The Weekly Quality Brief: Hospital Harm eCQMs Become Mandatory, New Bundled Payment Model, and Sepsis Measure Updates (4/16/26)
The Weekly Quality Brief
In this episode of The Weekly Quality Brief, Erin Heilman and Kristen Beatson review key updates from a newly released CMS proposed rule and answer questions related to eCQM validation and documentation practices. They discuss the shift from claims-based safety measures to mandatory hospital harm eCQMs, including timelines for new required measures and the removal of commonly used eCQMs. They also cover new measure additions, including a diabetes EDAC measure and a sepsis readmission measure, as well as the inclusion of Medicare Advantage populations in claims-based measures.
The discussion also covers several program and policy updates, including:
A new mandatory bundled payment model for joint replacement episodes, including 90-day episode tracking and quality-based payment adjustments
Updates to Promoting Interoperability, including a new UDI measure, changes to electronic prior authorization requirements, and revised HIE measure options
Expansion of hospital harm eCQMs with a defined timeline from voluntary reporting to mandatory participation
Potential development of a hybrid sepsis measure using FHIR-based data exchange
Proposed expansion of public reporting using eCQMs for maternal care designation
Additional topics include eCQM validation audit timelines, medical record request processes, and the use of discrete versus free-text documentation in measure reporting.
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