119-hr483

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 483 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 483

 To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to delay the 
 implementation of electronic clinical quality metrics for accountable 
 care organizations, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 16, 2025

 Mr. Buchanan (for himself, Mr. Panetta, and Mr. Crenshaw) introduced 
 the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
 Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a 
 period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for 
consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the 
 committee concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to delay the 
 implementation of electronic clinical quality metrics for accountable 
 care organizations, and for other purposes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Health Care Efficiency Through 
Flexibility Act''.

SEC. 2. DELAY IN IMPLEMENTATION OF ECQMS FOR ACOS.

    (a) Delay of ECQM Implementation.--The Secretary of Health and 
Human Services (in this section referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall 
delay the implementation of the requirement for ACOs to transition from 
reporting quality measures via the Centers for Medicare & Medicare 
Services Web Interface portal to electronic Clinical Quality Metrics

    (eCQMs) , as described in the rule titled ``Medicare and Medicaid 
Programs; CY 2025 Payment Policies under the Physician Fee Schedule and 
Other Changes to Part B Payment and Coverage Policies; Medicare Shared 
Savings Program Requirements; Medicare Prescription Drug Inflation 
Rebate Program; and Medicare Overpayments'' (89 Fed. Reg. 97710 
(December 9, 2024)), until January 1, 2030.

    (b) Pilot Program for Digital Reporting Methods.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than January 1, 2026, the 
 Secretary shall establish and commence a pilot program to test 
 digital reporting methods for quality measures on a subset of 
 ACOs and ACO participants that submit an application to 
 participate in such pilot program at such time and in such form 
 as the Secretary determines appropriate.

    (2) Temporary exemption from ecqm requirements.--An ACO or 
 an ACO participant participating in the pilot program shall be 
 exempt from mandatory eCQM reporting requirements during the 
 duration of the pilot program.

    (3) No effect on payment incentives.--Participation in the 
 pilot program shall have no effect on the eligibility of an ACO 
 or an ACO participant to qualify for or earn an incentive 
 payment under 

section 1833

    (z) of the Social Security Act (42 
 U.S.C. 1395l

    (z) ) or a payment adjustment under 

section 1848

    (q) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4

    (q) ).

    (4) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall provide 
 technical assistance, including waivers from any applicable 
 quality reporting requirements, to ACOs and providers 
 participating in the pilot program to incentivize their 
 participation and to evaluate the efficacy of digital reporting 
 methods.

    (5) Report.--Not later than January 1, 2028, the Secretary 
 shall submit to Congress a report that includes--
        (A) the findings and results of the pilot program 
 carried out under paragraph

    (1) ; and
        (B) any recommendations for increasing the adoption 
 by additional ACOs of the digital reporting methods 
 tested under such pilot program.
            (c) Development of Long-Term Digital Quality Reporting Standards.--

    (1) In general.--Not later than January 1, 2030, the 
 Secretary shall implement standards for digital quality 
 reporting metrics and formats. Such standards shall ensure that 
 all EHR systems used by an ACO are capable of supporting 
 digital reporting methods across a diverse range of practice 
 sizes, specialties, and geographic locations.

    (2) Consultation.--In developing the standards described in 
 paragraph

    (1) , the Secretary shall collaborate with relevant 
 stakeholders, including representatives of the National 
 Committee for Quality Assurance, EHR vendors, ACOs, payers, and 
 national medical and specialty physician groups.
            (d) Continued Use of Existing Reporting Methods.--

    (1) In general.--An ACO or ACO participant may use the CMS 
 Web Interface portal, MIPS CQMs, Medicare CQMs, eCQMs, or any 
 other previously established quality reporting methods, for the 
 purpose of meeting such requirements until the date on which 
 the Secretary promulgates the standardized digital quality 
 reporting methods under subsection
            (c) .

    (2) Exemption.--No penalties shall be imposed on ACOs or 
 ACO participants for failure to comply with eCQM requirements 
 during the period prior to January 1, 2030, provided they are 
 in compliance with existing reporting methods.

    (e) 

=== Definitions. ===
-In this section:

    (1) ACO.--The term ``ACO'' has the meaning given the term 
 ``accountable care organization'' in 

section 425.20 of title 
 42, Code of Federal Regulations.

    (2) ACO participant.--The term ``ACO participant'' has the 
 meaning given such term in 

section 425.20 of title 42, Code of 
 Federal Regulations.

    (3) EHR.--The term ``EHR'' has the meaning given the term 
 ``certified EHR technology'' in 

section 1848

    (o) of the Social 
 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395w-4

    (o) ).
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