June 26, 2024

Changes to Sex Elements July 1, 2024

The Hospital Outpatient Quality Reporting Program specifications includes a change in Sex data elements that will impact future OP-18 data submission.

The Sex data element will be replaced by the Sex Assigned at Birth data element beginning with July 1, 2024, encounters.

• This will impact OP-18 data abstractions.
  • The Sex data element will continue to be used for abstractions for encounter dates up to June 30, 2024.
• The numeric allowable values will be changed for encounters beginning July 1, 2024.
  • This will impact your February 1, 2025, data submission which will need to contain this change from the Sex data element to the Sex Assigned at Birth data element.
• You will continue to report the Sex data elements for:
  • OP-18 for the August 1, 2024, data submission (Q1 2024 encounters) and the
  • November 1, 2024, data submission (Q2 2024 encounters).
  • For CART users you will continue to report as you have using version CART version 1.24.0 until further notice.

What can hospitals do to prepare for this change?

• Inform EMR vendors and IT teams of this change beginning with July 1, 2024, encounters.
  • It is important to align data elements with these changes for ease of abstraction of these encounters for the February 1, 2025, submission.
• CART users can continue using CART version 1.24.0 for submissions of Q1 2024 encounters and Q2 2024 encounters.
  • The RQITA team anticipates a new version of CART will be released for encounters starting July 1, 2024, to use for submission due February 1, 2025.
• Connect with hospital leadership and clinical teams to ensure this information is captured for patient encounters starting July 1, 2024.
• Review the measure specifications. Page 2-48 of the Hospital Outpatient Measure Specifications version 17.0a contains detailed information regarding the changes.
• Signup to the CART listserv to be the first to know about changes https://qualitynet.cms.gov/listserv-signup.

June 24, 2024

New MBQIP Resources Available

Data Submission Guides for the measures Screening for Social Drivers of Health, Screen Positive Rate for Social Drivers of Health, and Hospital Commitment to Health Equity are now available on the RQITA website. Data submission guides for all MBQIP core measures will be available in the future.

These guides include tips for hospitals to get started with reporting new measures, measure details, linked trainings and step-by-step data submission steps for each of the measures.

Data Submission Guide for Screening for Social Drivers of Health Version 1.0 Released June 2024

Data Submission Guide for Screen Positive Rate for Social Drivers of Health Version 1.0 Released June 2024

Data Submission Guide for Hospital Commitment to Health Equity Version 1.0 Released June 2024

January 26, 2024

MBQIP 2025 Updated Resources

The Medicare Beneficiary Quality Improvement Program (MBQIP) has updated resources for the next phase of MBQIP.

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is framing them as the MBQIP 2025 Core Measure set. These documents will show what measures are currently included in MBQIP, and new measures for reporting, beginning in calendar year 2025.

• MBQIP Measures –
  • Updated version incorporates the new MBQIP 2025 measures, including the table of suggested additional measures
• MBQIP 2025 Information Guide
  • Includes information for all MBQIP measures
• MBQIP 2025 submission deadlines
  • Includes all reporting periods and submission deadlines for all MBQIP measures

December 28, 2023

Upcoming MBQIP Deadlines and Reporting Reminders

Please see the schedule below for upcoming MBQIP deadlines and reporting:

• January 3, 2024 – HCAHPS Q3 encounters (7/1/23 – 9/30/23)
  • Submission is through the HQR Secure Portal-Vendor
• January 31, 2024 – EDTC Q4 2023 encounters (10/1/23 – 12/31/23
• February 1, 2024 – OP-18 Q3 encounters
  • Submission is through the HQR Secure Portal-Outpatient
• February 29, 2024 – Safe Use of Opioids – Concurrent Prescribing measure for CY 2023 encounters (1/1/23 – 12/31/23)
  • This measure is not currently being submitted for MBQIP but is available for reporting to CMS

MBQIP Data Submission deadlines can be found in the Technical Assistance & Services Center (TASC) MBQIP Toolkit