The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) delayed data collection for a new cataract care measure in hospital outpatient departments and ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs). The measure, OP-31/ASC-11, is part of the Outpatient Quality Reporting (OQR) Program and the ASC Quality Reporting Program. Data collection, which was scheduled to begin April 1, will now begin Jan. 1, 2015.
America’s Essential Hospitals and other provider groups successfully encouraged CMS to withdraw or permanently suspend the measure in a March 28 letter. The groups argued the measure was not tested or reconsidered by the National Quality Forum when it was respecified for the ASC and outpatient settings. Additionally, the groups noted that compliance with the measure would place an unnecessary burden on facilities without improving patient care.
Please contact Shahid Zaman, JD, policy analyst, at szaman@essentialhospitals.org or 202.585.0124 with questions.