2022 Quality Rating System Measure Technical Specifications

1 The contents of this document do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant to bind the public in any way, unless specifically incorporated into a contract. This document is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing requirements under the law. Health Insurance Exchange 2022 Quality Rating System Measure Technical Specifications March 2021 THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK Technical Assistance and Contact Information i Technical Assistance and Contact Information The following links and contact information should be used to obtain additional details and Technical assistance related to the Quality Rating System (QRS) Measure set for 2022 (Measurement Year 2021). Website Links Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Health Insurance Marketplace Quality Initiatives website: National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS )1 Compliance AuditTM website: Contact Information For questions regarding the QRS clinical Measure Specifications , please contact the appropriate Measure steward: o NCQA for the HEDIS measures: via the Policy Clarification Support (PCS) System available at o Pharmacy Quality Alliance (PQA) for the PQA measures.

2 For questions regarding the general guidelines for data collection, please contact NCQA via the PCS System available at For questions regarding QRS survey measures, the QHP Enrollee Survey, or QRS requirements, please contact the Marketplace Service Desk (MSD) via email at or via phone at 1-855-CMS-1515 (1-855-267-1515). R eference the Marketplace Quality Initiative (MQI)-QRS . 1 HEDIS is a registered trademark of the National Committee for Quality Assurance. THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK Table of Contents iii Table of Contents 1 Introduction .. 1 2 QRS Measure Set .. 5 3 QRS Clinical Measure Specifications .. 9 NCQA Measure Specifications .. 9 PQA Measure Specifications .. 187 4 QRS Survey Measure Specifications .. 203 THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK 1.

3 Introduction1 THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK 21. Introduction Introduction Document Purpose This document includes the Measure Specifications and guidelines for data collection for the 2022 QR) Measure set. Qualified Health Plan (QHP) issuers will need to reference this document in order to collect and submit QRS Measure data to the CMS in accordance with the QRS 2022 requirements. The document specifically details the following: QRS Measure set. This section includes a list of the QRS measures and a brief background on the QRS Measure set. The QRS Measure set is comprised of clinical Quality measures, including the NCQA HEDIS measures and PQA measures. The Measure set also includes survey measures based on questions from the Qualified Health Plan Enrollee Experience Survey (QHP Enrollee Survey).

4 QRS clinical Measure Technical Specifications . This section includes Measure Specifications and data collection guidelines for NCQA s HEDIS measures and the PQA measures in the QRS Measure set. For the PQA measures, QHP issuers should refer to NCQA s General Guidelines for Data Collection (see Section for guidance related to data collection protocols, with the exception of a few guidelines specific to the PQA measures as noted in Section ). QRS survey Measure Technical Specifications . This section includes descriptions for the survey measures in the QRS Measure set that will be collected as part of the QHP Enrollee Survey. Beginning with the 2022 ratings year, CMS is aligning with the new NCQA HEDIS timeline and publishing the 2022 QRS Measure Technical Specifications in spring 2021.

5 Prior to the 2022 ratings year, CMS published the annual QRS Measure Technical Specifications in the fall alongside the annual QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey Technical Guidance. The annual timeline for finalizing the QRS Measure set is shown in Exhibit 1. Exhibit 1. Annual Timeline for Finalizing the QRS Measure Set Date Description February Publication of Draft Call Letter: CMS proposes changes to the QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey program operations and provides stakeholders with the opportunity to submit feedback via a 30-day public comment period. The Draft Call Letter may propose the addition or removal of measures from the QRS Measure set for the upcoming ratings year ( , the Draft 2021 Call Letter includes proposed Measure set changes for the 2022 QRS Measure set).

6 March Publication of QRS Measure Technical Specifications : CMS provides Measure Specifications for all potential measures in the QRS Measure set ( , any measures proposed for addition and removal in the Draft Call Letter). May Publication of Final Call Letter: CMS communicates final changes to the QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey program operations and addresses the themes of public comment. CMS will finalize the Measure set changes proposed in the Draft Call Letter for the upcoming ratings year. August/September Publication of QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey Technical Guidance: CMS provides Technical guidance regarding data collection, data validation, and data submission for the QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey. CMS also finalizes the Measure set for the ratings year. The final Measure set will align with Measure changes proposed in the Final Call Letter.

7 CMS anticipates updating this document on an annual basis to reflect any changes to the Measure set, including changes to the Measure Specifications or data collection guidelines. This document includes the Measure Specifications for all potential measures in the 2022 QRS Measure set ( , any measures proposed for addition and removal in the Draft 2021 Call Letter for the QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey [Draft 2021 Call Letter]).2 2 The Draft 2021 Call Letter for the QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey is available at: 31. Introduction In the fall of 2021, CMS intends to publish the Quality Rating System and Qualified Health Plan Enrollee Experience Survey: Technical Guidance for 2022 (2022 QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey Technical Guidance), reflecting applicable finalized changes announced in the Final 2021 QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey Call Letter (Final 2021 Call Letter).

8 The 2022 QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey Technical Guidance will announce which measures eligible QHP issuers are required to collect and submit to CMS for the 2022 QRS ratings year. The 2022 QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey Technical Guidance and Final 2022 QRS and QHP Enrollee Survey Call Letter will be posted to the CMS Marketplace Quality Initiative (MQI) website ( Instruments/QualityInitiativesGenInfo/AC A-MQI/ACA-MQI-Landing-Page). Background In accordance with the requirements specified in the annual QRS and QHP Enrollee Experience Survey: Technical Guidance, QHP issuers that offered coverage through a Health Insurance Exchange (Exchange) in the prior year are required to submit third-party validated QRS clinical Measure data and QHP Enrollee Survey response data to CMS as a condition of CMS will calculate the Quality performance ratings for QHPs offered through all Exchanges, regardless of the Exchange model.

9 CMS will apply the QRS Rating methodology to validated QRS clinical Measure data and a subset of the QHP Enrollee Survey response data (QRS survey measures) to produce Quality ratings on a 5-star Rating CMS will collect data and calculate Quality ratings for each QHP issuer s product type ( , health maintenance organization [HMO]) within each state and apply these ratings to each product type s QHPs in that state. 3 45 CFR (b)(5)(h); ; and 4 The QHP Enrollee Survey includes a core question set that will be used to assess enrollee experience with health care services. Specific questions are grouped to form survey measures that will be used in the QRS. 4 2. QRS Measure Set 5 THIS PAGE LEFT INTENTIONALLY BLANK 62. QRS Measure Set QRS Measure Set The QRS Measure set consists of measures that address areas of clinical Quality management; enrollee experience; and plan efficiency, affordability, and management.

10 Exhibit 2 includes the list of all potential QRS measures for 2022 as proposed in the Draft 2021 Call Letter. Measures denoted with a caret (^ ) are under consideration for retirement or removal from the QRS Measure set. If these measures are removed as proposed, they will not be collected for the 2022 ratings year. Measures denoted with an asterisk (*) are under consideration for addition to the QRS Measure set. If these measures are finalized as proposed, they will be required for 2022 QRS data collection but will not be included in 2022 QRS scoring. CMS will communicate final changes to the 2022 QRS Measure set in the Final 2021 Call Letter, which CMS anticipates publishing in late spring of 2021. The Measure set includes a subset of NCQA s HEDIS measures and PQA measures.