plan That Addresses Function (NQF #2631)
- Application of Percent of Residents Experiencing One or More Falls with Major Injury (NQF #0674)
- Claims-based measures:
- Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary
- Discharge to Community
CMS has decided not to publish two additional quality measures — Potentially Preventable 30-Day Post-Discharge Readmissions and Potentially Preventable Within-Stay Readmissions — at this time. CMS has determined that additional time is needed to determine whether modifications may be necessary to these measures and their display. Additional testing will ensure that the future publicly reported measures are thoroughly evaluated so that IRF Compare users can depend upon an accurate picture of provider quality.
Long-Term Care Hospitals
Provider Preview Reports
Long-term care hospital (LTCH) provider preview reports are now available with first to fourth quarter 2017 data. LTCHs are reminded to review performance data on quality measures by Oct. 8, prior to public display on LTCH Compare in December 2018. While corrections to the underlying data are not permitted during this time, providers may request a CMS review if they believe that the data are incorrect.
LTCH Compare Refresh
The September 2018 quarterly LTCH Compare refresh, including new quality measure results based on data submitted to CMS between fourth quarter 2016 and third quarter 2017, is now available. In addition to the LTCH QRP measures that are currently displayed on LTCH Compare, the following five new quality measures will be displayed:
- Assessment-based measures:
- Percent of LTCH Patients With an Admission and Discharge Functional Assessment and a Care Plan That Addresses Function (NQF #2631)
- Application of Percent of LTCH Patients With an Admission and Discharge Functional Assessment and a Care Plan That Addresses Function (NQF #2631)
- Application of Percent of Residents Experiencing One or More Falls with Major Injury (NQF #0674)
- Claims-based measures:
- Medicare Spending Per Beneficiary
- Discharge to Community
CMS has decided not to publish a sixth quality measure — Potentially Preventable 30-Day Post-Discharge Readmissions — at this time. CMS will conduct additional testing to determine whether modifications may be needed both to the measure and to its display method. According to CMS, the additional testing will ensure that the future publicly reported measure is thoroughly evaluated and provides an accurate picture of provider quality. Until testing is completed, CMS will not post reportable data.
Home Health
Home Health Star Ratings
CMS will host a call on Wednesday, Oct. 3 from 11 a.m. to noon (PT) on planned modifications to the Home Health Quality of Patient Care star ratings, including the Removal of the Drug Education on All Medications Provided to Patient/Caregiver during All Episodes of Care measure and the Addition of the Improvement in Management of Oral Medications measure. Registration and presentation information is available online.
Hospice
Hospice provider preview reports and Hospice Consumer Assessment of Health Care Providers and Systems (CAHPS®) Survey ® are now available with first to fourth quarter 2017 data for the hospice item set and CAHPS® survey data from first quarter 2016 to fourth quarter 2017. Providers are reminded to review their data by Oct. 5 and may request a CMS review if they believe the data are incorrect.
