Resource Center

The 2015 National Impact Assessment of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Quality Measures Report (2015 Impact Report) is a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of the measures used in CMS quality reporting programs on achieving the goals of providing high quality, affordable healthcare to CMS beneficiaries. The 2015 Impact Report represents an assessment of 25 CMS reporting programs, using data from 2006 to 2013. The report is framed by focused research questions, organized by chapter, which were developed by a multidisciplinary Technical Expert Panel (TEP) to ascertain the impact of CMS quality
measures. 

Quality measurement is a key lever that CMS uses to transform delivery of healthcare. The results of this impact assessment illustrate how CMS quality measures directly support the CMS Quality Strategy goals and substantially and comprehensively contribute to national healthcare aims. This 2015 Impact Report will help CMS, providers, private payers, and communities to understand which measures have worked well and which have had less impact on quality. This will inform ongoing refinement of CMS quality measurement strategies. Everyone receiving healthcare in the nation is likely to benefit from CMS programs and initiatives, as healthcare professionals engage in delivery system reform to achieve better care for patients, better health for the U.S. population and lower costs through quality improvement.