Quality measures for MIPS Year 2 – Take 2

We thought the final list of quality measures for year two of the merit-based incentive payment system was a done deal. That is, until late yesterday, when members of our IT team pointed out two new codes in the April 1 HCPCS update: G9890 (E/M bridge payment) and G9891 (E/M session reporting).

 

The problem? The codes had been issued at the start of the year and assigned to quality measure codes associated with measure 14 (Age-related macular degeneration [AMD]: Dilated macular examination): G9890 (Dilated macular exam performed, including documentation of the presence or absence of macular thickening or geographic atrophy or hemorrhage and the level of macular degeneration severity) and G9891 (Documentation of medical reason[s] for not performing a dilated macular examination).

 

While it is possible for an electron to occupy two places at the same time, we knew that a HCPCS code can’t be assigned to two different descriptors at the same time. A check of Medicare’s quality payment program resource library showed that the file for quality measure specifications supporting documents had been updated on the last day of February.

 

A look in the file showed that Medicare had updated several documents, including the measure specifications files. Most of the changes are flagged. For example, the entry for measure 14 now has the following entry: “Update 01/26/18 Version 2.1 Added Performance Met (G9974), Denominator Exception (G9975), Deleted Performance Met (G9890) and Denominator Exception (G9891).”

 

However, a comparison of the original specifications released in December and the new document revealed one additional change of note: the deletion of measure 462 (Bone density evaluation for patients with prostate cancer and receiving androgen deprivation therapy).

 

We're still checking to see what else may have changed. Stay tuned.