PATIENTS FOR PATIENT SAFETY US
Patients for Patient Safety (PFPS US) Awarded a Generous Grant
from an Anonymous Funder to Advance Diagnostic Safety
PFPS US calls for Public Comments on CMS Proposed Rule for the Medicare Program.
Deadline: June 10, 2025, at 11:59 PM EDT
Dear Patients for Patient Safety US Champions, Organizational Partners, and Friends:
PFPS US asks for your help submitting public comments on CMS’s upcoming quality and performance reporting rule, especially supporting the Patient Safety Structural Measure (PSSM) and Age Friendly Hospital Measure. Please share this request with your networks.
The deadline for comments is June 10 at 11:59 PM EDT.
Background: On April 30, CMS published a Proposed Rule setting inpatient hospital payment rates and measures for FY 2026, starting October 1, 2025. Public input is valued—every comment is reviewed before CMS finalizes the rule.
This Proposed Rule affects hospital quality and safety reporting. CMS uses data reported by hospitals to reward good care and hold back funds for poor care, but current data collection that addresses safety is at risk.
PFPS US is concerned that hospitals may push to eliminate the PSSM and the Age Friendly Hospital Measure, which were recently added to Medicare’s quality program. Although the Proposed Rule does not recommend removing these measures, comments advocating for their elimination have already been submitted. Therefore, PFPS US is urging support for both measures to emphasize their importance for patient safety and care for older adults, a group at higher risk of preventable harm.
The Proposed Rule does suggest eliminating three other structural measures aimed at reducing health care disparities: the Hospital Commitment to Health Equity and two Screening for Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) measures. The rationale is that these are burdensome and not clearly linked to health outcomes.
PFPS US strongly opposes this rationale, arguing that structural measures are not overly burdensome and that the SDOH measures are vital for tracking key social needs: food insecurity, housing instability, transportation, utilities, and interpersonal safety during inpatient stays. We urge CMS to reconsider eliminating these SDOH measures.
PFPS US is also using this Public Comment opportunity to propose the creation of direct reporting channels that patients and families can use to report patient safety events ourselves. We argue that CMS’s quality data—and the AI algorithms using it—will remain flawed and incomplete until patients are able to report events that hospitals do not.
PFPS US strongly encourages Patient Safety Champions and PFPS US Strategic Partners to submit public comments supporting measures and processes that will enhance patient safety for all. You can cut and paste all or part of our Public Comment as you draft your own
Here are background materials for you to review, use or adapt to file a Public Comment on the Proposed Rule:
ï‚· The CMS Proposed Rule is here.
ï‚· Background on the PSSM is here.
ï‚· Background on the Age-Friendly Hospital Measure is here.
ï‚· Background on the SDOH measures are here.
ï‚· Background on Hospital Commitment to Health Equity Measure is here.
Leapfrog Group Public Comment: The Leapfrog Group also is filing a Public Comment, and is asking for others to sign. It’s Public Comment and more information is here. Deadline to sign is June 9th at 5 PM EDT.
Thank you for amplifying patients' voices!
The Patients for Patient Safety US Public Comment Work Group
Deadline: Submit your comment by June 10 at 11:59 PM EDT.
PFPS US
Patients for Patient Safety US (PFPS US) is a patient-led, non-profit organization of dedicated individuals and organizations united in the mission to enhance patient safety for all Americans.
MISSION
To unite patients, family members, and key stakeholders to advance patient safety, improve diagnostic timeliness and accuracy, and eliminate health disparities through research, policy, advocacy, and by utilizing advanced technologies.
VISION
A world in which no one is harmed in health care, and every patient receives safe and respectful care every time, everywhere.
What We Do
Advocacy and policy in healthcare are closely interconnected concepts that together shape how healthcare organizations function, how care is delivered and paid for, what medicines or devices can be used to treat patients, how patient privacy is protected, and how health is maintained and continuously improved.
We are committed to advancing research that centers patient and family experiences, particularly in areas where harm is most prevalent, such as diagnostic safety and the dismissal of patient concerns.
In the rapidly evolving field of health technology, we are at the forefront of advancing responsible AI in healthcare.
Together, these efforts reflect PFPS US’s integrated approach to achieving zero harm in healthcare, combining patient-driven advocacy, rigorous research and measures, policy leadership, and technological innovation to create a safer, more equitable system for all.
Did You Know...
Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the United States.
Diagnostic errors cause death and disability in approximately 800,000 patients annually and costs the healthcare system up to 17% of all healthcare costs.
Medical and diagnostic errors disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.
