We need clarification on how the Zero Denominator Declaration is calculated vs Case Threshold Exemption. My understanding of the denominator is those patients who meet the denominator criteria. For denominator exclusions, those are patients who are excluded from the denominator because they do not meet the criteria. With those definitions in mind, here are two scenarios. Please confirm if this is correct or not. 

IPP = 2 | Denominator = 2 | Denominator Exclusions = 2 - since both patients are excluded from the Denominator, this would be a Zero Denominator Declaration. 

IPP = 4 | Denominator = 2 | Denominator Exclusions = 2 - since there are only 2 of the 4 in the IPP that make the denominator criteria, but both of these are excluded, this would still be a Zero Denominator Declaration. 

Is this correct thinking or does the Zero Denominator Declaration disregard those that are excluded and only look at who originally made the denominator BEFORE exclusion criteria is applied? Or would both of these scenarios be Case Threshold Exemptions because they originally met the denominator criteria? 

Logically, it makes sense to me that these would be Zero Denominator Declarations because you have NO patients that met the denominator criteria. 

When calculating these Declarations/Exemptions the algorithm should be Denominator - Denominator Exclusions = # to qualify for Declarations/Exemptions.