New Emergency Module Available in EQRS

New Emergency Module Available in EQRS 

On April 22, 2025, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the new Emergency Module in the End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Quality Reporting System (EQRS).   

Previously, the Kidney Community Emergency Response (KCER) team used emailed spreadsheets to collect daily Emergency Situational Status Reports (ESSRs) from dialysis facilities in areas affected by a disaster. The new EQRS Emergency Module modernizes this process. When an incident is activated, automated notifications request daily updates on facility status. Staff at affected facilities, ESRD Networks, and large dialysis organizations (LDOs) affiliated with these facilities can provide real-time reports and updates to KCER. The new process will provide KCER with the most current and accurate information from the field. This information will populate real-time dashboards and support information sharing needed to facilitate a robust and expedient response.  

This memo includes a link to the new EQRS Emergency Module User Guide. The User Guide provides detailed instructions for how to use the new EQRS Emergency Module to report Emergency Situational Status during an emergency. 

In the event of an EQRS system outage during a disaster, the KCER Program will formally notify ESRD Networks, dialysis facilities, and LDOs via email and by posting an alert on the KCER website. Emergency reporting will transition to the manual ESSR process, which involves submitting data through emailed spreadsheets. This manual, paper-based process will remain in effect until EQRS functionality is restored. If additional assistance is needed to complete and/or submit manual ESSRs in the event of an EQRS system outage, please communicate with your ESRD Network directly. 

CLICK HERE for EQRS Emergency Module User Guide  

For assistance with EQRS technical issues, please contact the Center for Clinical Standards and Quality (CCSQ) Service Center. The CCSQ Service Center is open Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern Time and can be reached via phone at 866-288-8912, email at qnetsupport-esrd@cms.hhs.gov, or online  at the CCSQ Support Center. 

For assistance with general EQRS and ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP) questions, please contact the ESRD QIP Team via the QualityNet Q&A Tool. 

ESRD QIP Technical Specifications and ESRD Measures Manual for the 2026 Performance Period

CMS Releases ESRD QIP Technical Specifications and ESRD Measures Manual for the 2026 Performance Period   July 18, 2025 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released the most recent End-Stage Renal Disease Quality Incentive Program (ESRD QIP) Technical Measures Specifications and ESRD Measures Manual on the CMS.gov website. These documents reflect updates based on the calendar year (CY) 2026 ESRD Prospective Payment System (PPS) final rule that was published on July 2, 2025, on the Federal Register website. The CY 2026 ESRD QIP Technical Measures Specifications provides detailed information on ESRD QIP measures, including measure descriptions, measure type, numerator and denominator statements, exclusion criteria, minimum data requirements, data sources, and additional information. The ESRD Measures Manual for the 2026 Performance Period provides detailed descriptions of how ESRD measure scores are calculated and how CMS evaluates the quality of dialysis care. For assistance with general ESRD Quality Reporting System (EQRS) and ESRD QIP questions, please contact the ESRD QIP Team via the QualityNet Q&A Tool.

CY 2026 ESRD PPS Proposed Rule and PY 2026 Preview Period Webinar

CY 2026 ESRD PPS Proposed Rule and PY 2026 Preview Period Webinar   July 1, 2025 Please reserve Tuesday, July 15, 2025, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time for the CY 2026 ESRD PPS Proposed Rule and PY 2026 Preview Period Webinar. This event will describe details of the Calendar Year (CY) 2026 End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Prospective Payment System (PPS) Proposed Rule that relates directly to the ESRD Quality Incentive Program (QIP). This webinar will also overview the Payment Year (PY) 2026 Preview Period and important actions dialysis facilities should take before it ends on August 15, 2025. Click HERE to Register Sincerely, The ESRD QPS Team

January EQRS Stakeholder Meeting

January EQRS Stakeholder Meeting January 21, 2025, from 2:00-3:00PM (ET)   Featuring:   Form CMS-2744 Overview Form CMS-2744A​ Form CMS-2744B Editing an Existing Form CMS-2744 Submitting a Form CMS-2744​ Monitoring the Submitted Status of a Form CMS-2744​ Upcoming ESRD QIP & EQRS Events REGISTER TODAY All events are recorded and made available on MyCrownWeb.org shortly after they occur.

December EQRS Stakeholder Meeting

December EQRS Stakeholder Meeting December 17, 2024, from 2:00-3:00PM (ET)   Featuring:  Facility Commitment to Health Equity Attestation Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) Patient Screening Important Dates and Deadlines Upcoming QIP and EQRS Events REGISTER TODAY All events are recorded and made available on MyCrownWeb.org shortly after they occur.