Blue Review
A newsletter for physician, professional, facility, ancillary and Medicaid providers

January 2018

Annual Medical Record Data Collection for Quality Reporting Begins Feb. 1, 2018

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas (BCBSTX) collects performance data using specifications published by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) for the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for the Quality Rating System (QRS). HEDIS is the most widely used and nationally accepted effectiveness of care measurement available and the HHS requires reporting of QRS measures. These activities are considered health care operations under the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act Privacy Rule and patient authorization for release of information is not required. Additionally, Texas state law (Chapter 108 of the Texas Health and Safety Code) requires Health Maintenance Organizations in Texas to report HEDIS data by service area to the Department of State Health Services on an annual basis.

To meet these requirements, BCBSTX will be collecting medical records using internal resources and leveraging an independent contracted third-party vendor, CIOX. If you receive a request for medical records, we encourage you to reply within three to five business days. Cooperation with the collection of HEDIS and QRS data or any quality improvement activities are required under the providers’ contractual obligation at no cost to BCBSTX or as stated within the provider’s contract.

A representative from BCBSTX or from CIOX may be contacting your office or facility between February 2018 and May 2018 to set up appointments for onsite visits or to set up an expected delivery date via fax, provider portal or U.S. Mail. As part of the request, you will receive a letter introducing the background and authorizing agencies for the HEDIS and QRS data request, a medical record request list with members’ names and other identifying demographics, and the medical record information needed for identified measures.

If you have any questions about medical record requests, please contact the representative listed on the provider letter requesting the medical record information.