CMS Announces Reporting Relief for QRP and VBP

Posted on March 25, 2020 by Julie Apold

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced it is implementing exceptions and extensions for upcoming measure reporting and data submission deadlines for several quality reporting programs.  

For programs with data submission deadlines in April and May 2020, submission will be optional, based on the setting’s choice to report. In addition, no data reflecting services provided Jan. 1, 2020 - June 30, 2020 will be used in the CMS calculations for these programs. 

This announcement does not include relief from reporting Payroll Based Journal data for Jan. 1 – March 31, 2020 that is still due on May 15, 2020.

For Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs), reporting relief applies to both the SNF Quality Reporting Program (SNF QRP) and Value-Based Purchasing Program (SNF VBP). For SNF QRP, reporting of MDS-based data is not required for admission/discharges between Oct. 1 and Dec. 31, 2019 (previously due May 15, 2020). However, CMS notes that if this data is submitted for Q4 2019 it will be used to calculate the 2019 performance, which will impact a SNF’s FY 2021 Medicare FFS rates.

SNFs also do not need to submit MDS data for Jan. 1 – June 20, 2020 for purposes of complying with the SNF QRP. However, completing MDS assessments remain a critical function for establishing payment rates under the Patient Driven Payment Model (PDPM) and for determining resident needs.

For SNF VBP, CMS will exclude Jan. 1 – June 30, 2020 claims data from calculation of the SNF 30-day All-Cause Readmission Measure calculation. It is not yet clear if FY2022 SNF VBP rate adjustments will be calculated using only Oct. 1 – Dec. 31, 2019 and July – Sept. 2020 readmissions data.

CMS will continue monitoring the developing COVID-19 situation and assess options to bring additional reporting relief to providers. 

See table for additional details for all Post-Acute Care (PAC) Programs.