Medicare unveils doctor reporting measures

WASHINGTON, April 3 (UPI) -- U.S. Medicare unveiled the 74 performance measures the will be used in its pay-for-performance program beginning in July.

Under the Physician Quality Reporting Initiative, physicians and some other health practitioners who participate in Medicare can get up to 1.5 percent of their earnings in bonuses, if they report information on their performance based on the 74 criteria.

The bonuses apply to reporting on services provided between July 1 and Dec. 31, 2007.

The measures are the result of a consensus process by physician and non-physician professional organizations including the American Medical Association and the National Quality Forum, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.