More December+ Events

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:

• CCSQ Support Central – https://cmsqualitysupport.servicenowservices.com/ccsq_support_central.
• CrownWeb: https://mycrownweb.org/.
• QualityNet Q&A Tool – https://cmsqualitysupport.servicenowservices.com/qnet_qa?id=ask_a_question.
• Support email address: qnestsupport-esrd@cms.hhs.gov.

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

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.

3/21+ EQRS Newsletter, New User Training, Town Hall

The March 2023 EQRS Quarterly Newsletter is now available, at https://mycrownweb.org/2023/03/march-2023-newsletter/, and it’s action-packed. Its contents:

• CMS-2744 ESRD Annual Facility Survey which is in progress;
• ESRD QIP Final PY 2023 PSRs & PSCs Now Available and must be posted;
• March 23, 2023 EQRS Town Hall about EQRS Data Submission Deadlines and Announcements, NHSN COVID-19 HCP Vaccination Reporting Measure, ESRD QIP PY 2023 PSRs and PSCs, CMS-2744 Survey, and Frequently Asked Questions;
• Chat Box on 2744 Error Messages;
• NHSN COVID-19 HCP Vaccination Measure including reporting fields map, reporting deadlines (summarized below); and essential resources,
• How to Route EQRS-Related Questions and to whom;
• EQRS Clinical and other QIP Data Submission Deadlines (summarized below);
• A link to EQRS Public Portal Available at https://mycrownweb.org/2023/02/eqrs-portal-available/.

The March 21, 2023 EQRS New User Training was scheduled after the Newsletter was published; Register at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/march-2023-new-user-training/.

Data Submission Schedules for 2023 ESRD Clinical and QIP Data:

• March 31, 2023: Clinical Data for January 2023.
• May 1, 2023: Clinical Data for February 2023.
• May 31, 2023: Clinical Data for March 2023.
• June 30, 2023: Clinical Data for April 2023; NHSN COVID-19 HCP Vaccination Data for January-March 2023.
• July 31, 2023: Clinical Data for May 2023.
• August 31, 2023: Clinical Data for June 2023.
• October 2, 2023: Clinical Data for July 2023; NHSN COVID-19 HCP Vaccination Data for April-June 2023.
• October 31, 2023: Clinical Data for August 2023.
• November 30, 2023: Clinical Data for September 2023.
• January 2, 2024: Clinical Data for October 2023; NHSN COVID-19 HCP Vaccination Data for July-September 2023.
• January 31, 2024: Clinical Data for November 2023.
• February 29, 2024: Clinical Data for December 2023; Depression Screening and Follow-Up, and ICH CAHPS Attestation, for January-December 2023.
• April 1, 2024: NHSN COVID-19 HCP Vaccination Data for October-December 2023.

PY2023 ESRD QIP PSRs and PSCs

CMS has released the PY2023 ESRD QIP Final Performance Score Reports (PSRs) and Performance Score Certificates (PSCs). Authorized facility staff can log into EQRS to view and download these documents. Each facility must download and print its English and Spanish PSC. Even if a facility did not receive a Total Performance Score, each ESRD QIP-eligible facility must post both of its PSCs in a prominent area for the duration of CY 2023

Each facility should save an electronic copy of their Final PSR and PSC for reference, reprinting, and reposting throughout the year, if needed. The Final PSR and PSC can be accessed via the ESRD QIP user interface (UI) in EQRS. For instructions on how to access the ESRD QIP UI, refer to the PY 2023 ESRD QIP UI Quick Start Guide. For additional information about the PSR, refer to the PY 2023 Guide to the ESRD QIP Performance Score Report document. Both resources are available for download from the QualityNet website: https://qualitynet.cms.gov/esrd/esrdqip.

2/18+ PY2022 PSRs and PSCs

CMS has announced that PSRs and PSCs for ESRD QIP PY2022 will be available for download from EQRS on and after February 18, 2022. Thanks to COVID-19, the PY2022 QIP contains too many complications to include here; find full details at https://mycrownweb.org/2022/02/esrd-qip-py-2022-final-psrs-and-pscs-available-on-february-18-2022/. No dialysis facility will receive a reimbursement reduction for PY2022. Even if a PSC shows your TPS as “N/A,” facilities are still required to download, save a digital copy, print, and post both the English and Spanish versions in a prominent patient area, within 15 business days of their availability. They must remain posted through the end of 2022.

EQRS Newsletter and Training

EQRS will present an online New User Training on January 18, 2022. For details and registration see https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_lems/january-2022-new-user-training/.

The January EQRS Quarterly Newsletter is also available, at https://mycrownweb.org/2022/01/january-2022-newsletter/, including articles on:

• 2021 Data Submission – all 2021 EQRS Clinical Data, Depression Screening, and ICH CAHPS attestations are due by February 28, 2022.
• Final PY2022 PSRs and PSCs – available for download in February 2022. PSCs must be posted within 15 days of their availability, until December 31, 2022, in both English and Spanish.
• How to Route Questions – on EQRS software or data, the QIP, HCQIS, Patient Demographics, 2728s, patient deaths, duplicate patients, QIAs, patient grievances, facility concerns.
• New EQRS Features – Nursing Home Identifiers, Telemedicine Use, Batch Submission.
• A Chat Box on posting PSCs.
• 2022 Data Submission Deadlines – March 31 for January, May 2 for February, May 31 for March.

1/19+ January EQRS Newsletter

CMS has issued the January EQRS News, featuring articles on the specifications required for computers used to access EQRS, PY2021 PSRs and PSCs, the lack of PART verification in EQRS, the ICH CAHPS Attestation, Clinical Closure deadlines, and the usual useful links to more information about EQRS and its environment, including the announcement of New User Training on January 19, 2021. If it’s required, the ICH CAHPS Attestation must be completed by March 1, 2021. Clinical Closure deadlines for September, October, and November 2020 have been extended to February 1, 2021. Find the January issue at https://mycrownweb.org/2020/12/january-2021-newsletter/, and a compendium of online EQRS, HARP, and QIP training resources at https://mycrownweb.org/education/.

CW January New User Training, Newsletter

CROWNWeb has published their January Newsletter, at https://mycrownweb.org/2020/01/january-2020-newsletter/.  It includes articles on

• Medication Reconciliation and its January 9 and 23, 2020 training sessions
• PY2020 PSRs and PSCs (see also https://nwrnbulletins.wordpress.com/2019/12/03/py2020-qip-final-psr-and-psc-released/)
• ICH CAHPS CY2019 exemption attestation (deadline March 2, 2020)
• CY2020 Clinical Depression Screening requirements
• January 16, 2020 training for ICH CAHPS and Depression Screening reporting requirements
• Clinical data submission deadlines (if your Network doesn’t require earlier submission)

Plus announcement of the January 21, 2020 New User Training, and the usual lists of always-useful resources and links.

Find information and register for the January 30, 2020 CROWNWeb Town Hall on signing up for HCQIS HARP at https://mycrownweb.org/pcw_community_events/january-2020-town-hall/.

PY2020 QIP Final PSR and PSC Released

CMS has released the PY2020 ESRD QIP Final Performance Score Reports (PSR) and Performance Score Certificates (PSC).  Find their announcement at https://www.qualitynet.org/news/5de54e86a63d67002379772e.  Authorized facility staff may log onto the EQRS QIP system at https://www.qualitynet.org/ to download and save these documents as soon as possible.

PY 2020 Final PSR: The PY2020 Final PSR documents your facility’s performance during 2018 and any payment reduction that CMS will impose for reimbursement on 2020 claims.  The Final PSR reflects any applicable revisions to your facility’s performance scores from those displayed during the Preview Period.

PY 2020 PSC: Each facility is required to download, print, and post both the English and Spanish versions of the PSC in a prominent patient area within fifteen business days of their availability; facilities also must ensure that these documents remain posted throughout 2020.

Save Your Facility’s Documents: PY 2020 Final PSRs and PSCs will only be available on EQRS until December 31, 2019.  CMS encourages each facility to save an electronic copy of their Final PSR and PSC for reference, reprinting, and, should the need arise, re-posting throughout the year.  Facilities who do not save a copy by December 31 can request an additional copy by e-mail from the QualityNet Help Desk, but should expect a delay in receiving it.

If You Have Questions: Find more information on how to access and understand your reports in the PY2020 supporting documents on the ESRD QIP Resources page at https://qualitynet.org/esrd/esrdqip/resources#tab2.  For questions about the information in this post, contact the ESRD QIP Support Team using the ESRD QIP Q&A Tool at https://cmsqualitysupport.service-now.com/qnet_qa.  For questions about EQRS or CROWNWeb, contact the QualityNet Help Desk at qnetsupport-esrd@hcqis.org or 866-288-8912, 5am-5pm PT, Monday-Friday.

PSRs and PSCs Now Available

CMS has released the PY2019 ESRD QIP Final PSRs and PSCs, which are now available on EQRS.

The PY 2019 Final PSR provides information on your facility’s performance during 2017 and any payment reduction that CMS will impose for reimbursement on 2019 claims. The Final PSR reflects any applicable revisions applied to your facility’s performance scores during the review and correction period and may differ from those displayed during the Preview Period.

Each facility is required to download, print, and post both the English and Spanish versions of the PSC in a prominent patient area within fifteen (15) business days of their availability; facilities also must ensure that these documents remain posted throughout 2019.

PY2019 Final PSRs and PSCs will only be available on EQRS until summer of 2019, when the PY2020 Preview Period will begin. We encourage each facility to save an electronic copy of its Final PSR and PSC for reference, reprinting, and reposting throughout the year should the need arise. Facilities that do not save a copy can request an additional copy from the QualityNet Helpdesk (see below), but should expect a delay in receiving it.

For further assistance regarding the information contained in this message, please contact the ESRD QIP Support Team using the ESRD QIP Q&A Tool at https://cms-ocsq.custhelp.com/app/homeesrdqip/p/960.  If you have questions or concerns regarding use of the ESRD QIP system, please contact the QualityNet Help Desk at qnetsupport-esrd@hcqis.org or 866-288-8912, 5am-5pm PST, M-F.