CMS Proposes Two New Behavioral Health Quality Measures For 2015 Medicare ACO Program

Two of 12 new accountable care organization (ACO) quality performance standards proposed by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in the 2015 Medicare physician fee schedule target behavioral health. One of the new measures requires ACOs to monitor skilled nursing facility (SNF) admissions within 30 days following discharge from an inpatient psychiatric hospitalization. The other includes people diagnosed with depression as an “at-risk” population requiring additional monitoring. The new measures are in addition to two previously existing ACO quality performance measures related to behavioral health for ACOs participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP). The . . .