CMS asked to align PQRI, stimulus reporting requirements

CMS officials are considering changes to the Medicare Physician Quality Reporting Initiative and/or the forthcoming criteria for "meaningful use" of EHRs to align reporting requirements for both programs, Health Data Management reports. The rules for reporting data under PQRI, as spelled out in the 2010 Medicare physician fee schedule published last week, differ from those in the most recent proposal for meaningful use under the federal EHR stimulus program that will begin next year.

One comment that HHS received in response to an earlier version of the physician fee schedule suggested that HHS ask the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology to include PQRI reporting capabilities in its EHR testing program.

"Any EHR quality data submission will be required to comply with all current regulations regarding privacy and security. 'Meaningful use' criteria will be reviewed as they are finalized and we will endeavor to align our work in the future, as appropriate," HHS said in the final PQRI rule. "However, since meaningful use criteria has not yet been finalized, this comment is currently beyond the scope of this final rule," the department explained.

For more information:
- read this Health Data Management story

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