2021 MIPS Measure #444: Medication Management for People with Asthma

Measure Description

The percentage of patients 5-64 years of age during the performance period who were identified as having persistent asthma and were dispensed appropriate medications that they remained on for at least 75% of their treatment period

Instructions

This measure is to be submitted a minimum of once per performance period for patients with a diagnosis of persistent asthma 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.

NOTE: Patient encounters for this measure conducted via telehealth (e.g., encounters coded with GQ, GT, 95, or POS 02 modifiers) are allowable.

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 5-64 years of age with persistent asthma and a visit 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 5-64 years on date of encounter

AND

Diagnosis for persistent asthma (ICD-10-CM): J45.30, J45.31, J45.32, J45.40, J45.41, J45.42, J45.50, J45.51, J45.52

AND

Patient encounter (with or without telehealth) during the performance period (CPT): 99202, 99203, 99204, 99205, 99211, 99212, 99213, 99214, 99215, 99241*, 99242*, 99243*, 99244*, 99245*, 99341, 99342, 99343, 99344, 99345, 99347, 99348, 99349, 99350, 99381*, 99382*, 99383*, 99384*, 99385*, 99386*, 99387*, 99391*, 99392*, 99393*, 99394*, 99395*, 99396*, 99397*, 99401*, 99402*, 99403*, 99404*, 99411*, 99412*, 99429*, 99455, 99456, 99483, G0402, G0438, G0439, G0463, T1015

AND NOT

DENOMINATOR EXCLUSIONS:

Diagnosis of COPD, Emphysema, Obstructive Chronic Bronchitis, Chronic Respiratory Conditions Due to Fumes/Vapors, Cystic Fibrosis, or Acute Respiratory Failure any time during the patient’s history through the end of the measurement year: E84.0, E84.11, E84.19, E84.8, E84.9, J43.0, J43.1, J43.2, J43.8, J43.9, J44.0, J44.1, J44.9, J68.4, J96.00, J96.01, J96.02, J96.20, J96.21, J96.22, J98.2, J98.3

OR

Any patients who had no asthma controller medications dispensed during the measurement year: G9808

OR

Patients who use hospice services any time during the measurement period: G9809

Numerator

The number of patients who achieved a proportion of days (PDC) of at least 75% for their asthma controller medications during the measurement year

Definition:

PDC – The proportion of days covered by at least one asthma controller medication prescription, divided by the number of days in the treatment period. The treatment period is the period of time beginning on the earliest prescription dispensing date for any asthma controller medication during the measurement year through the last day of the measurement year.

Asthma Controller Medications

Asthma Reliever Medications

Numerator Options:

Performance Met: Patient achieved a PDC of at least 75% for their asthma controller medication (G9810)

OR

Performance Not Met: Patient did not achieve a PDC of at least 75% for their asthma controller medication (G9811)

Rationale

This measure assesses adherence to long‐term asthma controller medications in patients with persistent asthma. The improvement in quality envisioned by the use of this measure is increasing adherence to long‐term asthma controller medications in patients with persistent asthma. Increasing adherence to asthma controller medications can prevent and control asthma symptoms, improve quality of life, reduce the frequency and severity of asthma exacerbations, and potentially prevent a significant proportion of asthma‐related costs (hospitalizations, emergency room visits and missed work and school days) (Akinbami 2009; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute [NHLBI]/National Asthma and Education Prevention Program [NAEPP] 2007).

Clinical Recommendation Statements

Akinbami, L.J., J.E. Moorman, P.L. Garbe, E.J. Sondik. 2009. Status of Childhood Asthma in the United States, 1980–2007. Pediatrics 123;S131‐45. doi: 10.1542/peds.2008‐2233C.

National Heart Lung and Blood Institute/National Asthma Education and Prevention Program. 2007. Expert Panel Report 3: Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma. Washington (DC): National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), NIH Publication No. 07‐4051. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/asthgdln.pdf (November 19, 2015).

Stillman, L. 2010. Living with Asthma in New England: Results from the 2006 BRFSS and Call‐back Survey. A report by the Asthma Regional Council of New England (February). http://www.hria.org/uploads/catalogerfiles/living‐with‐ asthma‐innew‐england/HRiA_Living_with_Asthma_BRFSS_2010.pdf (November 19, 2015).