2020 MIPS Measure #112: Breast Cancer Screening

Measure Description

Percentage of women 50 - 74 years of age who had a mammogram to screen for breast cancer in the 27 months prior to the end of the measurement period

Instructions

This measure is to be submitted a minimum of once per performance period for female patients seen during the performance period. There is no diagnosis associated with this measure. The patient should either be screened for breast cancer on the date of service OR there should be documentation that the patient was screened for breast cancer at least once within 27 months prior to the end of the performance period. Performance for this measure is not limited to the performance period. 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 services provided and the measure-specific denominator coding.

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

Women 51 - 74 years of age with a visit during the measurement period

DENOMINATOR NOTE: The intent of the measure is that starting at age 50 women should have one or more mammograms every 24 months with a 3 month grace period. The intent of the exclusion for individuals age 66 and older residing in long-term care facilities, including nursing homes, is to exclude individuals who may have limited life expectancy and increased frailty where the benefit of the process may not exceed the risks. This exclusion is not intended as a clinical recommendation regarding whether the measures process is inappropriate for specific populations, instead the exclusions allows clinicians to engage in shared decision making with patients about the benefits and risks of screening when an individual has limited life expectancy.

*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 51 to 74 years of age at the beginning of the measurement period

AND

Patient encounter during the performance period (CPT or HCPCS): 99201, 99202, 99203, 99204, 99205, 99212, 99213, 99214, 99215, 99341, 99342, 99343, 99344, 99345, 99347, 99348, 99349, 99350, 99385*, 99386*, 99387*, 99395*, 99396*, 99397*, G0438, G0439

AND NOT

DENOMINATOR EXCLUSIONS:

Women who had a bilateral mastectomy or who have a history of a bilateral mastectomy or for whom there is evidence of a right and a left unilateral mastectomy: G9708

OR

Hospice services used by patient any time during the measurement period: G9709

OR

Patients age 66 or older in Institutional Special Needs Plans (SNP) or residing in long term care with POS code 32, 33, 34, 54, or 56 for more than 90 days during the measurement period: G9898

OR

Patients 66 years of age and older with at least one claim/encounter for frailty during the measurement period AND a dispensed medication for dementia during the measurement period or the year prior to the measurement period: G2098

OR

Patients 66 years of age and older with at least one claim/encounter for frailty during the measurement period AND either one acute inpatient encounter with a diagnosis of advanced illness or two outpatient, observation, ED or nonacute inpatient encounters on different dates of service with an advanced illness diagnosis during the measurement period or the year prior to the measurement period: G2099

Table: Dementia Exclusion Medications

Numerator

Women with one or more mammograms during the 27 months prior to the end of the measurement period

Definition:

Mammography screening is defined by a bilateral screening (both breasts) of breast tissue. If only one breast is present, unilateral screening (one side) must be performed on the remaining breast.

Numerator Instruction:

This measure evaluates primary screening. Do not count biopsies, breast ultrasounds, or MRIs because they are not appropriate methods for primary breast cancer screening.

Numerator Options:

Performance Met: Screening, diagnostic, film, digital or digital breast Tomosynthesis (3D) mammography results documented and reviewed (G9899)

OR

Performance Not Met: Screening, diagnostic, film, digital or digital breast Tomosynthesis (3D) mammography results were not documented and reviewed, reason not otherwise specified (G9900)

Rationale

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancers, accounting for 15 percent of all new cancer diagnoses in the U.S. (Howlader et al, 2016). In 2015, over 3 million women were estimated to be living with breast cancer in the U.S. and it is estimated that 12 percent of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point during their lifetime (Howlader et al, 2016).

While there are other factors that affect a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, advancing age is a primary risk factor. Breast cancer is most frequently diagnosed among women ages 55-64; the median age at diagnosis is 62 years (Howlader et al, 2016).

The chance of a woman being diagnosed with breast cancer in a given year increases with age. By age 40, the chances are 1 in 68; by age 50 it becomes 1 in 43; by age 60, it is 1 in 29 (American Cancer Society, 2017).

Clinical Recommendation Statements

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends biennial screening mammography for women aged 50-74 years (B recommendation).

The decision to start screening mammography in women prior to age 50 years should be an individual one. Women who place a higher value on the potential benefit than the potential harms may choose to begin biennial screening between the ages of 40 and 49 years (C recommendation). (USPSTF, 2016)

The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of screening mammography in women aged 75 years or older (I statement). (USPSTF, 2016)

The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the benefits and harms of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) as a primary screening method for breast cancer (I Statement). (USPSTF, 2016)

The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the balance of benefits and harms of adjunctive screening for breast cancer using breast ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, DBT, or other methods in women identified to have dense breasts on an otherwise negative screening mammogram (I statement). (USPSTF, 2016)