COVID-19 has tested the healthcare industry to the maximum strength, and physicians needed flexibility in terms of QPP (Quality Payment Program). You know that QPP MIPS data submission serves to assist in financial matters with payment adjustments, incentives, and bonuses.
All in all, MIPS eligible clinicians need to submit data despite the pandemic complications. However, CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) has set guidelines, which gives relief to some extent. Moreover, we also have to get ready for the MIPS 2021 performance period along with reporting QPP MIPS 2020. We cannot take it lightly to avoid the penalty for the performance period 2020.
Why Should MIPS Eligible Physicians Report MIPS 2020 Data?
If you go for QPP MIPS 2020 data submission despite the extreme and uncontrollable situation:
You can earn 10 bonus points in your total MIPS score
You can apply to reweight QPP MIPS performance categories under extreme & uncontrollable conditions
There is not much of a difference in the reporting requirements other than some. If you choose to report through MIPS Qualified Registry, it becomes easy to cater to the QPP MIPS administrative load.
5 Changes that You Need to Know for QPP MIPS Reporting 2021
1. MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) Are Delayed
MVPs are a framework to combine MIPS performance measures of cost, quality, and Improvement Activities (IA). It particularly groups together measures that refer to a single medical condition. CMS now intends to implement it in 2022 instead of 2021.
2. Implementation of APM APP
The scoring standards for MIPS APM have been updated and now come under the banner of APM performance Pathways (APP). The related performance categories are:
· Quality 50%
· Improvement Activities 20%
· Promoting Interoperability 30%
Moreover, MSSP ACOs (Medicare Shared Savings Program — Accountable Care Organizations) must participate in the APP.
3. MIPS Performance Threshold is Increased
For QPP MIPS 2021, CMS has adjusted weights for the MIPS performance categories.
The final rule says that the CMS has decreased Quality weight to 40%, making the Cost category to 20% of the total MIPS score. The score for Promoting Interoperability (PI) and Improvement Activities (IA) would remain the same at 25% and 15%.
The performance threshold for QPP MIPS would be at 60 points. Ultimately, the performance bar has to rise. However, CMS concluded that it in the best interest of clinicians to keep the performance bar reasonable due to the COVID situation.
4. The Sunset of CMS Web Interface has been Delayed
MIPS eligible clinicians can submit data through this interface to CMS. However, from next year this MIPS data submission method will not be available. Therefore, if you want to stay safe from the stress of managing complex MIPS data, hire a MIPS Qualified Registry.
5. No Significant Changes for APM Participation
CMS has finalized the dynamics of APM participation and incentive distribution.
Given below are the points that QPP MIPS participants must drive from the final rules of 2021.
Takeaways for MIPS Eligible Clinicians
Expect Lower Incentives for Extreme Conditions
Everybody knows that we are going through tough times, and CMS addressed this issue via its updated policies. Therefore, it has offered flexibility to QPP MIPS reporting requirements, which also extends to the ACO participants. However, with relaxations, we must expect lower incentives and bonuses in return for quality services. Truth be told, no physician can promise the best of their services in these unprecedented times. We can only try to compensate for the loss.
Pay Attention for ACO Reporting
Although ACOs can continue to report through Web Interface this year; however, they will have to shift their reporting to MIPS CQMs (registry measures) or eCQMs (EHR measures).
Get Ready for MVPs
Physicians cannot report MIPS Quality Measures for MVPs this year. However, they must be ready for it, as CMS is engaging different stakeholders to develop the related measures. Also, APP participation will serve as a trial for the MVPs framework.
Conclusion
One thing is sure that physicians have to include technology in QPP MIPS data submission. It will help to create a safe MIPS reporting environment to target MIPS incentives efficiently. Moreover, it is an investment for the years to come. Consulting a MIPS Qualified Registry to stay on top of the updates and timely data submission can also help to reduce the burden in this regard.
