02/02/2013    

CMS NEWS

Medicare Quality Reporting Penalty Expected to Strike Most Physicians

Physicians could lose up to a total of $1.3 billion a year from their Medicare pay by not satisfactorily reporting quality measures to the program, researchers determined in an analysis of reporting trends.

The loss would be the result of hundreds of thousands of physicians and other health professionals not participating in, or not meeting criteria for, the Medicare physician quality reporting system. Medicare payments will be cut 1.5% in 2015 — and 2% in 2016 and beyond — for every eligible physician who fails to meet PQRS requirements by sending quality data to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The 2015 penalty will be based on 2013 reporting activity.

Source: Charles Fiegl, Amednews [1/21/13]