Kythera Labs as a Qualified Entity

Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a Qualified Entity in 2025, Kythera Labs is committed to empowering our customers with accurate insights into patient outcomes, referral dynamics, and healthcare market trends. By integrating comprehensive CMS data with our real-world claims data and platform, we bolster our clients’ ability to drive impactful, informed decisions.

2026 QE Report

Measurement Focus: Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG) – Reduction of Intraocular Pressure (IOP) or Plan of Care

For our 2026 QE Report, Kythera Labs evaluated performance on CMS Quality Measure #141, which assesses the effectiveness of glaucoma treatment in patients diagnosed with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG). This outcome-based measure captures whether patients achieve at least a 20% reduction in intraocular pressure (IOP) or have a documented plan of care when treatment goals are not met.

POAG is the most common form of glaucoma and a leading cause of irreversible blindness. Because the disease progresses silently, effective treatment and continuous management are critical to preserving vision. This measure goes beyond tracking whether care was delivered—it evaluates whether treatment is achieving meaningful clinical outcomes or being actively managed when it is not.

Download the report here.

Key Insights Include

• National performance rate: 56% across 43,798 POAG patients receiving care from 1,814 providers who performed IOP evaluations
• Gender comparison: No meaningful difference in performance between female and male patients (both 56%)
• Age trends: Performance declines with age—from 86% in younger adults (19–34) to ~54–55% in patients aged 65–84, with a slight rebound to 63% in patients 85+
• Payer variation: Significant differences across payer types, with rates ranging from 78% (Medicaid) to 24% (Medicare Advantage); Original Medicare performed above average at 59%
• Geographic variation: State-level performance ranged from 22% (NM) to 75% (MA), highlighting substantial regional differences in care delivery
• Provider performance: The majority of providers (88%) performed within expected ranges, while a small subset showed statistically significant variation, indicating opportunities for targeted improvement

Why This Matters

This report provides a comprehensive, real-world view of how glaucoma care is delivered across the U.S., using a large, nationally representative claims dataset. By focusing on treatment effectiveness and care management—not just process adherence—this measure offers deeper insight into whether patients are receiving care that meaningfully slows disease progression.

These findings help providers, payers, and policymakers identify gaps in care, benchmark performance, and prioritize interventions that improve outcomes for patients with POAG.

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