Project PAUSE submits comments on quality, equity considerations of CMS antipsychotic measures

On Friday, June 10th, 2022, Project PAUSE (Psychoactive Appropriate Use for Safety and Effectiveness) submitted a comment letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The letter elevated the need for CMS to reconsider its current reliance on two measures that provide the rate of utilization of antipsychotics in nursing homes, but fail to measure whether use was clinically appropriate or inappropriate.

The inability of the current measures to assess whether use is inappropriate has several effects, including greater difficulty in identifying providers that are not providing appropriate care and misaligned incentives for diagnosis and provision of the most suitable therapeutic for a patients’ care needs. Additionally, the letter notes that the measure may contribute to inequitable outcomes for communities of color and rural beneficiaries.

The comments were submitted in response to the Fiscal Year 2023 Skilled Nursing Facility Prospective Payment System proposed rule. CMS will review public comments on the proposed rule and issue a final rule in Summer 2022.