E-Cigarettes 

Although vaporizers, e-cigarettes and other Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) are regulated under the FDA as noncombustible tobacco products, and are not without potential harm, they do not contain tobacco and are therefore not counted as tobacco use for purposes of assessing and measuring tobacco status. The Preventive Care & Screening: Tobacco Use: Screening & Cessation Intervention (QPP# 226, NQF #0028) measure, stewarded by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) and used in many federal programs, does not classify e-cigarettes as a tobacco product. MNCM seeks to align as closely as possible with measures used nationally.

In response to a question about the inclusion of e-cigarettes as a tobacco product for QPP # 226 (JIRA 2020):

This measure assesses tobacco use only and as such, does not include patients who vape or utilized electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) in the 'identified as a tobacco user' population. These patients would be identified as non-tobacco users and would not be included in the denominator eligible population. 

MNCM will align with current NCQA guidance in terms of their classification of e-cigarettes as not a tobacco product. Additionally, remaining aligned with this definition allows continued alignment with WCHQ’s use of tobacco related measures and components.