NAACOS Applauds Bipartisan House Bill on Value-Based Data Reporting

Jan. 22, 2025
The House bill would delay ACOs’ required eCQM reporting through a federal app until 2030

The nation’s preeminent association supporting the development of accountable care organizations (ACOs) on Jan. 21 expressed satisfaction over the bipartisan introduction of legislation into the U.S. House of Representatives that would delay a requirement imposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for ACOs to report electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs); the CMS rule has mandated that ACOs report on eCQMs as a requirement of their participation in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP) through something known as the Alternative Payment Model Performance Pathway interface by the end of this calendar year.

As a primer from technology company MDInteractive explains it, “CMS implemented a multi-year transition from 2021 to 2024 for MSSP ACOs to move from reporting quality data through the CMS Web Interface to using eCQMs under the Alternative Payment Model (APM) Performance Pathway (APP). MSSP ACOs are required to report quality data via the APP to meet the quality performance standard used to determine shared savings and shared losses. In 2024, these ACOs have the option to fulfill APP quality reporting requirements by either reporting the Web Interface quality measure set (10 measures) or the APP quality measure set (3 measures via eCQMs, MIPS CQMs, and/or Medicare CQMs collection types). The 2024 performance period marks the final year that MSSP ACOs can report via the CMS Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO) Web Interface.” For 2024, the measure set includes one on hemoglobin A1c control for diabetic patients; preventive care and screening; and controlling high blood pressure.

But on Jan. 21, three members of the House of Representatives—Vern Buchanan (R.-Fla.), the vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee and chair of the Health Subcommittee, and Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-Calif.) and Dan Crenshaw (R-Tex.), introduced the “Healthcare Efficiency Through Flexibility Act,” which would delay eCQM reporting requirements until 2030.

“The shift to new healthcare reporting measures must not place undue burden on Medicare providers or jeopardize value-based care,” said Buchanan in a statement contained in a press release announcing the introduction of the bill. “A temporary reporting solution will only serve as a Band-Aid, adding additional paperwork and bureaucracy. By delaying implementation and piloting new digital reporting methods, the Healthcare Through Flexibility Act will help ensure a smoother, more efficient transition to a more fully interoperable health system.” And the press release notes that “The legislation has also received support from Accountable for Health, Advocate Health, Duke Health, Novant Health, WakeMed, FirstHealth, Cone Health and the National Association of ACOs (NAACOS).”

And, in response to the introduction of the bill, NAACOS senior vice president of government affairs Aisha Pittman stated in a press release that “NAACOS applauds Representatives Buchanan, Crenshaw, and Panetta for their leadership in introducing the Healthcare Efficiency Through Flexibility Act, a critical step toward ensuring a smooth and equitable transition to digital quality measurement within the ACO program Digital quality measurement holds great promise for advancing population health by enabling seamless, real-time performance measurement,” Pittman said. “However, current CMS requirements pose significant challenges, as compiling data across diverse physician groups and hospitals—each operating with different EHR systems—remains a complex and costly endeavor.”

Per that, she added that “This legislation addresses these longstanding obstacles raised by NAACOS members by requiring CMS to pilot-test reporting approaches and delaying mandatory electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) reporting until 2030. These provisions will provide ACOs with the necessary time and resources to adapt effectively while ensuring quality improvement remains at the forefront of care delivery.”

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