Measure Description
Percentage of patients aged 12 years and older screened for depression on the date of the encounter using an age appropriate standardized depression screening tool AND if positive, a follow-up plan is documented on the date of the positive screen
Instructions
This measure is to be submitted a minimum of once per measurement period for patients seen during the measurement period. The most recent quality-data code submitted will be used for performance calculation. This measure may be submitted by Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who perform the quality actions described in the measure based on the services provided and the measure-specific denominator coding. The follow-up plan must be related to a positive depression screening, example: “Patient referred for psychiatric evaluation due to positive depression screening”.
Measure Submission Type:
Measure data may be submitted by individual MIPS eligible clinicians, groups, or third party intermediaries. The listed denominator criteria are used to identify the intended patient population. The numerator options included in this specification are used to submit the quality actions as allowed by the measure. The quality-data codes listed do not need to be submitted by MIPS eligible clinicians, groups, or third party intermediaries that utilize this modality for submissions; however, these codes may be submitted for those third party intermediaries that utilize Medicare Part B claims data. For more information regarding Application Programming Interface (API), please refer to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website.
Denominator
All patients aged 12 years and older at the beginning of the measurement period with at least one eligible encounter during the measurement period
DENOMINATOR NOTE: *Signifies that this CPT Category I code is a non-covered service under the Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). These non-covered services should be counted in the denominator population for MIPS CQMs.
Denominator Criteria (Eligible Cases):
Patients aged ≥ 12 years on date of encounter
AND
Patient encounter during the performance period (CPT or HCPCS): 59400, 59510, 59610, 59618, 90791, 90792, 90832, 90834, 90837, 92625, 96116, 96121, 96130, 96131, 96132, 96133, 96136, 96137, 96138, 96139, 96146, 96150, 96151, 97165, 97166, 97167, 99201, 99202, 99203, 99204, 99205, 99212, 99213, 99214, 99215, 99304, 99305, 99306, 99307, 99308, 99309, 99310, 99315, 99316, 99318, 99324, 99325, 99326, 99327, 99328, 99334, 99335, 99336, 99337, 99339, 99340, 99483, 99484, 99492, 99493, 99384*, 99385*, 99386*, 99387*, 99394*, 99395*, 99396*, 99397*, G0101, G0402, G0438, G0439, G0444
AND NOT
DENOMINATOR EXCLUSION:
Documentation stating the patient has an active diagnosis of depression or has a diagnosed bipolar disorder, therefore screening or follow-up not required: G9717
Numerator
Patients screened for depression on the date of the encounter using an age appropriate standardized tool AND, if positive, a follow-up plan is documented on the date of the positive screen
Definitions:
Screening – Completion of a clinical or diagnostic tool used to identify people at risk of developing or having a certain disease or condition, even in the absence of symptoms.
Standardized Depression Screening Tool – A normalized and validated depression screening tool developed for the patient population in which it is being utilized. The name of the age appropriate standardized depression screening tool utilized must be documented in the medical record.
Examples of depression screening tools include but are not limited to:
• Adolescent Screening Tools (12-17 years)
Patient Health Questionnaire for Adolescents (PHQ-A), Beck Depression Inventory-Primary Care Version (BDI-PC), Mood Feeling Questionnaire (MFQ), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC-17), and PRIME MD-PHQ2
• Adult Screening Tools (18 years and older)
Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI or BDI-II), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), Depression Scale (DEPS), Duke Anxiety- Depression Scale (DADS), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), Cornell Scale or Depression in Dementia (CSDD), PRIME MD-PHQ2, Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology Self-Report (QID-SR), Computerized Adaptive Testing Depression Inventory (CAT-DI), and Computerized Adaptive Diagnostic Screener (CAD-MDD)
• Perinatal Screening Tools
Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Postpartum Depression Screening Scale, Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9), Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory–II, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and Zung Self-rating Depression Scale
Follow-Up Plan – Documented follow-up for a positive depression screening must include one or more of the following:
• Additional evaluation or assessment for depression
• Suicide Risk Assessment
• Referral to a practitioner who is qualified to diagnose and treat depression
• Pharmacological interventions
• Other interventions or follow-up for the diagnosis or treatment of depressionExamples of a follow-up plan include but are not limited to:
* Additional evaluation or assessment for depression such as psychiatric interview, psychiatric evaluation, or assessment for bipolar disorder
* Completion of any Suicide Risk Assessment such as Beck Depression Inventory or Beck Hopelessness Scale
* Referral to a practitioner or program for further evaluation for depression, for example, referral to a psychiatrist, psychologist, social worker, mental health counselor, or other mental health service such as family or group therapy, support group, depression management program, or other service for treatment of depression
* Other interventions designed to treat depression such as psychotherapy, pharmacological interventions, or additional treatment options
* Pharmacologic treatment for depression is often indicated during pregnancy and/or lactation. Review and discussion of the risks of untreated versus treated depression is advised. Consideration of each patient’s prior disease and treatment history, along with the risk profiles for individual pharmacologic agents, is important when selecting pharmacologic therapy with the greatest likelihood of treatment effect.
Not Eligible for Depression Screening or Follow-Up Plan (Denominator Exclusion) –
• Patient has an active diagnosis of depression prior to any encounter during the measurement period - F01.51, F32.0, F32.1, F32.2, F32.3, F32.4, F32.5, F32.89, F32.9, F33.0, F33.1, F33.2, F33.3, F33.40, F33.41, F33.42, F33.8, F33.9, F34.1, F34.81, F34.89, F43.21, F43.23, F53.0, F53.1, O90.6, O99.340, O99.341, O99.342, O99.343, O99.345
• Patient has a diagnosed bipolar disorder prior to any encounter during the measurement period - F31.10, F31.11, F31.12, F31.13, F31.2, F31.30, F31.31, F31.32, F31.4, F31.5, F31.60, F31.61, F31.62, F31.63, F31.64, F31.70, F31.71, F31.72, F31.73, F31.74, F31.75, F31.76, F31.77, F31.78, F31.81, F31.89, F31.9
Patients with a Documented Reason for not Screening for Depression (Denominator Exception) –
One or more of the following conditions are documented:
• Patient refuses to participate
• Patient is in an urgent or emergent situation where time is of the essence and to delay treatment would jeopardize the patient’s health status
• Situations where the patient’s functional capacity or motivation to improve may impact the accuracy of results of standardized depression assessment tools. For example: certain court appointed cases or cases of delirium
Numerator Instructions:
A depression screen is completed on the date of the encounter using an age appropriate standardized depression screening tool AND if positive, either additional evaluation for depression, suicide risk assessment, referral to a practitioner who is qualified to diagnose and treat depression, pharmacological interventions, or other interventions or follow-up for the diagnosis or treatment of depression a follow-up plan is documented on the date of the positive screen. Depression screening is required once per measurement period, not at all encounters; this is patient based and not an encounter based measure. The name of the age appropriate standardized depression screening tool utilized must be documented in the medical record. The depression screening must be reviewed and addressed in the office of the provider filing the code on the date of the encounter and the screening should occur during a qualified encounter.
Numerator Options:
Performance Met: Screening for depression is documented as being positive AND a follow-up plan is documented (G8431)
OR
Performance Met: Screening for depression is documented as negative, a follow-up plan is not required (G8510)
OR
Denominator Exception: Screening for depression not completed, documented reason (G8433)
OR
Performance Not Met: Depression screening not documented, reason not given (G8432)
OR
Performance Not Met: Screening for depression documented as positive, follow-up plan not documented, reason not given (G8511)