February 17, 2012 — Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), participation in Medicare's Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), previously known as PQRI, will be mandatory starting in early 2015.

However, please note that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently ruled that providers who are not successfully/satisfactorily participating in PQRS by the 2013 reporting period (Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2013) and beyond, will have their Medicare reimbursement decreased by 1.5 percent

beginning in 2015, and 2 percent in 2016.

Therefore, the 2012 reporting period is the last opportunity providers have to voluntarily participate in PQRS while incentives are still offered and Medicare reimbursement is not subject to penalty.

If you have never participated in PQRS, you may not know where to begin. To get started, review ACAs 2012 PQRS Guidebook which provides step-by-step information on quality reporting.  If you have any questions, contact gr@acatoday.org

Source: American Chiropractic Association, acatoday.org