CMS is now requiring hospices to submit data for the Hospice Quality Reporting program on a yearly basis.  CMS instituted the Hospice Quality Reporting Program and initially asked for hospices to submit Q4 2012 data for the Structural QAPI measure by January 31, 2013, and submit Comfortable Dying/NQF #0209 measure data by April 1, 2013.

For the second year of reporting (affecting APU determination for FY 2015), hospices will:

• Collect data on these measures from January 1, 2013, through December 31, 2013, for the FY 2015 payment determination; and
• Submit data for both measures by April 1, 2014.

The Hospice Wage Index Final Rule, published in the Federal Register in August 2011, finalized that after the first year of reporting, all subsequent years of reporting would be based on a calendar year. Therefore, the current data collection cycle is for a duration of 12 months.

The Home Health Final Rule (November 2012) finalized that, for the second year of reporting (affecting the FY 2015 payment determination), the data submission periods for the two measures are consolidated (both measures will be submitted by April 1, 2014).

NHPCO Quality Reporting Resources:

• Quality Reporting Timeline (Includes more information on CMS reporting requirements)

• Comfortable Dying Measure web page Includes the Comfortable Dying Manual, a Logic Diagram, a Submission Worksheet, and other related information.  

• Comfortable Dying Measure Data Management Workbook

NHPCO Webinars:

• January 22, 2013
  Quality Reporting Requirements for Today and the Future
  Purchase MP3
• July 24, 2012
  Implementing Predetermined Quality Measures
  Purchase MP3

CMS Quality Reporting Resources:

• User Guide for Hospice Quality Reporting Data Collection Version 1.2
  • Track Changes from Version 1.0 to Version 1.1
     
• Data Collection Training Q&A - This document provides answers to questions received during the live Q&A sessions that were part of the Hospice Quality Reporting Program: CMS training webinars offered on April 11 and April 19, 2012.
   
• Technical User Guide for Hospice Quality Reporting Data Entry and Submission
   
• CMS Hospice Quality Reporting web page - Information related to quality reporting requirements. Click on the Spotlight and Announcements link on the left for updates and to access support materials. CMS is continually updating this site - check it often.