Measure ID: MIPS 440·Dermatology·2026 Performance Year

2026 MIPS Measure #440: Skin Cancer: Biopsy Reporting Time – Pathologist to Clinician

Percentage of biopsies with a diagnosis of cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), or melanoma (including in situ disease) in which the pathologist communicates results to the clinician within 7 days from the time when the tissue specimen was received by the pathologist.

Process – High PriorityDermatologyCare Coordination

Measure ID:MIPS 440 (Quality ID 440)

Collection:MIPS CQM

Topped Out:Yes

View CMS Spec ↗

Measure Specification

Eligible Population

Diagnosis for cutaneous basal carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma

ORDiagnosis for melanoma

OROther malignant diagnosis

ANDPatient procedure during the performance period

Exclusions

G9784Pathologists/Dermatopathologists providing a second opinion on a biopsy

G9939Pathologists/Dermatopathologists is the same clinician who performed the biopsy

Numerator

Number of final pathology reports diagnosing cutaneous basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma or melanoma (to include in situ disease) sent from the Pathologist/Dermatopathologist to the biopsying clinician for review within 7 days from the time when the tissue specimen was received by the pathologist.

Reporting Codes

Performance Met:

G9785Pathology report diagnosing cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma (to include in situ disease) sent from the Pathologist/ Dermatopathologist to the biopsying clinician for review within 7 days from the time when the tissue specimen was received by the pathologist

Performance Not Met:

G9786Pathology report diagnosing cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma (to include in situ disease) was not sent from the Pathologist/ Dermatopathologist to the biopsying clinician for review within 7 days from the time when the tissue specimen was received by the pathologist

○ Exceptions:

M1166Pathology report for tissue specimens produced from wide local excisions or re-excisions

VBCA Insights

Why This Measure Matters

When a skin biopsy shows melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, or squamous cell carcinoma, fast communication from pathology to the treating clinician is critical so treatment can start promptly. This measure tracks whether pathologists deliver final reports within 7 days of receiving the specimen. Delays increase patient anxiety and can postpone surgical or systemic treatment. Work with your pathology lab to identify bottlenecks and prioritize skin cancer biopsies for rapid turnaround.

VBCA is a CMS-approved Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) that submits MIPS Measure 440 to the Quality Payment Program (QPP). Practices can report this measure as a MIPS Clinical Quality Measure (CQM) or through qualified registry submission.

🧮MIPS Score Simulator

Estimate only — actual CMS scoring may vary based on reporting method, data completeness, and annual rule updates.

Your Performance Rate:%Benchmarks vary by collection type

💡 Tip: Enter your performance rate to compare MIPS points across all collection types. The same rate can score differently depending on how you submit.

2026 MIPS 440 Benchmarks

Historical CMS benchmark deciles for MIPS quality measure 440 by collection type. Your performance rate falls into a decile, which determines your measure points (3–10).

MIPS CQMAvg. performance rate: 99.31%Topped Out

Decile	Performance Rate Range	Points
Decile 1	84.00 - 85.99%	1 – 1.9
Decile 2	86.00 - 87.99%	2 – 2.9
Decile 3	88.00 - 89.99%	3 – 3.9
Decile 4	90.00 - 91.99%	4 – 4.9
Decile 5	92.00 - 93.99%	5 – 5.9
Decile 6	94.00 - 95.99%	6 – 6.9
Decile 7	96.00 - 97.99%	7 – 7.9
Decile 8	98.00 - 98.99%	8 – 8.9
Decile 9	99.00 - 99.99%	9 – 9.9
Decile 10	100.00%	10

Specialty Measure Sets

Dermatology Pathology

Related Measures

Dermatology

MIPS 250: Radical Prostatectomy Pathology Reporting MIPS 397: Melanoma Reporting MIPS 410: Psoriasis: Clinical Response to Systemic Medications MIPS 485: Psoriasis – Improvement in Patient-Reported Itch Severity MIPS 486: Dermatitis – Improvement in Patient-Reported Itch Severity MIPS 509: Melanoma: Tracking and Evaluation of Recurrence

Care Coordination

MIPS 024: Communication with the Physician or Other Clinician Managing On-Going Care Post-MIPS 243: Cardiac Rehabilitation Patient Referral from an Outpatient Setting MIPS 340: HIV Annual Retention in Care MIPS 356: Unplanned Hospital Readmission within 30 Days of Principal Procedure MIPS 374: Closing the Referral Loop: Receipt of Specialist Report MIPS 503: Gains in Patient Activation Measure (PAM) Scores at 12 Months

Official Resources

📄 CMS Measure Specification (PDF)🔗 QPP Quality Payment Program

Clinical Context

Clinical Rationale

Effective communication through the biopsy report between pathologist and referring physician is essential as delay may directly affect patient care. Furthermore, lack of timely delivery of results can increase the cost of medical care, error and the anxiety the patient experiences in waiting for results. This measure seeks to ensure timely communication and effective treatment for the patient.

Clinical Recommendations

“[Pathology] reports should be issued in a timely manner. Failure to report results promptly may delay patient care (thus uselessly adding to the cost of medical care), [and] lead to error and confusion…”

Implementation Notes

This measure contains one strata defined by a single submission criteria. This measure produces a single performance rate. For the purposes of MIPS implementation, this procedure measure is submitted each time a procedure is performed during the performance period. To be eligible for this measure, the denominator must be met during the measurement period of 01/01/2026 to 12/24/2026.

This is to provide sufficient time for the pathology results to be received by the biopsying clinician and for the performance of the numerator to be met within the performance period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for MIPS 440?

All pathology reports generated by the Pathologist/Dermatopathologist consistent with cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma (to include in situ disease).

Is MIPS 440 the same as MIPS 440?

Yes. CMS uses zero-padded three-digit Quality IDs (440) in official specifications, while clinicians often search for MIPS 440 or Quality ID 440 without the leading zero. Both refer to the same 2026 MIPS quality measure reported through the Quality Payment Program (QPP).

What codes do I submit for MIPS 440: Skin Cancer: Biopsy Reporting Time – Pathologist to Clinician?

Submission codes: G9785 (Pathology report diagnosing cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma (to include in situ disease) sent from the Pathologist/ Dermatopathologist to the biopsying clinician for review within 7 days from the time when the tissue specimen was received by the pathologist); G9786 (Pathology report diagnosing cutaneous basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, or melanoma (to include in situ disease) was not sent from the Pathologist/ Dermatopathologist to the biopsying clinician for review within 7 days from the time when the tissue specimen was received by the pathologist)

How do I report MIPS Measure 440 in 2026?

MIPS Measure 440 (Quality ID 440) is reported through the Quality Payment Program (QPP) as a MIPS Clinical Quality Measure (CQM) via qualified registry, or Medicare Part B claims where applicable.

Is MIPS 440 a topped-out measure?

Yes, MIPS 440 is currently topped out, which means most clinicians perform well on this measure and it may be subject to a 7-point scoring cap.

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