CMS Extends Data Submission Deadlines for Quality Reporting and Value Programs

Special Bulletin

Reporting Deadline Extension

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) today announced that it is extending the quarter 3 (Q3) 2020 data submission deadlines for several of its quality reporting and value programs for hospitals, post-acute care and other providers. CMS indicates the extension is intended “to help providers focus on patient care during the COVID-19 public health emergency.” A list of affected programs and new deadlines is included in CMS’ announcement and attached to this Special Bulletin. In general, CMS has extended the data submission deadlines by one month. CMS indicates it will continue monitoring the state of the pandemic and may implement further adjustments in the future.

The extension affects measures and data that hospitals and other providers collect and submit themselves. Measures that CMS calculates on providers’ behalf using Medicare claims data (e.g., readmissions, mortality, Medicare spending per beneficiary) are unaffected by this deadline extension.

Extraordinary Circumstances Exceptions (ECE) Application Process

In addition, CMS reiterates that hospitals and other providers may use the programs’ established ECE policies to apply for a reporting exception (i.e., waiver) if they are unable to submit data and/or believe their measure performance has been adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic or other extenuating circumstances. The ECE process permits hospitals to ask CMS to (1) exempt them from submitting data, and/or (2) exclude specific timeframes when calculating performance on claims-based measures. Links to additional details on the ECE processes for CMS programs are included in CMS’ announcement and attached to this Special Bulletin.

What You Can Do

• Share this Special Bulletin with your clinical and quality leaders, including your chief quality officer, chief medical officer and others involved in reporting data.
• Assess whether your organization’s ability to report data and/or performance was affected enough to apply for an ECE for Q3 2020. Bear in mind that excluding data may affect whether your hospital meets minimum case volumes for specific measures, as well as your overall measure performance.
• Monitor CMS listservs and AHA communications for any further adjustments to quality reporting and value program requirements.

Further Questions

If you have questions, please contact AHA at 800-424-4301.

For a list of affected programs and new deadlines, download the full Special Bulletin PDF below.