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<strong>CMS</strong>-1403-FC<br />

understand how improvements affect participation rates<br />

prior to expansion of the PQRI.<br />

Response: We are continuing to evaluate the results<br />

of the 2007 PQRI and will evaluate the results of the 2008<br />

PQRI as they become available as we develop and implement<br />

strategies for enhancing the PQRI in the future.<br />

Comment: A number of commenters also offered to<br />

assist us in improving physician quality measure design and<br />

to help us better understand the barriers to and the<br />

stimuli for participating by requesting to review the data<br />

files used for calculating the 2007 and/or 2008 incentive<br />

payments.<br />

Response: Information about individuals that is<br />

retrieved by the individuals’ names or other personal<br />

identifiers is subject to the Privacy Act of 1974 (that is,<br />

the Privacy Act), Freedom of Information Act and other<br />

Federal government rules and regulations. As such, the<br />

information cannot be released without the individual’s<br />

written consent, unless the Privacy Act permits release.<br />

See 5 USC 552a(b).<br />

We employ strict security measures to appropriately<br />

safeguard individual privacy and seek to ensure that files<br />

containing physician and/or beneficiary identifiers are<br />

used only when necessary and in accordance with disclosure<br />

528

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