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Published on October 22, 2007
Contact: Gretchen Schaefer
Phone: 202-354-7131
E-mail: gschaef@cap.org
Pathology Pay-for-Performance Measures Receive Final Approval
Washington, D.C.—Two pathology pay-for-performance (P4P) measures may be applicable for physicians reporting on quality measures with their 2008 Medicare claims. The measures received final approval Thursday from AQA, a multi-stakeholder payer-supported organization, and will be included in the final 2008 physician payment rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services.
“The College is pleased to lead development of pay-for-performance measures for the specialty of pathology,” said Jared N. Schwartz, MD, PhD, FCAP and President of the College. “We are confident our first two measures are based on sound science and promote high-quality health care.”
The pathology measures are based on breast
and colon cancer protocols developed by the College and the American
Medical Association (AMA) Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement.
AMA designated the College in 2006 as the lead for the development of
pathology measures.
The Tax Relief and Health Care Act of 2006 (H.R. 6111) provided up to a 1.5 percent bonus payment for physicians reporting measures in 2007, with $300 million appropriated by Congress for those payments. Because Congress expedited the timeline for approval of measures for 2007, the College concluded that risks outweighed the benefits of prematurely rushing through its measures for a very small and uncertain bonus payment that may not serve the interests of pathologists.
“Although payment allocations for 2008 are uncertain, the College will continue to proceed with cautious optimism while it develops further measures for consideration,” Schwartz said.
The College of American Pathologists (CAP) is a medical society serving more than 16,000 physician members and the global laboratory community. It is the world’s largest association composed exclusively of pathologists and is widely recognized as the leader in laboratory quality assurance. The CAP is an advocate for high quality and cost-effective patient care.
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