The Measure Applications Partnership (MAP), convened by the National Quality Forum under a contract with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has released a compilation of the 366 health care quality performance measures under consideration for use by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in 23 of its programs in 2012. Curiously, the quality measures to be used in the Medicare Shared Saving Program and the Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations, both of which will be implemented in 2012, are not included in the compilation.
This process of identifying measures to be used in quality improvement, public reporting, and payment reform activities across CMS programs that could also be used by private sector programs was required by section 3014 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Measure Applications Partnership is now seeking public comment about the proposed measures list before it finalizes a list to be submitted to CMS by February 1, 2012. CMS will still use its usual regulatory rulemaking process to adopt specific measures for specific programs.
Meanwhile, the Measure Applications Partnership will be focusing on finalizing its interim recommendations for selecting healthcare quality measures for dual Medicare-Medicaid eligible beneficiaries (by June 2012) and selecting measures for hospital care (by June 2012) and for post-acute care/long term care (by June 2012).
A Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ) about the Measure Applications Partnership is also available:
Ignatius Bau 