FEDERAL | ASPS Requests MIPS Flexibilities
In a late April letter to Seema Verma, the Administrator of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), ASPS joined almost 50 other provider groups in asking the Agency to reduce the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting period for 2018 down to a minimum of 90 days due to the lack of direct, timely communication from the Agency. Additionally, the letter called out the Agency for not updating the Quality Payment Program interactive website at the start of the year. Together, these delays could significantly impact a physician's ability to satisfactorily participate in MIPS.
The letter also highlighted concerns with the timing of MIPS feedback reports, scheduled for the summer of 2018, and sought clarification on how reporting changes or modifications halfway through the year would impact 2018 final scores. Coupled with the lack of direct outreach by CMS, and a need for clarification on the vendor's role in updating data capture mechanisms, the letter called on CMS to reconsider how to encourage, rather than discourage, participation in the program.
Thus far CMS has not responded to the request, but may do so in the 2019 proposed rule, which is expected to be made public before July 4th.