End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Reporting System (EQRS) Scoring & Feedback

This action is for an extension to the EQRS Scoring & Feedback (S&F) Contract. EQRS is the system that supports the End-stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program (ESRD QIP), a legislatively mandated value-based purchasing (VBP) program. MIPPA, in §1881(h) of the Social Security Acts, as added through § 153 (c) of the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008, defines the QIP. EQRS supports QIP by calculating facility performance scores for public use.

The ESRD QIP is the most recent step in fostering improved patient outcomes by establishing incentives for dialysis facilities to meet or exceed performance standards established by CMS. This step has been an important component of the Medicare ESRD payment system. Provider performance on these measures can result in up to a 2% payment reduction for an entire year.

The EQRS SF team partners with CMS stakeholders and the ESRD community on potential improvements and enhancements to the EQRS QIP UI, infrastructure, architecture, maintenance, framework and enhancements of data exchange, consolidation, and normalization, as well as providing scoring and feedback via UI and reporting.

The EQRS system collects dialysis facility, patient, and clinical performance measures data, determines Medicare eligibility and coverage periods for ESRD patients, and measures the quality of care provided to ESRD patients by dialysis facilities. EQRS provides the dialysis facilities and CMS with a comprehensive view of the ESRD Community and Programs. This project uses open source and test-driven development (TDD). It aligns with CMS' strategic vision to advance health equity, expand access to coverage and care, and drive high-quality person-centered care.