Time is running out to avoid penalties in the Medicare PQRS program. What you report will determine your 2016 penalty status. To avoid the 2016 penalty, an eligible provider (EP) must report 3 PQRS measures in calendar year 2014. There may still be time to avoid this penalty by reporting quality data through a CMS qualified registry or EHR. More information on the PQRS requirements and reporting options are available on the CMS website. The deadlines for reporting 2014 quality data are as follows, as reported by CMS:
| Reporting Method | Submission Period | Submission Deadline Time(All Times are Eastern) |
| EHR Direct or Data Submission Vendor that is certified EHR technology (CEHRT) | 1/1/15 – 2/28/15 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Qualified clinical data registries (QCDRs) (using QRDA III format) reporting for PQRS and the clinical quality measure (CQM) component of meaningful use for the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program | 1/1/15 – 2/28/15 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Group practice reporting option (GPRO) Web Interface | 1/26/15 – 3/20/15 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Qualified registries | 1/1/15 – 3/31/15 | 8:00 p.m. |
| QCDRs (using XML format) reporting for PQRS only | 1/1/15 – 3/31/15 | 8:00 p.m. |
| Maintenance of Certification Organizations (MOCs) | 1/1/15 – 3/31/15 | 8:00 p.m. |
In addition to the PQRS penalty, a Value-Based Payment Modifier (Value Modifier) will apply starting in 2016 to physician group practices of 10 or more eligible professionals (EPs). This Value Modifier will adjust Medicare physician payments based on a quality and cost assessment completed by CMS, relying on PQRS for quality data analysis. Therefore, physicians in practices of 10 or more EPs must meet 2014 PQRS criteria or face penalties in both the PQRS and Value Modifier programs in 2016.
To learn more about how you can act now to avoid these penalties, attend the upcoming NCMS-hosted Webinar on January 21 explaining how it is not too late to send in the data for 2014 and avoid the 2016 penalties. Watch the NCMS website and the Bulletin for details.
For questions, please contact North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) Director of Health Policy, Jennifer Gasperini, 919-833-3836 X152 or the NCMS Director of Practice Improvement Terri Gonzalez, 919-833-3836 X123, or visit our Marketplace page to view an NCMS-approved vendor list.