2026 COLLECTION TYPE:
MERIT-BASED INCENTIVE PAYMENT SYSTEM (MIPS) CLINICAL QUALITY MEASURE (CQM)
MEASURE TYPE: Process – High Priority
- INVERSE MEASURE: LOWER SCORE – BETTER
Description:
Percentage of patients who died from cancer, and admitted to hospice and spent less than 3 days there.
Instructions:
Reporting Frequency:
This measure is to be submitted a minimum of once per performance period for denominator eligible cases as defined in the denominator criteria.
Intent and Clinician Applicability:
This measure is intended to reflect the quality of services provided for patients who died from cancer. It is anticipated that Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who provide services for patients with the diagnosis of cancer will submit this measure.
Measure Strata and Performance Rates:
This measure contains one strata defined by a single submission criteria.
This measure produces a single performance rate.
Implementation Considerations:
For the purposes of MIPS implementation, this patient-periodic measure should be submitted a minimum of once per patient per timeframe specified by the measure for the performance period.
This is an inverse measure which means a lower calculated performance rate for this measure indicates better clinical care or control. The “Performance Not Met” numerator option for this measure is the representation of the better clinical quality or control. Submitting that numerator option will produce a performance rate that trends closer to 0%, as quality increases. For inverse measures, a rate of 100% means all of the denominator eligible patients did not receive the appropriate care or were not in proper control.
Telehealth:
TELEHEALTH ELIGIBLE: This measure is appropriate for and applicable to the telehealth setting. Patient encounters conducted via telehealth using encounter code(s) found in the denominator encounter criteria are allowed for this measure. Therefore, if the patient meets all denominator criteria for a telehealth encounter, it would be appropriate to include them in the denominator eligible patient population. Telehealth eligibility is at the measure level for inclusion within the denominator eligible patient population and based on the measure specification definitions which are independent of changes to coding and/or billing practices.
Measure Submission:
The quality data codes listed do not need to be submitted by MIPS eligible clinicians, groups, or third party intermediaries that utilize this collection type for submissions; however, these codes may be submitted for those third party intermediaries that utilize Medicare Part B claims data. The coding provided to identify the measure criteria:
Denominator or Numerator, may be an example of coding that could be used to identify patients that meet the intent of this clinical topic. When implementing this measure, please refer to the ‘Reference Coding’ section to determine if other codes or code languages that meet the intent of the criteria may also be used within the medical record to identify and/or assess patients. For more information regarding Application Programming Interface (API), please refer to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website.
DENOMINATOR:
Patients who died from cancer who were admitted to hospice
DENOMINATOR NOTE: The patient must have two encounters during the performance period. This is intended to reflect two separate encounters with the same reporting provider/group during this timeframe. There is no specific timeframe for the requirement for the two encounters that occur during the performance period. For example, two encounters with the same provider/group could occur in the same week. However, two encounters should not be counted if they occur on the same day. For example, the patient has two encounters, and one is with a different provider on the same day
Denominator Criteria (Eligible Cases):
Diagnosis of cancer (ICD-10-CM): C00.0, C00.1, C00.2, C00.3, C00.4, C00.5, C00.6, C00.8, C00.9, C01, C02.0, C02.1, C02.2, C02.3, C02.4, C02.8, C02.9, C03.0, C03.1, C03.9, C04.0, C04.1, C04.8, C04.9, C05.0, C05.1, C05.2, C05.8, C05.9, C06.0, C06.1, C06.2, C06.80, C06.89, C06.9, C07, C08.0, C08.1, C08.9, C09.0, C09.1, C09.8, C09.9, C10.0, C10.1, C10.2, C10.3, C10.4, C10.8, C10.9, C11.0, C11.1, C11.2, C11.3, C11.8, C11.9, C12, C13.0, C13.1, C13.2, C13.8, C13.9, C14.0, C14.2, C14.8, C15.3, C15.4, C15.5, C15.8, C15.9, C16.0, C16.1, C16.2, C16.3, C16.4, C16.5, C16.6, C16.8, C16.9, C17.0, C17.1, C17.2, C17.3, C17.8, C17.9, C18.0, C18.1, C18.2, C18.3, C18.4, C18.5, C18.6, C18.7, C18.8, C18.9, C19, C20, C21.0, C21.1, C21.2, C21.8, C22.0, C22.1, C22.2, C22.3, C22.4, C22.7, C22.8, C22.9, C23, C24.0, C24.1, C24.8, C24.9, C25.0, C25.1, C25.2, C25.3, C25.4, C25.7, C25.8, C25.9, C26.0, C26.1, C26.9, C30.0, C30.1, C31.0, C31.1, C31.2, C31.3, C31.8, C31.9, C32.0, C32.1, C32.2, C32.3, C32.8, C32.9, C33, C34.00, C34.01, C34.02, C34.10, C34.11, C34.12, C34.2, C34.30, C34.31, C34.32, C34.80, C34.81, C34.82, C34.90, C34.91, C34.92, C37, C38.0, C38.1, C38.2, C38.3, C38.4, C38.8, C39.0, C39.9, C40.00, C40.01, C40.02, C40.10, C40.11, C40.12, C40.20, C40.21, C40.22, C40.30, C40.31, C40.32, C40.80, C40.81, C40.82, C40.90, C40.91, C40.92, C41.0, C41.1, C41.2, C41.3, C41.4, C41.9, C43.0, C43.10, C43.111, C43.112, C43.121, C43.122, C43.20, C43.21, C43.22, C43.30, C43.31, C43.39, C43.4, C43.51, C43.52, C43.59, C43.60, C43.61, C43.62, C43.70, C43.71, C43.72, C43.8, C43.9, C44.00, C44.01, C44.02, C44.09, C44.101, C44.1021, C44.1022, C44.1091, C44.1092, C44.111, C44.1121, C44.1122, C44.1191, C44.1192, C44.121, C44.1221, C44.1222, C44.1291, C44.1292, C44.131, C44.1321, C44.1322, C44.1391, C44.1392, C44.191, C44.1921, C44.1922, C44.1991, C44.1992, C44.201, C44.202, C44.209, C44.211, C44.212, C44.219, C44.221, C44.222, C44.229, C44.291, C44.292, C44.299, C44.300, C44.301, C44.309, C44.310, C44.311, C44.319, C44.320, C44.321, C44.329, C44.390, C44.391, C44.399, C44.40, C44.41, C44.42, C44.49, C44.500, C44.501, C44.509, C44.510, C44.511, C44.519, C44.520, C44.521, C44.529, C44.590, C44.591, C44.599, C44.601, C44.602, C44.609, C44.611, C44.612, C44.619, C44.621, C44.622, C44.629, C44.691, C44.692, C44.699, C44.701, C44.702, C44.709, C44.711, C44.712, C44.719, C44.721, C44.722, C44.729, C44.791, C44.792, C44.799, C44.80, C44.81, C44.82, C44.89, C44.90, C44.91, C44.92, C44.99, C45.0, C45.1, C45.2, C45.7, C45.9, C46.0, C46.1, C46.2, C46.3, C46.4, C46.50, C46.51, C46.52, C46.7, C46.9, C47.0, C47.10, C47.11, C47.12, C47.20, C47.21, C47.22, C47.3, C47.4, C47.5, C47.6, C47.8, C47.9, C48.0, C48.1, C48.2, C48.8, C49.0, C49.10, C49.11, C49.12, C49.20, C49.21, C49.22, C49.3, C49.A0, C49.A1, C49.A2, C49.A3, C49.A4, C49.A5, C49.A9, C49.4, C49.5, C49.6, C49.8, C49.9, C4A.0, C4A.10, C4A.111, C4A.112, C4A.121, C4A.122, C4A.20, C4A.21, C4A.22, C4A.30, C4A.31, C4A.39, C4A.4, C4A.51, C4A.52, C4A.59, C4A.60, C4A.61, C4A.62, C4A.70, C4A.71, C4A.72, C4A.8, C4A.9, C50.011, C50.012, C50.019, C50.021, C50.022, C50.029, C50.111, C50.112, C50.119, C50.121, C50.122, C50.129, C50.211, C50.212, C50.219, C50.221, C50.222, C50.229, C50.311, C50.312, C50.319, C50.321, C50.322, C50.329, C50.411, C50.412, C50.419, C50.421, C50.422, C50.429, C50.511, C50.512, C50.519, C50.521, C50.522, C50.529, C50.611, C50.612, C50.619, C50.621, C50.622, C50.629, C50.811, C50.812, C50.819, C50.821, C50.822, C50.829, C50.911, C50.912, C50.919, C50.921, C50.922, C50.929, C51.0, C51.1, C51.2, C51.8, C51.9, C52, C53.0, C53.1, C53.8, C53.9, C54.0, C54.1, C54.2, C54.3, C54.8, C54.9, C55, C56.1, C56.2, C56.3, C56.9, C57.00, C57.01, C57.02, C57.10, C57.11, C57.12, C57.20, C57.21, C57.22, C57.3, C57.4, C57.7, C57.8, C57.9, C58, C60.0, C60.1, C60.2, C60.8, C60.9, C61, C62.00, C62.01, C62.02, C62.10, C62.11, C62.12, C62.90, C62.91, C62.92, C63.00, C63.01, C63.02, C63.10, C63.11, C63.12, C63.2, C63.7, C63.8, C63.9, C64.1, C64.2, C64.9, C65.1, C65.2, C65.9, C66.1, C66.2, C66.9, C67.0, C67.1, C67.2, C67.3, C67.4, C67.5, C67.6, C67.7, C67.8, C67.9, C68.0, C68.1, C68.8, C68.9, C69.00, C69.01, C69.02, C69.10, C69.11, C69.12, C69.20, C69.21, C69.22, C69.30, C69.31, C69.32, C69.40, C69.41, C69.42, C69.50, C69.51, C69.52, C69.60, C69.61, C69.62, C69.80, C69.81, C69.82, C69.90, C69.91, C69.92, C70.0, C70.1, C70.9, C71.0, C71.1, C71.2, C71.3, C71.4, C71.5, C71.6, C71.7, C71.8, C71.9, C72.0, C72.1, C72.20, C72.21, C72.22, C72.30, C72.31, C72.32, C72.40, C72.41, C72.42, C72.50, C72.59, C72.9, C73, C74.00, C74.01, C74.02, C74.10, C74.11, C74.12, C74.90, C74.91, C74.92, C75.0, C75.1, C75.2, C75.3, C75.4, C75.5, C75.8, C75.9, C76.0, C76.1, C76.2, C76.3, C76.40, C76.41, C76.42, C76.50, C76.51, C76.52, C76.8, C77.0, C77.1, C77.2, C77.3, C77.4, C77.5, C77.8, C77.9, C78.00, C78.01, C78.02, C78.1, C78.2, C78.30, C78.39, C78.4, C78.5, C78.6, C78.7, C78.80, C78.89, C79.00, C79.01, C79.02, C79.10, C79.11, C79.19, C79.2, C79.31, C79.32, C79.40, C79.49, C79.51, C79.52, C79.60, C79.61, C79.62, C79.63, C79.70, C79.71, C79.72, C79.81, C79.82, C79.89, C79.9, C7A.00, C7A.010, C7A.011, C7A.012, C7A.019, C7A.020, C7A.021, C7A.022, C7A.023, C7A.024, C7A.025, C7A.026, C7A.029, C7A.090, C7A.091, C7A.092, C7A.093, C7A.094, C7A.095, C7A.096, C7A.098, C7A.1, C7A.8, C7B.00, C7B.01, C7B.02, C7B.03, C7B.04, C7B.09, C7B.1, C7B.8, C80.0, C80.1, C80.2, C81.00, C81.01, C81.02, C81.03, C81.04, C81.05, C81.06, C81.07, C81.08, C81.09, C81.10, C81.11, C81.12, C81.13, C81.14, C81.15, C81.16, C81.17, C81.18, C81.19, C81.20, C81.21, C81.22, C81.23, C81.24, C81.25, C81.26, C81.27, C81.28, C81.29, C81.30, C81.31, C81.32, C81.33, C81.34, C81.35, C81.36, C81.37, C81.38, C81.39, C81.40, C81.41, C81.42, C81.43, C81.44, C81.45, C81.46, C81.47, C81.48, C81.49, C81.70, C81.71, C81.72, C81.73, C81.74, C81.75, C81.76, C81.77, C81.78, C81.79, C81.90, C81.91, C81.92, C81.93, C81.94, C81.95, C81.96, C81.97, C81.98, C81.99, C82.00, C82.01, C82.02, C82.03, C82.04, C82.05, C82.06, C82.07, C82.08, C82.09, C82.10, C82.11, C82.12, C82.13, C82.14, C82.15, C82.16, C82.17, C82.18, C82.19, C82.20, C82.21, C82.22, C82.23, C82.24, C82.25, C82.26, C82.27, C82.28, C82.29, C82.30, C82.31, C82.32, C82.33, C82.34, C82.35, C82.36, C82.37, C82.38, C82.39, C82.40, C82.41, C82.42, C82.43, C82.44, C82.45, C82.46, C82.47, C82.48, C82.49, C82.50, C82.51, C82.52, C82.53, C82.54, C82.55, C82.56, C82.57, C82.58, C82.59, C82.60, C82.61, C82.62, C82.63, C82.64, C82.65, C82.66, C82.67, C82.68, C82.69, C82.80, C82.81, C82.82, C82.83, C82.84, C82.85, C82.86, C82.87, C82.88, C82.89, C82.90, C82.91, C82.92, C82.93, C82.94, C82.95, C82.96, C82.97, C82.98, C82.99, C83.00, C83.01, C83.02, C83.03, C83.04, C83.05, C83.06, C83.07, C83.08, C83.09, C83.10, C83.11, C83.12, C83.13, C83.14, C83.15, C83.16, C83.17, C83.18, C83.19, C83.30, C83.31, C83.32, C83.33, C83.34, C83.35, C83.36, C83.37, C83.38, C83.390, C83.398, C83.50, C83.51, C83.52, C83.53, C83.54, C83.55, C83.56, C83.57, C83.58, C83.59, C83.70, C83.71, C83.72, C83.73, C83.74, C83.75, C83.76, C83.77, C83.78, C83.79, C83.80, C83.81, C83.82, C83.83, C83.84, C83.85, C83.86, C83.87, C83.88, C83.89, C83.90, C83.91, C83.92, C83.93, C83.94, C83.95, C83.96, C83.97, C83.98, C83.99, C84.00, C84.01, C84.02, C84.03, C84.04, C84.05, C84.06, C84.07, C84.08, C84.09, C84.10, C84.11, C84.12, C84.13, C84.14, C84.15, C84.16, C84.17, C84.18, C84.19, C84.40, C84.41, C84.42, C84.43, C84.44, C84.45, C84.46, C84.47, C84.48, C84.49, C84.60, C84.61, C84.62, C84.63, C84.64, C84.65, C84.66, C84.67, C84.68, C84.69, C84.7A, C84.70, C84.71, C84.72, C84.73, C84.74, C84.75, C84.76, C84.77, C84.78, C84.79, C84.90, C84.91, C84.92, C84.93, C84.94, C84.95, C84.96, C84.97, C84.98, C84.99, C84.A0, C84.A1, C84.A2, C84.A3, C84.A4, C84.A5, C84.A6, C84.A7, C84.A8, C84.A9, C84.Z0, C84.Z1, C84.Z2, C84.Z3, C84.Z4, C84.Z5, C84.Z6, C84.Z7, C84.Z8, C84.Z9, C85.10, C85.11, C85.12, C85.13, C85.14, C85.15, C85.16, C85.17, C85.18, C85.19, C85.20, C85.21, C85.22, C85.23, C85.24, C85.25, C85.26, C85.27, C85.28, C85.29, C85.80, C85.81, C85.82, C85.83, C85.84, C85.85, C85.86, C85.87, C85.88, C85.89, C85.90, C85.91, C85.92, C85.93, C85.94, C85.95, C85.96, C85.97, C85.98, C85.99, C86.00, C86.10, C86.20, C86.30, C86.40, C86.50, C86.60, C88.00, C88.20, C88.30, C88.40, C88.80, C88.90, C90.00, C90.01, C90.02, C90.10, C90.11, C90.12, C90.20, C90.21, C90.22, C90.30, C90.31, C90.32, C91.00, C91.01, C91.02, C91.10, C91.11, C91.12, C91.30, C91.31, C91.32, C91.40, C91.41, C91.42, C91.50, C91.51, C91.52, C91.60, C91.61, C91.62, C91.90, C91.91, C91.92, C91.A0, C91.A1, C91.A2, C91.Z0, C91.Z1, C91.Z2, C92.00, C92.01, C92.02, C92.10, C92.11, C92.12, C92.20, C92.21, C92.22, C92.30, C92.31, C92.32, C92.40, C92.41, C92.42, C92.50, C92.51, C92.52, C92.60, C92.61, C92.62, C92.90, C92.91, C92.92, C92.A0, C92.A1, C92.A2, C92.Z0, C92.Z1, C92.Z2, C93.00, C93.01, C93.02, C93.10, C93.11, C93.12, C93.30, C93.31, C93.32, C93.90, C93.91, C93.92, C93.Z0, C93.Z1, C93.Z2, C94.00, C94.01, C94.02, C94.20, C94.21, C94.22, C94.30, C94.31, C94.32, C94.40, C94.41, C94.42, C94.6, C94.80, C94.81, C94.82, C95.00, C95.01, C95.02, C95.10, C95.11, C95.12, C95.90, C95.91, C95.92, C96.0, C96.20, C96.21, C96.22, C96.29, C96.4, C96.5, C96.6, C96.9, C96.A, C96.Z, D37.01, D37.02, D37.030, D37.031, D37.032, D37.039, D37.04, D37.05, D37.09, D37.1, D37.2, D37.3, D37.4, D37.5, D37.6, D37.8, D37.9, D38.0, D38.1, D38.2, D38.3, D38.4, D38.5, D38.6, D39.0, D39.10, D39.11, D39.12, D39.2, D39.8, D39.9, D40.0, D40.10, D40.11, D40.12, D40.8, D40.9, D41.00, D41.01, D41.02, D41.10, D41.11, D41.12, D41.20, D41.21, D41.22, D41.3, D41.4, D41.8, D41.9, D42.0, D42.1, D42.9, D43.0, D43.1, D43.2, D43.3, D43.4, D43.8, D43.9, D44.0, D44.10, D44.11, D44.12, D44.2, D44.3, D44.4, D44.5, D44.6, D44.7, D44.9, D45, D46.0, D46.1, D46.20, D46.21, D46.22, D46.4, D46.9, D46.A, D46.B, D46.C, D46.Z, D47.01, D47.02, D47.09, D47.1, D47.2, D47.3, D47.4, D47.9, D47.Z1, D47.Z2, D47.Z9, D48.0, D48.19, D48.2, D48.3, D48.4, D48.5, D48.60, D48.61, D48.62, D48.7, D48.9, D49.0, D49.1, D49.2, D49.3, D49.4, D49.511, D49.512, D49.519, D49.59, D49.6, D49.7, D49.81, D49.89, D49.9
AND
At least two patient encounters during performance period (CPT): 98000, 98001, 98002, 98003, 98004, 98005, 98006, 98007, 98008, 98009, 98010, 98011, 98012, 98013, 98014, 98015, 99202, 99203, 99204, 99205, 99212, 99213, 99214, 99215
AND
Patient enrolled in hospice: G9858
AND
Patients who died from cancer: G9859
Numerator:
Patients who died from cancer and spent fewer than three days in hospice
Numerator Instructions:
INVERSE MEASURE– A lower calculated performance rate for this measure indicates better clinical care or control. The “Performance Not Met” numerator option for this measure is the representation of the better clinical quality or control. Submitting that numerator option will produce a performance rate that trends closer to 0%, as quality increases. For inverse measures, a rate of 100% means all of the denominator eligible patients did not receive the appropriate care or were not in proper control.
Numerator Options:
Performance Not Met: Patient spent greater than or equal to three days in hospice care (G9861)
OR
Performance Met: Patient spent less than three days in hospice care (G9860)
RATIONALE
The Institute of Medicine’s report, Dying in America, advocates for measures to improve the quality and sustainability of end-of-life care, urging the federal government to “require public reporting on quality measures, outcomes, and costs regarding care near the end-of-life” (Daly et al., 2016). Hospice care is a form of palliative care for patients with a limited life expectancy of six months or less (according to Medicare hospice coverage criteria) who want to focus on quality of life and comfort rather than life-prolonging care. Most insurance plans provide coverage for hospice (ICSI Guideline, 2020).
In 2021 the median length of hospice stay among Medicare beneficiaries was 17 days (MedPAC, 2023). Approximately 28% of hospice patients died or were discharged within 7 days of admission to hospice care (NCCN Guidelines, 2024). This is despite the fact that the hospice benefit is at least six months or longer if needed. This short length of stay means that the patient, family, and care team have limited time to get a plan of care in place before death, and that the focus tends to be more on the care of the imminently dying patient than living life to the fullest before the final decline in function. Early referral to hospice increases the likelihood that pain and other symptoms will be managed more aggressively and therefore there will be less anxiety and distress at the end of life (ICSI Guideline, 2020).
One retrospective study of more than 64,000 patients with cancer who were admitted to hospice found that over 16% of those patients were only enrolled in the last three days of life or less (O’Connor, 2015). The rate of patients who do not have a hospice referral prior to death continues to be higher than desired with one study reporting that more than 30% of patients were not referred and of those patients, only 7% had a documented discussion on the option of palliative care (O’Connor, 2015).
Patients enrolled in hospice experience increased survival times along with a reduction in resource use such as aggressive end of life care and hospital admissions; benefits that increased the longer patients are enrolled in hospice (Lee, 2015; Langton, 2014).
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