CMS Announces New Consensus-Based Entity to Replace the National Quality Forum (NQF)

CMS recently announced that it has ended its contract with the National Quality Forum (NQF) to serve as the consensus-based entity (CBE) for performance measurement. The NQF, in this role for almost 15 years, provided endorsement and maintenance of health care performance measures used throughout CMS programs, recommendations during CMS’ pre-rulemaking consideration of measures, and input on integrated national strategies for performance measurement across payers.

CMS recently announced that it has ended its contract with the National Quality Forum (NQF)to serve as the consensus-based entity (CBE) for performance measurement. The NQF, int his role for almost 15 years, provided endorsement and maintenance of healthcare performance measures used throughout CMS programs, recommendations during CMS’ pre-rulemaking consideration of measures, and input on integrated national strategies for performance measurement across payers.

This March, CMSawarded this contract to Battelle, a long-time CMS contractor that assists with federal quality programs. Battelle will oversee what will now be referred to as the “Partnership for Quality Measurement (or PQM).” The PQM will essentially serve the same functions as the NQF but will work with stakeholders over the coming months to streamline the measure review and endorsement process, ensure that is more transparent, and ensure that it more comprehensively accounts for multi-stakeholder input. Most notably, the PQM will not charge membership dues and will allow individual members of the public, as well as organizations, to participate in its processes for free. As this new process is rolled out over the next few months, HRS will monitor it closely to identify opportunities for engagement.

PQM is currently seeking comment on the following measure for Spring 2023:

3748: Quality ofCare Composite for Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)/CardiacResynchronization Therapy Defibrillator (CRT-D), developed by ACC. This measure is an all-or-none composite of the number of patients following an ICD/CRT-D implant procedure who received prescriptions for all medications (Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors(ACE-I)/ Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB)/ Angiotensin receptor-nepril ys in inhibitors (ARNI) and beta blockers) for which they are eligible at discharge and those patients with procedures that fulfill class I, IIa, or IIb guideline indications.

Comments on this measure will be accepted through June 7th. The comment form can be accessed here: https://p4qm.org/endorsement/measure/6016.