By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    bowl of vegetable salad
    Raw Foods: benefits and harms
    November 9, 2021
    pros and cons of the keto diet
    Read This Before You Follow the Keto Diet
    May 18, 2022
    spinal cord injuries
    4 Potential Causes of Spinal Cord Injuries (and How to Seek Compensation)
    May 25, 2022
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    TBI: Some Surprising Statistics
    February 9, 2016
    Your Keys to Safer, Even More Secure Healthcare Cloud Services
    January 13, 2015
    4 Career Options in Healthcare Industry that Combine Big Data & Healthcare
    February 5, 2021
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: PQRS and the Benefits of Participating in 2015
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > PQRS and the Benefits of Participating in 2015
Health ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

PQRS and the Benefits of Participating in 2015

Andy Salmen
Andy Salmen
Share
4 Min Read
Data_-_PQRS_Benefits
SHARE

Data_-_PQRS_BenefitsWhat is PQRS?

Data_-_PQRS_BenefitsWhat is PQRS?

The Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) initially known as Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) was created under the 2006 Act – Tax Relief and Health Care.  The program was made permanent under Medicare Improvement for both Providers and Patients Act of 2008; this Act also saw the incentive payments for PQRS increased. Moreover, several changes came in 2010 with the passage of ACA, which also included subjection to penalties beginning in 2015 and removal of incentives.

According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the overall goal of the PQRS program is to collect useful data that can lead to improving health care of the patients and practitioners all together.  That’s one of the reasons why it is very important to participate in the QPRS 2015.

More Read

5 Reasons Why Investing in Quality Exercise Apparel & Equipment is Worth It
Angelina Jolie, BRCA1, Public Health and Patent Law
Can Anyone Explain This?
Why the U.S. Healthcare System Ranks Worst in the Developed World
Health Literacy Resources for Pharmacies

Why participate in PQRS 2015?

  • Avoiding the penalty

According to CMS, doctors have had plenty of time to begin using the PQRS. CMS offers an option for administrative claims so as to ease up your participation. In fact, CMS itself is allowed to look into your claims. CMS will be provided with data by the physician for processing.  As a physician if you choose this option you will not be penalized, but will not receive any incentives either. Unlike the previous years, from 2015 onwards there will be no additional incentives, instead there will be penalties. For example, in 2015 as physicians if you fail to participate you will be penalized 1.5% based on 2013 reporting. In order to avoid this penalty you need to participate in the PQRS 2015 program.

There will be further adjustment in 2016 to 2.0% based on 2014 report and same for subsequent years as a penalty for not participating.

  • Implications on other programs

Proper PQRS reporting data can implicate more than just a program.  Even though it is clarified by CMS that participation in other programs does not prevent or help PQRS penalties or incentives respectively, it may help boost your reception of incentives in others.

As it stands now, only 20 or so groups participate in VBPM program (value–based payment modifier), but it is expected that by 2017 the program will be available to all physicians.  You can therefore expect that by reporting year of 2015 the compliance will be industry–wide. VBPM is highly dependent on how well PQRS data is reported. Any wrong or unsatisfactory 2013 report or total failure in reporting of any data will warrant a penalty of 1% in 2015, not forgetting the additional QPRS payment penalty. Participating in PQRS in 2015 will help you to prepare so that you’re not adversely affected when the modifier starts to apply to everyone.

  • Consistency with MSSP, VBPM, and other programs

Participating in PQRS 2015 may also help reduce corresponding reports that you submit to different programs within CMS. For example, the criteria that was used in 2014 by PQRS largely adopted the second stage meaningful use (across three domains nine measures were reported) and the measures for arriving at the meaningful use component measure of clinical quality. If you you’re your time, you’ll note that PQRS, e–prescribing, meaningful use, MSSP and VBPM all share some common elements. These similarities however minor can prove very important for the emerging programs.

Summary

Considering the highlighted benefits, it may be wise to fully participate in 2015 PQRS. As you can see, failure to participate may not just bar you from the potential benefits of the program, but may also expose your practice to a number of financial repercussions. 

Image: suphakit73/freedigitalphotos.net

TAGGED:PQRS
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025
physiotherapist at work
How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
Health care
August 20, 2025
Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
Health News
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

aspirin cancer connection
Public HealthSpecialtiesWellness

Can Aspirin Protect Against Cancer?

September 10, 2013
Universe.jpg
Medical EthicsMedical InnovationsWellness

Is the Healthcare Industry Prepared for Human Immortality?

April 12, 2016

The Department of Health and Human Services Makes Effort to Increase PCIP Rolls

February 14, 2011
Periodontal Disease
Medical EducationWellness

Can Children Get Periodontal Disease?

March 6, 2013
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?