Physicians Quality Reporting System (PQRS) - 2011

Background.  The 2006 Tax Relief and Health Care Act (TRHCA) (P.L. 109-432) required the establishment of a physician quality reporting system, including an incentive payment for eligible professionals (EPs) who satisfactorily report data on quality measures for covered services furnished to Medicare beneficiaries during the second half of 2007 (the 2007 reporting period). CMS named this program the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI).

2011 Physician Quality Reporting. To participate in the 2011 Physician Quality Reporting, individual eligible professionals may choose to report information on individual Physician Quality Reporting quality measures or measures groups: (1) to CMS on their Medicare Part B claims, (2) to a qualified Physician Quality Reporting registry, or (3) to CMS via a qualified electronic health record (EHR) product. Individual eligible professionals who meet the criteria for satisfactory submission of Physician Quality Reporting quality measures data via one of the reporting mechanisms above for services furnished during a 2011 reporting period will qualify to earn a Physician Quality Reporting incentive payment equal to 1.0% of their total estimated Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) allowed charges for covered professional services furnished during that same reporting period.

A group practice may also potentially qualify to earn Physician Quality Reporting incentive payment equal to 1.0% of the group practice's total estimated Medicare Part B PFS allowed charges for covered professional services furnished during a 2011 Physician Quality Reporting System reporting period based on the group practice meeting the criteria for satisfactory reporting specified by CMS.

Source: CMS

Additional Information

Getting Started
PQR Implementation Guide
Measure Specifications Manual   (Release Notes)
Measure Groups Specifications Manual   (Release Notes)