CAHPS^® for Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) Survey

Note: 2021 was the last program year for CAHPS for PQRS. PQRS transitioned to the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) under the Quality Payment Program. Please visit the CAHPS for MIPS webpage on CMS.gov for more information.  

Information For Group Practices

PQRS is a quality reporting program that promotes collection and reporting of quality information by eligible professionals (EPs) and group practices.

In 2015, the program began applying a downward payment adjustment to EPs and group practices who do not satisfactorily report data on quality measures for Medicare Part B PFS covered professional services.   

Visit our Physician Quality Reporting System page to learn more about the PQRS program, its requirements, and quality measures. 

The types of quality measures reported under PQRS change from year to year. The measures generally vary by specialty, and focus on areas such as care coordination, patient safety and engagement, clinical process/effectiveness, and population/public health. They can also vary by reporting method.

 

Group Practice Responsibilities for Survey Administration

Survey administration is required for group practices of 100 or more EPs participating in PQRS. Participating practices of 2-99 EPs may opt in to administer and report the CAHPS for PQRS Survey. Group practices are responsible for the costs associated with survey administration and must contract with an approved survey vendor. The list of 2021 approved survey vendors is available. Group practices contract with a vendor on the approved list and authorize that vendor to collect and report CAHPS for PQRS Survey data to CMS on their behalf.  The 2021 CAHPS for PQRS Survey vendor authorization process opened in July and closed in September.

As with all purchases of services, group practices should monitor vendor performance in the conduct of the survey, which will begin in late 2021 .