GPRO Registration is now open for groups electing to participate in GPRO for the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) 2015. Group practices selecting GPRO must register by June 30, 2015 in the PQRS PV Registration System accessed at: https://portal.cms.gov.
PQRS GPRO reporting is available to group practices with two or more eligible professionals (EPs). Groups must meet CMS satisfactory reporting criteria in order to avoid the “-2.0%” CY 2017 PQRS payment adjustment. More information on the CY 2017 PQRS payment adjustment will be available on the CMS PQRS Payment adjustment webpage at: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/PQRS/Payment-Adjustment-Information.html Information webpage.
Physicians in groups of all sizes and physician solo practitioners are subject to the Value Modifier in 2017, based on PQRS performance in 2015. Under the Value Modifier, these physicians and groups must meet the criteria to avoid the downward payment adjustment under PQRS in order to avoid an additional automatic downward adjustment under and qualify for adjustments based on their quality performance. Satisfactorily reporting via a PQRS GPRO is one way groups can avoid automatic downward adjustments and qualify for performance-based payment incentives under the Value Modifier. Please see the What Physicians Need to do in 2015 for the 2017 VM document on the Value Modifier webpage at: http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/PQRS/Payment-Adjustment-Information.html
NOTE: Physician groups with two or more EPs that choose not to register as a GPRO, MUST ensure that at least 50% of the EPs in the group meet the criteria to avoid the 2017 PQRS payment adjustment as individuals in order for the group to avoid the automatic 2017 Value Modifier downward payment adjustment (-2.0% or -4.0% depending on the group’s size).
Groups can participate in the PQRS program for the 2015 performance period, by selecting one of the GPRO reporting mechanisms between April 1, 2015 and June 30, 2015 (11:59 pm EDT):
- Qualified PQRS Registry
- Electronic Health Record (EHR) [via Direct EHR using certified EHR technology (CEHRT) or CEHRT via Data Submission Vendor]
- Web Interface (for groups with 25 or more EPs only)
- Consumer Assessment of Health Providers and Systems (CAHPS) for PQRS Survey via a CMS-certified Survey Vendor (as a supplement to another GPRO reporting mechanism)
CAHPS is available to GPROs of two or more EPs wishing to supplement their PQRS reporting. Although mandatory for GPRO 100 or more EPs, this is an extra and companion reporting option for groups with two-99 EPs and for EHR and registry reporting. If selecting CAHPS this is done during GPRO registration. CAHPS information can be found at:
NextGen Healthcare offers Qualified Registry and CEHRT EHR Data Submission Vendor reporting for Individual EPs and GPROs. More NextGen Healthcare PQRS information is available through PQRS webinars and Supported PQRS Measures white papers posted on the knowledge exchange (KE 2.0) website at: