CMS Accepting Comments on LTCH Quality Measures
CMS is seeking comments on its proposed pressure ulcer measure data set for the new Long Term Care Hospital (LTCH) Quality Reporting Program. Under the ACA, LTCHs that fail to submit quality measure data may be subject to a 2 percentage point reduction in their annual update for discharges beginning in FY 2014. One of the LTCH quality measures is the Percent of Residents with Pressure Ulcers That Are New or Have Worsened. Beginning on October 1, 2012, LTCHs will begin to use a data collection document entitled the "LTCH CARE Data Set'' as the vehicle by which to collect the pressure ulcer data for the LTCH quality reporting program. This data set, which CMS created with data items contained in other pressure ulcer data sets, consists of: (1) pressure ulcer documentation; (2) selected covariates related to pressure ulcers; (3) patient demographic information; and; (4) a provider attestation section. CMS will accept comments on the data collection until November 1.
