2026 MIPS Measure #286: Dementia: Safety Concern Screening and Follow-Up for Patients with Dementia

Percentage of patients with dementia or their caregiver(s) for whom there was a documented safety concerns screening in two domains of risk: 1) dangerousness to self or others and 2) environmental risks; and if safety concerns screening was positive in the last 12 months, there was documentation of mitigation recommendations, including but not limited to referral to other resources.

This measure is to be submitted a minimum of once per performance period for patients with a diagnosis of dementia seen during the performance period. This measure may be submitted by Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians who perform the quality actions described in the measure based on the services provided and the measure-specific denominator coding.

NOTE: Patient encounters for this measure conducted via telehealth (including but not limited to encounters coded with GQ, GT, POS 02, POS 10) are allowable. Please note that effective January 1, 2025, while a measure may be denoted as telehealth eligible, specific denominator codes within the encounter may no longer be eligible due to changes outlined in the CY 2024 PFS Final Rule List of Medicare Telehealth Services.

All patients with dementia

DENOMINATOR NOTE: *Signifies that this CPT Category I code is a non-covered service under the Medicare Part B Physician Fee Schedule (PFS). These non-covered services should be counted in the denominator population for MIPS CQMs.

All patients regardless of age

AND

Diagnosis for dementia (ICD-10-CM): A52.17, A81.00, A81.01, A81.89, F01.50, F01.511, F01.518, F01.52, F01.53, F01.54, F01.A0, F01.A11, F01.A18, F01.A2, F01.A3, F01.A4, F01.B0, F01.B11, F01.B18, F01.B2, F01.B3, F01.B4, F01.C0, F01.C11, F01.C18, F01.C2, F01.C3, F01.C4, F02.80, F02.811, F02.818, F02.82, F02.83, F02.84, F02.A0, F02.A11, F02.A18, F02.A2, F02.A3, F02.A4, F02.B0, F02.B11, F02.B18, F02.B2, F02.B3, F02.B4, F02.C0, F02.C11, F02.C18, F02.C2, F02.C3, F02.C4, F03.90, F03.911, F03.918, F03.92, F03.93, F03.94, F03.A0, F03.A11, F03.A18, F03.A2, F03.A3, F03.A4, F03.B0, F03.B11, F03.B18, F03.B2, F03.B3, F03.B4, F03.C0, F03.C11, F03.C18, F03.C2, F03.C3, F03.C4, F10.27, G30.0, G30.1, G30.8, G30.9, G31.01, G31.09, G31.83, G31.85, G31.89, G94

AND

Patient encounter during the performance period (CPT or HCPCS): 78811, 78814, 90791, 90792, 90832, 90834, 90837, 92507, 92508, 92523, 92526, 92610, 92611, 92612, 92616, 96105, 96112, 96116, 96125, 96130, 96132, 96136, 96138, 96146, 96156, 96158, 96164, 96167, 96170*, 97129, 97161, 97162, 97163, 97164, 97165, 97166, 97167, 97168, 98000, 98001, 98002, 98003, 98004, 98005, 98006, 98007, 98008, 98009, 98010, 98011, 98012, 98013, 98014, 98015, 99202, 99203, 99204, 99205, 99211, 99212, 99213, 99214, 99215, 99221, 99222, 99223, 99231, 99232, 99233, 99238, 99239, 99242*, 99243*, 99244*, 99245*, 99252*, 99253*, 99254*, 99255*, 99281, 99282, 99283, 99284, 99285, 99304, 99305, 99306, 99307, 99308, 99309, 99310, 99341, 99342, 99344, 99345, 99347, 99348, 99349, 99350, 99424, 99426, 99487, 99490, 99491, 99497, A9586, A9601, Q9982, Q9983

Patients with dementia or their caregiver(s) for whom there was a documented safety concerns screening in two domains of risk: 1) dangerousness to self or others and 2) environmental risks; and if safety concerns screening was positive in the last 12 months, there was documentation of mitigation recommendations, including but not limited to referral to other resources

Definitions:
Caregiver(s) – Person(s) who provide care to those who need supervision or assistance in illness or disability. They may provide the care in the home, in a hospital, or in an institution. Although “caregiver(s)” include trained medical, nursing, and other health personnel, the concept also refers to parents, spouses, or other family members, friends, members of the clergy, teachers, social workers, fellow patients.

Safety Concerns – “Safety concerns” include, but are not limited to:

Fall risk
Gait/balance
Medication management
Financial management
Home safety risks that could arise from cooking or smoking
Physical aggression posing threat to self, family caregiver, or others
Wandering
Access to firearms or other weapons
Access to potentially dangerous materials
Being left alone in home or locked in room
Inability to respond rapidly to crisis/household emergencies
Driving
Operation of hazardous equipment
Suicidality
Abuse or neglect
Numerator Instructions:
Mitigation Recommendations should include a discussion with the patient and their caregiver(s) regarding one or more of the above common safety concerns and potential risks to the patient. When appropriate, it should also include a mitigation recommendation or referral or orders for a home safety evaluation.

Note: For nursing home patients, different safety concerns might apply.

A number of organizations have developed educational materials that are recommended to aid implementation of the measure. These materials/tools include:

Alzheimer’s Association Safety Topics. Available on the Alzheimer’s Association website. Alzheimer’s Disease Education and Referral Center’s Home Safety for the Alzheimer’s Patient Available on the National Institute on Aging website.
The following is a non-exhaustive list of safety concerns in the two domains pertinent to this measure. To meet measure requirements a patient’s medical record must have documentation of being screened on at least one concern from each of the two domains.

Dangerousness to self (patient) or others (caregivers and other individuals)

Medication misuse
Physical aggressiveness
Wandering, including addressing precautions that may include physical measures (e.g., locks, fences or hedges), video surveillance, GPS monitoring and Safe Return programs, personal companions, schedule modifications (e.g., adult day care and day programs), rehabilitative measures, and risk mitigation strategies
Inability to respond rapidly to crisis/household emergencies
Financial mismanagement, including being involved in “scams”
Other concerns raised by patient or their caregiver
Environmental risks

Home safety risks that could arise from cooking or smoking
Access to firearms or other weapons
Access to potentially dangerous chemicals and other materials
Access to and operation of tools and equipment
Trip hazards in the home increasing the risk of falling
Other concerns raised by patient or their caregiver
NUMERATOR NOTE: The 12 month look back period is defined as 12 months from the date of the denominator eligible encounter. Denominator Exception(s) are determined on the date of the denominator eligible encounter.

Performance Met: Safety concerns screen provided and if positive then documented mitigation recommendations (G9922)

OR

Performance Met: Safety concerns screen provided and negative (G9923)

OR

Denominator Exception: Documentation patient unable to communicate and informant not available (G2183)

OR

Performance Not Met: Safety concerns screening not provided, reason not otherwise specified (G9925)

OR

Performance Not Met: Safety concerns screening positive screen is without provision of mitigation recommendations, including but not limited to referral to other resources (G9926)

The assessment of safety is an identified gap in dementia care (Black BS, Johnston D, Rabins PV, et al. Unmet Needs of Community-Residing Persons with Dementia and Their Informal Caregivers: Findings from the MIND at Home Study. J Am Geriatr Soc 2013;61(12):2087-2095.) Persons with dementia are at increased risk of having safety concerns for several reasons. Cognitive loss can lead to confusion regarding use of medications, handling of weapons or machinery, or the ability to remember to turn off appliances, such as ranges and stoves. Dementia also impairs the person’s judgment, and as such, increases the risk for financial abuse and exploitation. The risk of falls among persons with dementia is greater, and following injury, persons with dementia are less likely to recover than other seniors (Allan LM, Ballard CG, Rowan EN, Kenny RA. Incidence and prediction of falls in dementia: a prospective study in older people. PLoS ONE. 2009;4). Persons with dementia are at greater risk of burns due to hot water. Similarly, persons with dementia may exhibit aggressive behaviors towards themselves or others (Salzman C, Jeste D, Meyer RE, Cohen-Mansfield j, et.al. Elderly Patients with Dementia-Related Symptoms of Severe Agitation and Aggression: Consensus Statement on Treatment Options, Clinical Trials, Methodology and Policy. J Clin Psychiatry 2008 June:69(6):889-898). These and other types of injuries are preventable through mitigating strategies, however, the risks must be identified. This quality measure requires screening for safety concerns in two risk domains: dangerousness to self/others and environment. Current treatment guidelines for the management of dementia recommend that healthcare providers screen for safety risks. There are community and online resources to facilitate home safety (Alzheimer’s Association. Home Safety. Available at: https://www.alz.org/helpsupport/caregiving/safety/home-safety. Accessed November 25, 2018). By routinely screening for safety issues, the clinician will also become increasingly more familiar with the range of problems identified, and thus be able to continuously improve the quality of care delivered.

The following clinical recommendation statements are quoted verbatim from the referenced clinical guidelines and represent the evidence base for the measure:

“Recommended assessments include evaluation of suicidality, dangerousness to self and others, and the potential for aggression, as well as evaluation of living conditions, safety of the environment, adequacy of supervision, and evidence of neglect or abuse (Category I). Important safety issues in the management of patients with dementia include interventions to decrease the hazards of wandering and recommendations concerning activities such as cooking, driving, hunting, and the operation of hazardous equipment. Caregivers should be referred to available books [and other materials] that provide advice and guidance about maximizing the safety of the environment for patients with dementia…As patients become more impaired, they are likely to require more supervision to remain safe, and safety issues should be addressed as part of every evaluation. Families should be advised about the possibility of accidents due to forgetfulness (e.g., fires while cooking), of difficulties coping with household emergencies, and of the possibility of wandering. Family members should also be advised to determine whether the patient is handling finances appropriately and to consider taking over the paying of bills and other responsibilities. At this stage of the disease [i.e., moderately impaired patients], nearly all patients should not drive.” (1)
For mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease

“Assess for safety risks (e.g., driving, financial management, medication management, home safety risks that could arise from cooking or smoking, potentially dangerous behaviors such as wandering)” (2)