Category Archives: QIP+PSC+PSR+PPS+DFC+DFR

More March-April Events

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March EQRS Newsletter Available at https://mycrownweb.org/2024/03/march-2024-newsletter-now-available/, with information on the 2744 ESRD Annual Survey, March 14 EOCT Town Hall, Care Compare Update, New EQRS Dashboard Reports, New EQRS Medication Reconciliation Reporting Field, ESRD QIP Information, How to Route Questions, and ESRD Data Submission Deadlines.

March 14, 2024:

March 16, 2024: Comment Deadline for Medicare Part D Guidance Part 2 – Guidance to help Medicare Part D enrollees manage drug costs, PART 2. Find details at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/medicare-prescription-payment-plan-draft-part-two-guidance.pdf.

April 16-17, 2024: CMS NTP Understanding Medicare 2-Day Webinar – Find more information and register at https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/live-events.

March 19, 2024: CMS EQRS New User Training – Find details and register at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/march-2024-new-user-training/.

Final CMS Guidance to help Medicare Part D enrollees manage drug costs – https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-07-mlnc#_Toc160622795.

Current Medicare Status of Blood Tests for Organ Transplant Rejection – https://www.cms.gov/training-education/medicare-learning-network/newsletter/2024-03-07-mlnc#_Toc160622796.

February Events and Notices

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February 8, 2024: CMS NTP on Medicare Updates & Education Webinar, https://cmsnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/moodle/login/index.php.

February 20, 2024: EQRS New User Training, https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/february-2024-new-user-training/.

New EQRS Facility Vaccination Dashboards: For instructions on use see https://mycrownweb.org/2024/01/new-eqrs-dashboard-facility-influenza-vaccination/ for Influenza Vaccines, and https://mycrownweb.org/2024/02/new-eqrs-dashboard-facility-pneumococcal-pneumonia-vaccination/ for Pneumococcal Pneumonia Vaccines.

CMS Has Published CY2024 QIP NHSN Data Entry Deadlines: In general, quarterly NHSN data on HD BSI, Dialysis Events, and HCP Vaccination is due three months after the end of each quarter. For details for 2024 see https://mycrownweb.org/education/nhsn-submission-deadlines-for-cy-2024-esrd-qip-data/, and for October-December 2023 see https://mycrownweb.org/2023/09/nhsn-submission-deadlines-for-calendar-year-2023/.

CMS Has Published Instructions for Annual Facility Surveys Forms 2744A and B: All Medicare-certified dialysis (2744A) and transplant (2744B) facilities must complete Form CMS-2744, the ESRD Medical Information System ESRD Facility Survey, providing a final count of all patients and treatments provided by the facility during the prior calendar year. Forms 2744 also includes important facility and patient demographic information, such as Medicare status, vocational rehabilitation, and facility staff counts. Note that facilities should first check with their Organization, as many ESRD Providers complete the 2744s at the Organization Level rather than the Facility Level. Note Also that 2744 submission deadlines and coordination are set by the ESRD Networks, here Comagine ESRD Network 16 at https://comagine.org/esrd. Find detailed Instructions for completing Forms 2744 at https://mycrownweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2023-CMS-2744-Annual-Survey_Training-Aid_For-508ing_vFINAL508.pdf.

CMS Has Created a New Website Introducing Value-Based Care, at https://www.cms.gov/priorities/innovation-center/value-based-care-spotlight.

CMS Has Published the QIP Measures Manual and Technical Specs for CY2024. Find the ESRD Measures Manual for the 2024 Performance Period at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/esrd-measures-manual-v91.pdf, and the CY 2024 ESRD QIP Technical Measures Specifications at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/cy-2024-technical-measure-specifications.pdf.

CDC has updated their V-Safe Website to include Three New Vaccines, including maternal RSV vaccine, RSV vaccines for older adults, and 2023-2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines. V-Safe allows you to describe your own personal reactions to vaccines, in order to educate CDC and the public about what others might expect from their inoculations.  Find V-Safe, in English and Spanish, at https://vsafe.cdc.gov/, and information about how it works at https://blogs.cdc.gov/safehealthcare/help-promote-v-safe-to-vaccine-recipients/. Find details about the RSV vaccines at https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/clinical/index.html, and about the current COVID-19 vaccines at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/overview-COVID-19-vaccines.html.

More January+ Events

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AKF Poster on Barriers to Treatment Adherence: The Infographic at the end of this bulletin summarizes the results of an American Kidney Fund survey of dialysis patients and renal professionals, on the common challenges that patients face in following their treatment recommendations.

CMS Care-Compare website for Comparing Dialysis Facilities has received its January quarterly update, including the latest Facility Performance Scores. Find it at https://www.medicare.gov/care-compare/?providerType=DialysisFacility.

January 15-February 15, 2024: NWRD 2024 Conference Registration – the Conference is March 7-8 in Portland OR, with the theme Dietitians Bridging the Equality Gap through Advocacy with emphasis on Latin American culture and cuisine. Find full details and register at https://www.nwrdonline.org/conference-overview. 

January 31, 2024: CMS/HRSA Organ Transplantation Affinity Group Webinar on Strengthening Transplant Accountability, Equity, and Performance. For details and registration see https://mycrownweb.org/2024/01/organ-transplantation-affinity-group-otag-webinar-on-january-31-2024-at-2pm/.

February 8, 2024: Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation Webinar on Donation and Transportation. Find details and register at https://amat.member365.com/public/event/details/27d76c61afdace71ce3a8cdd49b2d62f6ef0bad2/1.

February 14, 2024: National Donor Day for organ, eye and tissue donation. For Donation-related Valentines to send and/or other donation-related educational materials, in English or Spanish, see https://donatelife.net/how-you-can-help/national-observances-celebrations/national-donor-day/. For Network events and programs, see https://www.donatelifenw.org/.

CY2024 EQRS Submission Deadlines

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CMS EQRS submission deadlines have been published for CY2024 data for all collection types (Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis) and all submission methods, including data for:

  • EQRS Clinical Data
  • Clinical Depression Screening and Follow-Up Assessments
  • ICH CAHPS Attestation
  • Commitment to Health Equity Attestation (new reporting measure starting in PY2026)

For details on how to submit data in EQRS, refer to the Education page on www.MyCROWNWeb.org. Failure to submit the required data by these deadlines puts your facility at risk for an ESRD QIP payment reduction. If your facility batch submits or uses Health Information Exchange/Electronic Data Interchange methods for data submission, follow the guidance provided by your organization. CMS strongly recommends that facilities complete large data submissions and audit batch-submitted data well before submission deadlines to ensure accurate and timely data submission.

EQRS Submission Schedule for EQRS Clinical Data
Reporting MonthData Submission Deadline
January 2024April 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time (PT)
February 2024April 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
March 2024May 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
April 2024July 1, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
May 2024July 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
June 2024September 3, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
July 2024September 30, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
August 2024October 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
September 2024December 2, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
October 2024December 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. PT
November 2024January 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PT
December 2024February 28, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. PT
EQRS Submission Schedule for Clinical Depression Screening and Follow-Up Assessments
Assessment PeriodData Submission Deadline
January 2024 – December 2024February 28, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT
EQRS Submission Schedule for ICH CAHPS Facility Attestation
Attestation PeriodSubmission Deadline
January 2024 – December 2024February 28, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT
EQRS Submission Schedule for Commitment to Health Equity Attestation
Attestation PeriodSubmission Deadline
January 2024 – December 2024February 28, 2025, at 11:59 PM PT

For help with EQRS technical issues, contact the CCSQ Service Center Mon-Fri 5am-5pm Pacific Time at 866-288-8912, qnetsupport-esrd@cms.hhs.gov or online at the CCSQ Support Center. For help with general EQRS and QIP questions, contact the ESRD QIP Team via the QualityNet Q&A Tool.

1/10+ January+ Events

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  • January 24, 2024: NKF Navigating Transplant, the first Zoom session in a series of Transplant-focused “Lunch& Learn” Sessions for Dialysis Professionals – Ready, Set, Go… Referring Dialysis Patients for Kidney Transplant Evaluation. Find more information and register to earn 1.0 free CE credits at http://tinyurl.com/NKFreadysetgo. See also the second poster below.

1/11 New EQRS Attestations Screens

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On January 1, 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) added a new Facility Attestations screen to EQRS. EQRS users can now access the Facility Attestations screen to submit ICH CAHPS attestations and/or Commitment to Health Equity attestations. The new screen replaces the Attestation link previously on the Facility Summary screen for ICH CAHPS attestation submissions. CY2023 ICH CAHPS attestations must be submitted in EQRS by 11:59 pm PT February 29, 2024, and only applies to facilities that treated fewer than 30 eligible patients during the CY2022 eligibility period for payment year PY2025. For additional information on the ICH CAHPS Survey measure, refer to the ESRD QIP Technical Measure Specifications.

Additionally, the Facility Attestations screen also accommodates attestations submissions for the Facility Commitment to Health Equity measure; a new QIP reporting measure beginning in PY2026. Starting January 1, 2024, EQRS users can submit, view, and edit CY2024 Commitment to Health Equity attestation data, and have until 11:59 pm PT February 28, 2025 to submit this data. For detailed information on the Facility Commitment to Health Equity measure, register for the January 11, 2024 Final Rule Webinar, or refer to the CY 2024 ESRD PPS Final Rule that is published online at the Federal Register. For training on how to submit Commitment to Health Equity attestations in EQRS, refer to the December Town Hall slides and video available on the Events page on www.MYCROWNWeb.org.

To navigate to the Facility Attestations screen, click Attestation from the Facilities drop-down tab in EQRS:

Once on the Facility Attestations screen, users can select the attestation they want to submit:

More December+ Events

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December 6, 2023: Medicaid/CHIPS Renewal Webinar, What to Know and How to Prepare: A Partner Education Monthly Series, online, find more information and registration at https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_qma5AvyBQWCTB0vbNF3lTA#/registration.

December 14, 2023: EQRS Town Hall re ESRD Reporting Deadlines, EQRS Updates including Dashboard Reports, CY2024 ESRD Final Rule, New Facility Commitment to Health Equity Measure, PY2024 QIP Final PSRs/PSCs, online, more information and registration at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_community_events/december-2023-town-hall/.

January 2, 2024: CY2024 ESRD/AKI Updates Effective, summarized at https://www.cms.gov/files/document/mm13445-esrd-acute-kidney-injury-dialysis-cy-2024-updates.pdf.

January 2-March 29, 2024: Longer CCSQ Hold Times Expected for EQRS questions; for more information, see the 2-page attachment below. The embedded links don’t work, but they are:

January 24, 2024: Medicaid/CHIPS Renewal Webinar, What to Know and How to Prepare: A Partner Education Monthly Series, online, find more information and registration at https://cms.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_qma5AvyBQWCTB0vbNF3lTA#/registration.

Longer CCSQ Hold Times Expected bulletin:

December Events

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Updated NTP Training Materials: Health Insurance Marketplace® Basics PowerPoint; Marketplace to Medicare: What You Can Expect PowerPoint. Visit CMSnationaltrainingprogram.cms.gov/resources to view all CMS training materials.

New/Updated CMS Products: Medicare & the Health Insurance Marketplace®; Medicare: Getting Started; Medicare & Home Health Care. Order CMS products in bulk at the product ordering website.

ESRD QIP CY2024 Final Rule: See https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/fact-sheets/calendar-year-2024-end-stage-renal-disease-esrd-prospective-payment-system-pps-final-rule-cms-1782-f.

December 4, 2023: Deadline for Final PY2024 ESRD QIP PSRs and PSCs, available from EQRS, to be prominently posted in English and Spanish. See https://qualitynet.cms.gov/esrd/esrdqip/resources#tab2 for instructions, and https://cmsqualitysupport.servicenowservices.com/qnet_qa, or 866-288-8912 5am-5pm PST Mon-Fri, or qnetsupport-esrd@cms.hhs.gov for assistance.

December 5, 2023: Donate Life NW Webinar 201 on The Science Behind Organ Donation, online, https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=10037&id=10037.

December 12, 2023: EQRS New User Training, online, https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/december-2023-new-user-training/.

December 31, 2024: Deadline for NWRD Annual Conference Poster, Exhibitor Applications, https://www.nwrdonline.org/conference-overview.

January 4, 2024: Donate Life Orientation 101 on New Ambassador Training, online, https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=10031&id=10031.

January 15, 2024: Registration Opens for NWRD Annual Conference, https://www.nwrdonline.org/conference-overview.

January 16, 2024: Donate Life Webinar 301 on School Programs, online, https://www.donatelifenw.org/civicrm/event/info?reset=10046&id=10046.

March 7-8, 2024: NWRD Annual Conference, Portland OR, https://www.nwrdonline.org/conference-overview. See Conference poster below.

8/8+ More August and Beyond Events

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8/1+ Upcoming Events

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