Project PAUSE Urges Replacement of Long-Stay Antipsychotic Quality Measure for Patients with Neuropsychiatric Symptoms
Published August 13, 2026
On behalf of the Project PAUSE Coalition, Alliance Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations Scott Frey delivered brief oral remarks to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Advisory Council on Alzheimer’s Research, Care, and Services during its August meeting.
The Alliance urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to replace the current Long-Stay Antipsychotic Quality Measure with targeted, low-burden improvements to the Minimum Data Set that strengthen prescribing documentation, reinforce multidisciplinary clinical oversight, and better distinguish clinically appropriate treatment from misuse.
The current measure overlooks clinically appropriate indications, fails to reflect newer FDA-approved therapies, and incorrectly equates lower prescribing with higher-quality care. As a result, it creates pressure to reduce clinically appropriate treatment, which leads to involuntary discharges, barriers to nursing home admission, and unnecessary suffering for individuals with neuropsychiatric symptoms and their families.
The Alliance is a lead convener of Project PAUSE, a coalition of patient and professional organizations focused on improving long-term care for individuals who have neuropsychiatric symptoms associated with Alzheimer’s and other neurocognitive conditions.