The AMA, along with national physician specialty societies, recently sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) asking that the 2018 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting period be reduced from a full calendar year to a minimum of 90 consecutive days. That should happen because of a lack of timely and direct notification about whether a physician is considered MIPS-eligible.
In addition, there will be a further significant delay by CMS in updating the Quality Payment Program (QPP) interactive website with 2018 information. The website is not expected to be updated until the summer of 2018, at the earliest. The two delays combined make it extraordinarily difficult for physicians to meet the full-year quality data reporting requirements for MIPS this year.
The letter also requests a reduced reporting period for future MIPS program years in order to reduce administrative burdens and ensure physicians have sufficient time to report after receiving performance feedback from CMS.
To determine whether they are eligible for the MIPS program, physicians must actively consult CMS’ website. Previously, CMS had mailed letters to practices to inform them of their eligibility status, which many practices were waiting for this year. Without direct outreach by CMS to physicians and group practices, many will be left in the dark on their status.
Therefore, the AMA encourages practices to look up their MIPS eligibility at the CMS QPP website. The AMA is committed to working collaboratively with CMS to ensure MIPS recognizes the quality of care provided to Medicare beneficiaries rather than quantity of data reported, and will continue to advocate for timely notification by CMS on program changes to ensure successful participation.
