The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released this month (January 2015) the details of the Measure-Applicability Validation (MAV) process. The agency uses MAV to evaluate physicians who do not meet the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) program reporting requirements.

Physicians choosing to participate in PQRS in 2015 using the claims or registry reporting options must report nine quality measures across three quality domains, as well as report at least one cross cutting measure. If a physician fails to meet the reporting requirements, CMS will examine the claims and registry submissions - using the MAV process - to determine if additional measures could have been reported.

If CMS finds that more measures or domains could have been reported, physicians will receive penalties for both PQRS and the Value Based Modifier. Essentially, physicians could receive up to 6 percent in penalties in 2017. Unfortunately, many Academy members, particularly subspecialists, may not have nine measures that are relevant to their patients' medical needs. However, the Academy anticipates that IRIS Registry participants will be able to report on additional ophthalmology-specific measures developed by the Academy that are not available through other PQRS reporting mechanisms. If approved, these additional measures will only be available to IRIS Registry users, and will enable IRIS Registry participants to meet the nine-measure reporting requirement. The Academy plans to submit these new measures for CMS approval in March.

The Academy encourages members who plan to participate in PQRS this year using claims reporting, consider other options, such as the IRIS Registry for the Cataracts Measures Group or for nine individual measures. The use of an electronic health records system is not required for participation in the IRIS Registry, and there is no fee for U.S.-based Academy members.