Beginning February 14, 2017, CMS has opened up the comment period for health professionals to comment on the MIPS (Merit Based Incentive Payment System) program under MACRA (Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015). CMS has asked healthcare providers to submit comments in three areas under MIPS: measures around quality, around advancing care information, and around improvement activities. This deadline is very short and closes February 28th. All healthcare providers, CIOs, CMOs and providers to offer ideas and opinions.
CMS has suggested submissions in three areas: “Quality,” “Advancing Care Information,” and “Improvement Activities,” asking for input from the field in all three areas. In that regard, physicians participating in the Medicare program in 2017 who are not participating in advanced payment models (APMs) will automatically be subject to the provisions of the MIPS program. with 60 percent of the incentive-based payment they receive under MIPS being tied to their fulfillment of quality measures, 25 percent being tied to Advancing Care Information-related requirements, and 15 percent tied to “Improvement Activities.”
While there is a lot of unknown about changes with Seema Verma as the Trump nominee to head CMS and if nominated, whether she will propose any changes to MIPS or MACRA, all healthcare leaders are encouraged to submit their comments now before the deadline.