CMS: Participation in Physician Quality Reporting System rose 47% in 2013

Nearly 642,000 physicians and other professionals participated in the Physician Quality Reporting System in 2013, a 47% increase from 2012 and about half of those eligible to participate, according to a new report by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. About four in 10 eligible professionals earned a PQRS incentive payment, up from 31% in 2012, with payments averaging $443 for EPs and $4,531 for practices (prior to a 2% reduction required under sequestration). Incentive payments for the PQRS and Electronic Prescribing (eRx) Incentive Program totaled $390.7 million in 2013. About 32% of EPs earned an eRx incentive, up from 29% in 2012. Nearly 470,000 EPs who did not meet PQRS reporting requirements for 2013 are subject to a 1.5% reduction in their Part B Medicare Physician Fee Schedule payments in 2015; all but 2% of them did not submit 2013 data. Nearly 50,000 EPs were subject to a 2014 eRx payment adjustment, 80% of whom did not participate in the program. The eRx program ended in 2013, but e-prescribing is required to achieve “meaningful use” of electronic health records under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.