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2021 Topped Out MIPS Quality Measures: Claims Reporting

These measures are capped at 7 points for the 2021 performance period.

CMS defines a topped-out measure as one whose median performance score is 95% or higher and whose performance is “so high and unvarying that meaningful distinctions and improvement in performance can no longer be made.” CMS has established a 4-year timeline for identifying and removing topped-out measures. If a measure is classified as topped-out for 3 consecutive years, it may be removed the 4th year subject to rule-making and public comment period. In the final rule, CMS has added a new criterion for removing measures identified as “extremely topped-out,” that is, measures with an average performance within the 98th to 100th percentile. For these measures, regardless of where they are in the topped out measure lifecycle, CMS may propose to remove them in the following year’s rulemaking cycle. These measures may not follow the 4-year lifecycle that is applicable to other measures.

Quality IdMeasure NameMeasure TypeMeasure Descriptionhf:tax:specialty_measure_setshf:tax:collection_types
021Perioperative Care: Selection of Prophylactic Antibiotic – First OR Second-Generation CephalosporinProcessPercentage of surgical patients aged 18 years and older undergoing procedures with the indications for a first OR second-generation cephalosporin prophylactic antibiotic who had an order for a first OR second-generation cephalosporin for antimicrobial prophylaxisDetails
023Perioperative Care: Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Prophylaxis (When Indicated in ALL Patients)ProcessPercentage of surgical patients aged 18 years and older undergoing procedures for which venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis is indicated in all patients, who had an order for Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH), Low-Dose Unfractionated Heparin (LDUH), adjusted-dose warfarin, fondaparinux or mechanical prophylaxis to be given within 24 hours prior to incision time or within 24 hours after surgery end timeDetails
024Communication with the Physician or Other Clinician Managing On-Going Care Post-Fracture for Men and Women Aged 50 Years and OlderProcessPercentage of patients aged 50 years and older treated for a fracture with documentation of communication, between the physician treating the fracture and the physician or other clinician managing the patient’s on-going care, that a fracture occurred and that the patient was or should be considered for osteoporosis treatment or testing. This measure is submitted by the physician who treats the fracture and who therefore is held accountable for the communicationDetails
047Advance Care PlanProcessPercentage of patients aged 65 years and older who have an advance care plan or surrogate decision maker documented in the medical record or documentation in the medical record that an advance care plan was discussed but the patient did not wish or was not able to name a surrogate decision maker or provide an advance care planDetails
048Urinary Incontinence: Assessment of Presence or Absence of Urinary Incontinence in Women Aged 65 Years and OlderProcessPercentage of female patients aged 65 years and older who were assessed for the presence or absence of urinary incontinence within 12 monthsDetails
050Urinary Incontinence: Plan of Care for Urinary Incontinence in Women Aged 65 Years and OlderProcessPercentage of female patients aged 65 years and older with a diagnosis of urinary incontinence with a documented plan of care for urinary incontinence at least once within 12 monthsDetails
052Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD): Long-Acting Inhaled Bronchodilator TherapyProcessPercentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of COPD (FEV1/FVC < 70%) and who have an FEV1 less than 60% predicted and have symptoms who were prescribed a long-acting inhaled bronchodilatorDetails
014Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD): Dilated Macular ExaminationProcessPercentage of patients aged 50 years and older with a diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who had a dilated macular examination performed which included documentation of the presence or absence of macular thickening or geographic atrophy or hemorrhage AND the level of macular degeneration severity during one or more office visits within the 12 month performance periodDetails
076Prevention of Central Venous Catheter (CVC) - Related Bloodstream InfectionsProcessPercentage of patients, regardless of age, who undergo central venous catheter (CVC) insertion for whom CVC was inserted with all elements of maximal sterile barrier technique, hand hygiene, skin preparation and, if ultrasound is used, sterile ultrasound techniques followedDetails
134Preventive Care and Screening: Screening for Depression and Follow-Up PlaneCQM/CQMPercentage of patients aged 12 years and older screened for depression on the date of the encounter using an age appropriate standardized depression screening tool AND if positive, a follow-up plan is documented on the date of the positive screenDetails
130Documentation of Current Medications in the Medical RecordProcessPercentage of visits for patients aged 18 years and older for which the eligible professional or eligible clinician attests to documenting a list of current medications using all immediate resources available on the date of the encounter. This list must include ALL known prescriptions, over-the-counters, herbals, and vitamin/mineral/dietary (nutritional) supplements AND must contain the medications' name, dosage, frequency and route of administrationDetails
128Preventive Care and Screening: Body Mass Index (BMI) Screening and Follow-Up PlanProcessPercentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a BMI documented during the current encounter or during the previous twelve months AND with a BMI outside of normal parameters, a follow-up plan is documented during the encounter or during the previous twelve months of the current encounter

Normal Parameters: Age 18 years and older BMI => 18.5 and < 25 kg/m2
Details
117Diabetes: Eye ExamProcessPercentage of patients 18-75 years of age with diabetes and an active diagnosis of retinopathy overlapping the measurement period who had a retinal or dilated eye exam by an eye care professional during the measurement period or diabetics with no diagnosis of retinopathy overlapping the measurement period who had a retinal or dilated eye exam by an eye care professional during the measurement period or in the 12 months prior to the measurement period.Details
093Acute Otitis Externa (AOE): Systemic Antimicrobial Therapy – Avoidance of Inappropriate UseProcessPercentage of patients aged 2 years and older with a diagnosis of AOE who were not prescribed systemic antimicrobial therapyDetails
195Radiology: Stenosis Measurement in Carotid Imaging ReportsProcessPercentage of final reports for carotid imaging studies (neck magnetic resonance angiography [MRA], neck computed tomography angiography [CTA], neck duplex ultrasound, carotid angiogram) performed that include direct or indirect reference to measurements of distal internal carotid diameter as the denominator for stenosis measurementDetails
147Nuclear Medicine: Correlation with Existing Imaging Studies for All Patients Undergoing Bone ScintigraphyProcessPercentage of final reports for all patients, regardless of age, undergoing bone scintigraphy that include physician documentation of correlation with existing relevant imaging studies (e.g., x-ray, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computed Tomography (CT), etc.) that were performedDetails
181Elder Maltreatment Screen and Follow-Up PlanProcessPercentage of patients aged 65 years and older with a documented elder maltreatment screen using an Elder Maltreatment Screening tool on the date of encounter AND a documented follow-up plan on the date of the positive screenDetails
155Falls: Plan of CareProcessPercentage of patients aged 65 years and older with a history of falls that had a plan of care for falls documented within 12 monthsDetails
154Falls: Risk AssessmentProcessPercentage of patients aged 65 years and older with a history of falls that had a risk assessment for falls completed within 12 monthsDetails
145Radiology: Exposure Dose Indices or Exposure Time and Number of Images Reported for Procedures Using FluoroscopyProcessFinal reports for procedures using fluoroscopy that document radiation exposure indices, or exposure time and number of fluorographic images (if radiation exposure indices are not available)Details
226Preventive Care and Screening: Tobacco Use: Screening and Cessation InterventionProcessPercentage of patients aged 18 years and older who were screened for tobacco use one or more times within 24 months AND who received tobacco cessation intervention if identified as a tobacco user.Details
249Barrett’s EsophagusProcessPercentage of esophageal biopsy reports that document the presence of Barrett’s mucosa that also include a statement about dysplasiaDetails
250Radical Prostatectomy Pathology ReportingProcessPercentage of radical prostatectomy pathology reports that include the pT category, the pN category, the Gleason score and a statement about margin statusDetails
317Preventive Care and Screening: Screening for High Blood Pressure and Follow-Up DocumentedProcessPercentage of patients aged 18 years and older seen during the reporting period who were screened for high blood pressure AND a recommended follow-up plan is documented based on the current blood pressure (BP) reading as indicatedDetails
320Appropriate Follow-Up Interval for Normal Colonoscopy in Average Risk PatientsProcessPercentage of patients aged 50 to 75 years of age receiving a screening colonoscopy without biopsy or polypectomywho had a recommended follow-up interval of at least 10 years for repeat colonoscopy documented in their colonoscopy reportDetails
326Atrial Fibrillation and Atrial Flutter: Chronic Anticoagulation TherapyProcessPercentage of patients aged 18 years and older with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter who were prescribed warfarin OR another FDA-approved oral anticoagulant drug for the prevention of thromboembolism during the measurement periodDetails
395Lung Cancer Reporting (Biopsy/Cytology Specimens)ProcessPathology reports based on biopsy and/or cytology specimens with a diagnosis of primary non-small cell lung cancer classified into specific histologic type or classified as NSCLC-NOS with an explanation included in the pathology reportDetails
397Melanoma ReportingProcessPathology reports for primary malignant cutaneous melanoma that include the pT category and a statement on thickness, ulceration and mitotic rateDetails
425Photodocumentation of Cecal IntubationProcessThe rate of screening and surveillance colonoscopies for which photodocumentation of at least two landmarks of cecal intubation is performed to establish a complete examinationDetails
436Radiation Consideration for Adult CT: Utilization of Dose Lowering TechniquesProcessPercentage of final reports for patients aged 18 years and older undergoing CT with documentation that one or more of the following dose reduction techniques were used • Automated exposure control • Adjustment of the mA and/or kV according to patient size • Use of iterative reconstruction techniqueDetails