Development of core end-of-life care quality measures across each relevant provider setting

(a) In general The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (in this section referred to as the Director) and in consultation with the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, shall require the development of specific end-of-life quality measures for each relevant qualified health care provider setting, as identified by the Director, in accordance with the requirements of subsection (b). (b) Requirements For purposes of subsection (a), the requirements specified in this subsection are the following: (1) Selection of the specific measure or measures for an identified provider setting shall be based on an assessment of what is likely to have the greatest positive impact on quality of end-of-life care in that setting, and made in consultation with affected providers, patients, and private organizations, that have developed such measures. (2) The measures may be structure-oriented, process-oriented, or outcome-oriented, as determined appropriate by the Director, and shall be patient-oriented. (3) The Director shall ensure that reporting requirements related to such measures— (A) are imposed consistently with other applicable laws and regulations, and in a manner that takes into account existing measures, the needs of patient populations, the specific services provided, and the potential administrative burden to providers; and (B) include demographic information to account for race, ethnicity, age, and gender, and other appropriate categories. (4) Not later than— (A) January 1, 2027, the Secretary shall disseminate the reporting requirements to all affected providers and provide for a 60-day period for public comment; and (B) January 1, 2029, initial reporting by health care providers relating to the measures shall begin.