- CMS ASC Quality Reporting Program (ASCQR)
ASC Quality Reporting - streamlined.
One missed measure in the CMS Quality Reporting Program cuts your ASC's Medicare payment rate for a full year on every procedure you bill. We run the reporting so it never happens.
-2%
Reduction to your annual Medicare ASC payment update if a required measure is missed or left blank but successfully 2026 reporting means a +2.6% payment update
May 15th
Annual deadline for the prior year's web-based measure data, missed deadlines lock in the following year's penalty
THE COMPLIANCE YEAR, MAPPED
NOV
CMS final rule published measures & deadlines updated
MAY 15
Annual web-based measure submission deadline
JAN
New payment year begins under the prior year's compliance status
SEPTEMBER
Proposed rule comment period, next year's measures take shape
Q1 - Q2
Quarterly OAS CAHPS survey windows open on rolling basis
MARCH 17
Last day to file a reconsideration request if penalized
THE QUARTERLY ASCQR PROGRAM
What we do, every quarter, without you asking
Q1 Foundation & Registration
Confirm your HQR/HARP account and Security Official designation are current, verify your OAS CAHPS vendor contract, and build your full-year deadline calendar.
Q2 Mid-Year Data Integrity Check
Audit your Q1 measure data for completeness, confirm OAS CAHPS submission was filed on time, and spot-check the documentation behind every data point you've report
Q3 Pre-deadline Stress Test
A full dry-run of your annual submission, a review of your claims-based measures, and a formal gap letter flagging anything at risk — while there's still time to fix it.
Q4 Submission Support & Close
Hands-on help finalizing your HQR submission, a final completeness sign-off, and a year-end Compliance Certification memo you can hand to your board or accreditation surveyor.
Every quarter, you get: a traffic-light compliance report · an updated deadline calendar · a remediation action list with owners and dates · one live walkthrough with your leadership team.
WHAT'S ACTUALLY AT STAKE
Three ways ASCs lose points without noticing
None of these require bad clinical care. They're administrative gaps, which is exactly why a dedicated quarterly check catches them before CMS does.
RULE 01
Blank isn't neutral
A measure left blank is treated the same as never reporting at all — automatic non-compliance, with one voluntary exception. "No data" still has to be actively submitted as zero.
RULE 02
Accounts go stale
HQR accounts need a login at least every 60 days. HARP credentials deactivate after two years of inactivity and can't be recovered. Most centers find out under deadline pressure.
RULE 03
There's no second appeal
Reconsideration requests must reach CMS by March 17 of the payment year. Once CMS upholds the penalty, that decision is final.