Measure Description
Percentage of patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who have been assessed for glucocorticoid use and, for those on prolonged doses of prednisone >5 mg daily (or equivalent) with improvement or no change in disease activity, documentation of glucocorticoid management plan within 12 months
Instructions
This measure is to be submitted a minimum of once per performance period for patients with a diagnosis of RA who are seen during 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 the 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
Patients aged 18 years and older with a diagnosis of RA
Denominator Criteria (Eligible Cases):
Patients aged ≥ 18 years on date of encounter
AND
Diagnosis for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (ICD-10-CM): M05.00, M05.011, M05.012, M05.019, M05.021, M05.022, M05.029, M05.031, M05.032, M05.039, M05.041, M05.042, M05.049, M05.051, M05.052, M05.059, M05.061, M05.062, M05.069, M05.071, M05.072, M05.079, M05.09, M05.10, M05.111, M05.112, M05.119, M05.121, M05.122, M05.129, M05.131, M05.132, M05.139, M05.141, M05.142, M05.149, M05.151, M05.152, M05.159, M05.161, M05.162, M05.169, M05.171, M05.172, M05.179, M05.19, M05.20, M05.211, M05.212, M05.219, M05.221, M05.222, M05.229, M05.231, M05.232, M05.239, M05.241, M05.242, M05.249, M05.251, M05.252, M05.259, M05.261, M05.262, M05.269, M05.271, M05.272, M05.279, M05.29, M05.30, M05.311, M05.312, M05.319, M05.321, M05.322, M05.329, M05.331, M05.332, M05.339, M05.341, M05.342, M05.349, M05.351, M05.352, M05.359, M05.361, M05.362, M05.369, M05.371, M05.372, M05.379, M05.39, M05.40, M05.411, M05.412, M05.419, M05.421, M05.422, M05.429, M05.431, M05.432, M05.439, M05.441, M05.442, M05.449, M05.451, M05.452, M05.459, M05.461, M05.462, M05.469, M05.471, M05.472, M05.479, M05.49, M05.50, M05.511, M05.512, M05.519, M05.521, M05.522, M05.529, M05.531, M05.532, M05.539, M05.541, M05.542, M05.549, M05.551, M05.552, M05.559, M05.561, M05.562, M05.569, M05.571, M05.572, M05.579, M05.59, M05.60, M05.611, M05.612, M05.619, M05.621, M05.622, M05.629, M05.631, M05.632, M05.639, M05.641, M05.642, M05.649, M05.651, M05.652, M05.659, M05.661, M05.662, M05.669, M05.671, M05.672, M05.679, M05.69, M05.70, M05.711, M05.712, M05.719, M05.721, M05.722, M05.729, M05.731, M05.732, M05.739, M05.741, M05.742, M05.749, M05.751, M05.752, M05.759, M05.761, M05.762, M05.769, M05.771, M05.772, M05.779, M05.79, M05.80, M05.811, M05.812, M05.819, M05.821, M05.822, M05.829, M05.831, M05.832, M05.839, M05.841, M05.842, M05.849, M05.851, M05.852, M05.859, M05.861, M05.862, M05.869, M05.871, M05.872, M05.879, M05.89, M05.9, M06.00, M06.011, M06.012, M06.019, M06.021, M06.022, M06.029, M06.031, M06.032, M06.039, M06.041, M06.042, M06.049, M06.051, M06.052, M06.059, M06.061, M06.062, M06.069, M06.071, M06.072, M06.079, M06.08, M06.09, M06.20, M06.211, M06.212, M06.219, M06.221, M06.222, M06.229, M06.231, M06.232, M06.239, M06.241, M06.242, M06.249, M06.251, M06.252, M06.259, M06.261, M06.262, M06.269, M06.271, M06.272, M06.279, M06.28, M06.29, M06.30, M06.311, M06.312, M06.319, M06.321, M06.322, M06.329, M06.331, M06.332, -M06.339, M06.341, M06.342, M06.349, M06.351, M06.352, M06.359, M06.361, M06.362, M06.369, M06.371, M06.372, M06.379, M06.38, M06.39, M06.80, M06.811, M06.812, M06.819, M06.821, M06.822, M06.829, M06.831, M06.832, M06.839, M06.841, M06.842, M06.849, M06.851, M06.852, M06.859, M06.861, M06.862, M06.869, M06.871, M06.872, M06.879, M06.88, M06.89, M06.9
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, G0402
WITHOUT
Telehealth Modifier: GQ, GT, 95, POS 02
Numerator
Patients who have been assessed for glucocorticoid use and for those on prolonged doses of prednisone >5 mg daily (or equivalent) with improvement or no change in disease activity, documentation of a glucocorticoid management plan within 12 months
Definitions:
Prolonged Dose – Doses > 6 months in duration.
Prednisone Equivalents – Determine using the following:
1 mg of prednisone = 1 mg of prednisolone; 5 mg of cortisone; 4 mg of hydrocortisone; 0.8 mg of triamcinolone; 0.8 mg of methylprednisolone; 0.15 mg of dexamethasone; 0.15 mg of betamethasone.
Glucocorticoid Management Plan – Includes documentation of attempt to taper steroids OR documentation of a new prescription for a non-glucocorticoid disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) OR increase in dose of non-glucocorticoid DMARD dose for persistent RA disease activity at current or reduced dose.
Numerator Options:
Performance Met: Patient not receiving glucocorticoid therapy (4192F)
OR
Performance Met: Patient receiving ≤5 mg daily prednisone (or equivalent), or RA activity is worsening, or glucocorticoid use is for less than 6 months (G2112)
OR
Performance Met: Patient receiving >5 mg daily prednisone (or equivalent) for longer than 6 months, and improvement or no change in disease activity (G2113)
AND
Glucocorticoid Management Plan documented (0540F)
OR
Denominator Exception: Documentation of medical reason(s) for not documenting glucocorticoid management plan (i.e., glucocorticoid prescription is for a medical condition other than RA) (0540F with 1P)
AND
Patient receiving >5 mg daily prednisone (or equivalent) for longer than 6 months, and improvement or no change in disease activity (G2113)
OR
Performance Not Met: Glucocorticoid dose was not documented, reason not otherwise specified (4194F with 8P)
OR
Performance Not Met: Glucocorticoid management plan not documented, reason not otherwise specified (0540F with 8P)
AND
Patient receiving >5 mg daily prednisone (or equivalent) for longer than 6 months, and improvement or no change in disease activity (G2113)
Rationale
Glucocorticoids are an important part of RA treatment as they inhibit inflammation and may control synovitis. However, long-term use of glucocorticoids, especially at high doses, should be avoided, due to the potential health complications. Monitoring length and dose of glucocorticoid treatment for patients with RA is integral to making other clinical decisions.
Clinical Recommendation Statements
Low-dose oral glucocorticoids and local injections of glucocorticoids are highly effective for relieving symptoms in patients with active RA. The benefits of low-dose systemic glucocorticoids, however, should always be weighed against their adverse effects. The adverse effects of long-term oral glucocorticoids at low doses are protean and include osteoporosis, hypertension, weight gain, fluid retention, hyperglycemia, cataracts, and skin fragility, as well as the potential for premature atherosclerosis. These adverse effects should be considered and should be discussed in detail with the patient before glucocorticoid therapy is begun. For long term disease control, the glucocorticoid dosage should be kept to a minimum. For the majority of patients with RA, this means equal or less than 10 mg of prednisone per day. (ACR, 2002)
Grijalva, et al found nearly two-fold greater serious infection (OR1.78 1.47,2.15) at 5-10 mg of prednisone in RA as reported in JAMA 2011 Dec 7;306(21):2331-9. doi: 10.1001/jama.2011.1692. Epub 2011 Nov 6. Because of the dangers to patients associated with being on 5 to 10 mg doses of prednisone, optimal treatment is to aim for a dosage less than or equal to 5 mg.