Understanding the 2022 eCQM Requirements

In fiscal year (FY) 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2022 Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems (IPPS) for Acute Care Hospitals and the Long-Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Final Rule, which finalized updated electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM) requirements for the 2022 reporting period.

For calendar year (CY) 2022, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program are required to report on three self-selected eCQMs and the Safe Use of Opioids – Concurrent Prescribing measure. The CY 2022 submission deadline is February 28, 2023.

The below table showcases all nine eCQM options available to report on for CY 2022.

The reporting period for program participants is three self-selected quarters for CY 2022.

Note: In order to be considered a meaningful user and avoid a downward payment adjustment, program participants must also use (1) existing 2015 Edition certification criteria, (2) the 2015 Edition Cures Update criteria, or (3) a combination of the two in order to meet the CEHRT definition, as finalized in the CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule final rule (85 FR 84818 through 84828). CY 2022 is the final year eligible hospitals and CAHs may use the 2015 Edition certification criteria for the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program.

To learn more about these and other requirements, please review the following resources:

• eCQM Basics webpage
• eCQI Resource Center
• Eligible Hospital and Critical Access Hospital eCQMs

For more information on the Medicare Promoting Interoperability Program, please visit the Promoting Interoperability Programs website.