We are pleased to share that CMS’s proposal to expand the Global Malnutrition Composite Score (GMCS) has been finalized, expanding the GMCS eCQM measure to adults aged 18 and older beginning with the CY 2026 reporting period/FY 2028 payment determination. CMS recently released the 2025 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) Final Rule, which includes updates for quality measures for future years of the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting (IQR) program. Thank you to the MQii community for submitting many supportive comments. The MQii team is appreciative of the support to expand the GMCS to 18+.
CMS shared commenters supported the proposal and recommended that CMS accelerate implementation of the expansion from CY 2026 to CY 2025 to encourage hospitals to provide high-quality malnutrition care to all adults. Many commenters who supported accelerating the proposal’s implementation noted that the modification to the measure would not impose a burden increase on providers. CMS noted the CY 2026 timeline allows hospitals time to review the results of the first full year of reporting on the GMCS eCQM before implementation of the modification. This does not preclude organizations from engaging in preventive screening and intervention for malnutrition in patients 18 years of age and older. CMS encourages commenters to engage in this work, which could result in both improved clinical outcomes and substantial financial savings on subsequent medical care for hospital systems.
We appreciate the continued support of the GMCS to benefit patient and malnutrition care.