Input from measure users and other interested parties has always been central to PQA’s measure development and maintenance activities. Beginning in 2026, PQA will launch an annual public comment process that provides a dedicated, predictable opportunity to review and comment on planned measure activities. The first annual comment period will be from August 19-September 18, 2026. This new approach reflects PQA’s commitment to transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the measure life cycle.
Why an Annual Public Comment Process?
Historically, public comment opportunities occurred at different points throughout the year and were tied to specific measure life cycle activities. This approach supported meaningful engagement but made it difficult for interested parties to anticipate opportunities to provide input.
The annual public comment process is intended to:
- Increase transparency into planned measure activities
- Provide a predictable annual opportunity for public feedback
- Improve efficiency by allowing stakeholders to review multiple topics during a single comment period
- Strengthen the ongoing dialogue between PQA and measure users and other interested parties
Whether noting support, providing operational insights, identifying implementation challenges, or highlighting opportunities for improvement, public feedback helps ensure PQA measures remain scientifically sound, practical to implement, and responsive to the evolving healthcare environment.
The annual public comment process complements, rather than replaces, PQA’s existing measure development and maintenance processes. Technical Expert Panels, consensus review activities, and membership voting will continue to play important roles in measure-related decision-making.
What’s New for 2026?
A key enhancement to the 2026 annual public comment process is the opportunity to comment on planned measure updates before they are implemented. This provides interested parties with advance notice of planned updates and an opportunity to share operational considerations, implementation challenges, feasibility concerns, and other real-world perspectives.
The inaugural annual public comment period will include:
- Planned Measurement Year 2027 measure updates
- Proposed 2027 and 2028 measure retirement
Future annual public comment cycles may include additional topics across the measure life cycle, as appropriate.
Who Can Participate?
PQA welcomes feedback from measure users and other interested parties, including healthcare organizations, health plans, providers, researchers, patients, and caregivers.
To participate, commenters must log in through MyPQA and identify themselves. Comments may be submitted by individuals or on behalf of organizations. This information helps PQA understand the perspectives represented and consider feedback across different perspectives, organization types, and care settings.
Protecting the Integrity of the Process
Although commenters identify themselves when submitting feedback, PQA will not publish comments or attribute them to specific individuals or organizations. Instead, comments will be reviewed, analyzed, and synthesized to identify common themes, implementation considerations, opportunities, and concerns.
PQA will not provide individual responses to comments submitted during the public comment period. Instead, insights from public feedback may be incorporated into future communications, webinars, or educational activities, as appropriate.
How Feedback Is Used
Every comment submitted during the public comment period will be reviewed by PQA. PQA values diverse perspectives, including support, concerns, implementation experience, and alternative approaches that can strengthen measure stewardship.
How feedback informs measure-related decisions depends on where a measure is within PQA’s consensus-based process. For activities in earlier stages, public input may help shape future work. For activities further along in PQA’s consensus-based process, feedback can provide valuable implementation insights and help inform future measure-related activities.
Public comment is one of several important inputs that support PQA’s consensus-based approach.
Looking Ahead
The 2026 annual public comment cycle advances PQA’s commitment to transparency and meaningful engagement with the many organizations and individuals who use, implement, rely on, or are affected by PQA measures.
By establishing a predictable annual opportunity for feedback and inviting comments on planned measure updates before implementation, PQA is creating a more transparent and consistent approach to participation throughout the measure life cycle.
PQA remains committed to ensuring its quality measures benefit from stakeholder experience while maintaining the scientific rigor, transparency, and consensus-based principles that underpin measure development and stewardship.