Q&A: Registering for PQRI feedback reports, bonuses

We have been faithful in reporting Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) codes for both 2007 and 2008, but we have yet to see the bonus that was promised for 2007. Are bonuses really going to be paid based on reporting the codes or are we just wasting our time? Contacts with the carrier produce no one who seems to know anything about it.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says PQRI checks have been issued to the carriers. You may access a physician- or group-specific PQRI Feedback Report via the internet to see what the status and amount of your bonus will be. You must register to use the Individuals Authorized Access to CMS Computer Services (IACS) system. CMS indicates that the registration process for a group is more burdensome, because it encompasses information for more than one physician. To access your confidential 2007 PQRI Feedback Report, follow these instructions:

•Step 1: Register to use IACS at https://applications.cms.hhs.gov.

•Step 3: Validate the information submitted in Step 2. Once the documentation is faxed or mailed to the appropriate address, a representative from CMS will contact you to validate it. This step may take up to two weeks.

•Step 4: Follow the CMS instructions for logging into IACS to update your password, which will give you access to the report. Once the registration process is complete, you will receive an e-mail that includes a user name and password. You will be prompted to go back into IACS to change your password. The password is valid for only 60 days, so you will need to create a new password every 60 days to stay active. CMS will send an e-mail validating the account when the process is complete, and you will be given a date when your PQRI feedback report can be viewed. The report will be available on a separate website: http://www.qualitynet.org/pqri. If you do not receive an e-mail with a user name and password within 24 hours of being registered, contact CMS at 866-523-4759, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.

The author, vice president of operations for Reed Medical Systems in Monroe, Michigan, has more than 30 years of experience as a practice management consultant. She is also a certified coding specialist, certified compliance officer, and a certified medical assistant.