The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in April began collecting data for its voluntary quality reporting initiative, the Physicians Voluntary Reporting Program. Participating physicians and groups are asked to report on any of the applicable 16 core measures, including low-density lipoprotein control in diabetics, antibiotic prophylaxis in surgical patients, and beta-blocker therapy for patients with a history of heart attack. (Click here for a full list.)

Physicians are not being reimbursed for participating in the program. Participants report their data to CMS on standard claim forms using newly created HCPCS G-codes with a $0 charge. In exchange for the data, CMS will provide quarterly feedback to physicians on how to improve their performance and their reporting accuracy.

The federal agency urges physicians to participate in the program, saying it will give physicians valuable experience in preparation for future quality reporting programs. Physicians who do wish to take part may declare their “intent to participate” online. Though it is not required and doing so does not obligate participation, declaring your intent will help CMS gauge how many physicians plan to participate in the program in the future.

Although CMA supports quality initiatives, the association believes that CMS’s program has many shortcomings. CMA will continue to work with CMS to improve this and future quality programs so that they allow for strong physician input into how “quality” is defined and measured, as well as protect patient access to care. CMA will also work to ensure that participation in the program is administratively simple, the measures are relevant to physicians (as opposed to hospitals and other facilities), and physicians are appropriately reimbursed to cover the costs of clinical care and the additional IT-related costs of reporting.

Contact: Elizabeth McNeil, 415/882-3376 or emcneil@cmanet.org.