2021 MIPS Measure #283: Dementia Associated Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms Screening and Management

Measure Description

Percentage of patients with dementia for whom there was a documented screening for behavioral and psychiatric symptoms, including depression, and for whom, if symptoms screening was positive, there was also documentation of recommendations for management in the last 12 months

Instructions

This measure is to be submitted a minimum of once per performance period for patients with a diagnosis of dementia seen during the performance period. This measure may be submitted by Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who perform the quality actions described in the measure based on the services provided and the measure-specific denominator coding.

NOTE: Patient encounters for this measure conducted via telehealth (e.g., encounters coded with GQ, GT, 95, or POS 02 modifiers) are allowable.

Measure Submission Type:

Measure data may be submitted by individual MIPS eligible clinicians, groups, or third party intermediaries. The listed denominator criteria are used to identify the intended patient population. The numerator options included in this specification are used to submit the quality actions as allowed by the measure. The quality-data codes listed do not need to be submitted by MIPS eligible clinicians, groups, or third party intermediaries that utilize this modality for submissions; however, these codes may be submitted for those third party intermediaries that utilize Medicare Part B claims data. For more information regarding Application Programming Interface (API), please refer to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website.

Denominator

All patients with dementia

DENOMINATOR NOTE: *Signifies that this CPT Category I code is a non-covered service under the Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). These non-covered services should be counted in the denominator population for MIPS CQMs.

Denominator Criteria (Eligible Cases):

All patients regardless of age

AND

Diagnosis for dementia (ICD-10-CM): A52.17, A81.00, A81.01, A81.89, F01.50, F01.51, F02.80, F02.81, F03.90, F03.91, F05, F10.27, G30.0, G30.1, G30.8, G30.9, G31.01, G31.09, G31.83, G31.85, G31.89, G94

AND

Patient encounter during the performance period (CPT): 90791, 90792, 90832, 90834, 90837, 96116, 96127, 96130, 96132, 96136, 96138, 96146, 96156, 96158, 96164, 96167, 96170, 97161, 97162, 97163, 97164, 97165, 97166, 97167, 97168, 99202, 99203, 99204, 99205, 99211, 99212, 99213, 99214, 99215, 99221, 99222, 99223, 99231, 99232, 99233, 99238, 99239, 99251*, 99252*, 99253*, 99254*, 99255*, 99281, 99282, 99283, 99284, 99285, 99304, 99305, 99306, 99307, 99308, 99309, 99310, 99324, 99325, 99326, 99327, 99328, 99334, 99335, 99336, 99337, 99339, 99340, 99341, 99342, 99343, 99344, 99345, 99347, 99348, 99349, 99350, 99487, 99490, 99497

Numerator

Patients with dementia for whom there was a documented screening for behavioral and psychiatric symptoms, including depression in the last 12 months and for whom, if screening was positive, there was also documentation of recommendations for management in the last 12 months

Definition:

Positive Behavioral and Psychiatric Symptoms Screening – Screening is defined as using a validated instrument or directly examining the patient or knowledgeable informant to determine the presence or absence of symptoms from three domains: Activity disturbances, mood disturbances (including depression), and thought and perceptional disturbances. The following validated instruments can be used to meet the measure:

• Dementia Signs and Symptoms (DSS) Scale• Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI)• Minimum Data Set (MDS) (suggested for nursing home only).

Numerator Instructions:

Symptoms Screening for at least one symptom each for three domains of behavioral and psychiatric symptoms, including depression is defined as using a validated instrument or directly examining the patient or knowledgeable informant to determine the presence or absence of symptoms from three domains: activity disturbances, mood disturbances (including depression), and thought and perceptional disturbances. The following is a non-exhaustive list of symptoms falling into each of the three requisite domains pertinent to this measure:

Activity disturbances (To meet measure, patient or knowledgeable informant must be screened for at least one symptom from this list):

• Agitation
• Wandering
• Purposeless hyperactivity
• Verbal or physical aggressiveness
• Resisting care
• Apathy
• Impulsiveness
• Socially inappropriate behaviors
• Eating disturbances
• Sleep problems
• Diurnal/sleep-wake cycle disturbances
• Repetitive behavior

Mood disturbances (To meet measure, patient or knowledgeable informant must be screened for depression and at least one more symptom from this list):

• Anxiety
• Elation
• Irritability
• Mood lability/fluctuations

Thought and perceptual disturbances (To meet measure, patient or knowledgeable informant must be screened for at least one symptom from this list:

• Thought and perceptual disturbances
• Having fixed false beliefs (delusions)
• Hearing or seeing non-present entities (hallucinations)
• Paranoia

Examples of reliable and valid instruments that can be used to assess behavioral and psychiatric symptoms are:

Dementia Signs and Symptoms (DSS) Scale or Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). For patients residing in nursing homes, it may be the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Other reliable and valid instruments may be used to assess individual measure components for activity disturbances, mood disturbances including depression, and thought and perceptual disturbances.

NUMERATOR NOTE: The 12 month look back period is defined as 12 months from the date of the denominator eligible encounter. In the event that a patient is not screened or partially screened during an eligible encounter for behavioral and psychiatric symptoms or the screening status is unknown submit G9921.

Numerator Options:

Performance Met:

Screening Performed AND Positive AND Provision of Recommendations (G9919)

OR

Performance Met:

Screening Performed AND Negative (G9920)

OR

Performance Not Met:

No Screening Performed, Partial Screening Performed OR Positive Screen Without Recommendations and Reason is Not Given or Otherwise Specified (G9921)