Urgent: Start the Process Now to Report ASC Quality Data by May 17 Deadline

On a call with ASC Quality Reporting (ASCQR) Program support staff this week, ASCA staff learned that 2,000 ASCs still have not registered to report their Medicare quality data and the registration process can take several weeks. As a reminder, ASCs that fail to report by the deadline are subject to a 2 percent cut to their fee-for-service (FFS) Medicare reimbursements for the following year. ASCA is advising all ASCs that plan to submit quality data but have not yet registered to do so immediately so that they can meet the reporting deadline in May.

Your facility must have an active registered HCQIS Access Roles and Profile (HARP) account (either a Basic User or a Security Official) to enter data using the Web-Based Data Submission Tool on the Hospital Quality Reporting website. If your facility has no such active accounts, it will be necessary to create a Security Official (SO) account. Security Official is the new name for Security Administrator—the responsibilities have not changed, just the name.

You must have both your CMS Certification Number (CCN) and National Provider Identifier (NPI) on your form, and individuals can no longer self-authorize, meaning you will need to have another individual at your facility (e.g., an administrator, director of nursing or medical director) also sign the form. It is our understanding that these two errors—not providing both the CCN and NPI and not having another person authorize the SO—are delaying the process. Once you are authorized as the SO, you can then go in and add others who can also report. It is recommended that facilities have at least two active SOs for backup purposes.

As a reminder, the deadline for submitting ASCQR Program data is May 17, 2021, because May 15 falls on a Saturday this year. That means the reporting deadline for ASCs is just about one month away. If you need assistance, please call the QualityNet Help Desk at 866.288.8912 or contact ASCQR Program Support through the Quality Question and Answer Tool.