CMS tightening quality-reporting measures

After running its Physician Quality Reporting Initiative for a year, Medicare has begun to analyze the data, and is preparing to tweak and improve the program for this year. Physicians who volunteered to participate during 2007 will receive a 1.5 percent bonus on allowed charges for that year for reporting on 74 quality measures. The bonus only depends on their having reported the data, not patient incomes.

Medicare is stepping things up a bit, requiring PQRI participants to report on 119 measures this year. The measures will include stats on the practices' adoption of health IT. The 1.5 percent bonus won't change, though it will be awarded based on the higher 2008 physician fee schedule.

To learn more about CMS's plans on this front:
- read this Modern Healthcare article (reg. req.)

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WellPoint rolling out physician reviews system. Article
MGMA: Medicare quality reporting costly. Article

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