ESRD QIP

CMS oversees the End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program to support consistent, high-quality care in dialysis facilities. This national program shifts Medicare reimbursement by tying part of each facility’s payment to how well it meets specific quality standards. It reflects a broader move toward value-based purchasing that rewards strong performance and encourages continuous improvement in patient care.

Facility-level scores and payment adjustments are available to the public on Care Compare through Medicare.gov. Each facility must also post a Performance Score Certificate that shows its Total Performance Score for the designated payment year.

The ESRD QIP evaluates each dialysis facility on a set of clinical and reporting measures for the designated payment year and applies payment reductions of up to two percent when performance falls below required standards. Clinical measures are scored using both achievement, which compares a facility to national benchmarks, and improvement, which looks at year-to-year progress. Reporting measures are scored based on whether the facility submits the required data, and the final score determines whether a payment reduction is applied for that payment year.

For more information regarding the ESRD QIP Program, refer to the ESRD QIP page located at QualityNet.cms.gov and the frequently asked questions available in the ESRD QIP Question and Answer (Q&A) tool. Additional questions can be submitted in the Q&A tool by selecting ‘Ask a Question’.