As noted above, the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) establishes a financial incentive for eligible professionals to participate in a voluntary quality reporting program. Eligible professionals who successfully report a designated set of quality measures on claims for dates of service from July 1 to December 31, 2007, may earn a bonus payment of 1.5 percent of total allowed charges for covered Medicare physician fee schedule services. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has extended PQRI though 2008 and potentially longer. (Additional information can be found on the CMS Website.)

2008 PQRI

• CMS Announces "Qualified" Registries for PQRI Reporting; ICD Registry Will Not be Available Until 2010 PQRI (09/03/2008) — CMS released the names of registries that are "qualified" to submit quality measure data to CMS on behalf of their eligible professionals for 2008 PQRI. Eligible professionals who wish to participate in 2008 PQRI using one of the registry-based options should check with the specific registry to verify which quality measures, reporting periods, and options the registry intends to report to CMS on their behalf. Learn more »
• Update on the 2008 PQRI (04/30/2008) — On April 30th, CMS presented an update on the 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative. CMS announced new program changes under the 2008 PQRI program that make it easier than ever for health care providers to participate. Learn more »
• Participating in CMS’ 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative: What you need to know (04/21/2008) — The Society provides a 2008 PQRI FAQ (PDF, 130K) to assist members in understanding the new reporting options (announced by CMS) to encourage physicians to report data on quality measure for services provided to Medicare beneficiaries. 
• PQRI Tip Sheet (04/21/2008) — CMS provides a fact sheet (PDF, 160K) that gives a series of tips for providers to successfully submit their data.
• 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (01/15/2008) — Electrophysiologists participating in the 2008 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) should begin submitting appropriate 2008 Quality Data Codes on qualifying Part-B claims with a date of service on or after January 1, 2008. Learn more »
• 2008 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) (11/02/2007) — The MPFS final rule summarizes and responds to comments on PQRI content of the proposed rule and describes CMS' plans to begin feasibility testing of registry-based or electronic heart record-based reporting in 2008. Learn more »

2007 PQRI

• CMS To Publish 2007 PQRI Reports (06/10/2008) — The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will make 2007 PQRI Final Feedback Reports available on a secure Web site in mid-July 2008. The reports, identified by a Taxpayer Identification Number, will include information on reporting rates, clinical performance, incentives earned by individual professionals, and more. CMS is providing information to help set-up an online account, ensuring that practices will be able access their reports as soon as available.  Learn more »
• Washington Report — 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) Launched (06/20/2007) — Quality measures within the 2007 Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) are adopted or endorsed by a consensus organization such as the AQA Alliance, the Physician Consortium, or National Quality Forum (NQF).The Society provides an FAQ to help electrophysiologists understand the program. Learn more »
• Quality Measures — PQRI Information from CMS — CMS provides Patient Information and Tips on Use of Modifiers with PQRI Quality Data Codes. Learn more »