What is MIPS or PQRS Measure?

The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) was a reporting program of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It gave eligible professionals (EPs) the opportunity to assess the quality of care they were providing to their patients, helping to ensure that patients get the right care at the right time. Now it is called as Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Quality Measures. Today we will learn about coding Measures (Measure 181, Elder Maltreatment Screen and Follow-Up Plan).

The Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) track of Medicare’s Quality Payment Program (QPP) includes four performance categories: quality, cost, improvement activities, and promoting interoperability (PI). The quality performance category requires clinicians to report on six measures, including at least one outcome measure. Since most family physicians will participate in MIPS and therefore are required to report quality measures, it is important they select measures appropriate for their practice needs and capabilities.

Measure specifications are detailed descriptions and instructions for each measure, and include definitions of the action/outcome required (numerator), population being measured (denominator), exceptions/exclusions to the measure, measure codes, and other details needed to correctly collect data and report the measure. Their are different Measures like Measure 181, 014, 021, 145, 146, 225 etc, which has to be coded only to specific CPT codes. We will learn specifically for each measure in detail. 

Remember: These Measures should be used only with Medicare Payer  encounters.

MIPS/PQRS Measure #181 Description

Percentage of patients aged 65 years and older with a documented elder maltreatment screen using an Elder Maltreatment Screening tool on the date of encounter AND a documented follow-up plan on the date of the positive screen

This measure is to be submitted a minimum of once per performance period for patients seen during the performance period. This measure may be submitted by Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who perform the quality actions described in the measure based on the services provided and the measure-specific denominator coding at the time of the qualifying visit. The documented follow up plan must be related to positive elder maltreatment screening, example: “Patient referred for protective services due to positive elder maltreatment screening.” Cognitively impaired patients are included in the denominator of this measure and need to be screened using an elder maltreatment screening tool.

Eligible Criteria for Measure 181:

All patients aged 65 years and older

Patients aged ≥ 65 years on date of encounter

Patient encounter during the performance period (CPT or HCPCS): 90791, 90792, 90832, 90834, 90837, 92002, 92004, 92012, 92014, 92521, 92522, 92523, 92537, 92538, 92540, 92541, 92542, 92544, 92545, 92548, 92550, 92557, 92567, 92568, 92570, 92585, 92588, 92526, 96105, 96116,  96130,  96132, 96136, 96138, 96156, 96158, 97161, 97162, 97163, 97165, 97166, 97167, 97168, 97802, 97803, 99201, 99202, 99203, 99204, 99205, 99212, 99213, 99214, 99215, 99304, 99305, 99306, 99307, 99308, 99309, 99310, 99318, 99324, 99325, 99326, 99327, 99328, 99334, 99335, 99336, 99337, 99341, 99342, 99343, 99344, 99345, 99347, 99348, 99349, 99350, 99401*, 99402*, 99403*, 99404*, 99483, 99492, G0101, G0102, G0270, G0402, G0438, G0439

WITHOUT

Telehealth Modifier: GQ, GT, 95, POS 02

Elder maltreatment screen documented as positive AND a follow-up plan is documented (G8733)

Elder maltreatment screen documented as negative, follow-up is not required (G8734)

Elder maltreatment screen not documented; documentation that patient is not eligible for the elder maltreatment screen at the time of the encounter (G8535)

Elder maltreatment screen documented as positive, follow-up plan not documented, documentation the patient is not eligible for follow-up plan at the time of the encounter (G8941)

No documentation of an elder maltreatment screen, reason not given (G8536)