June 12, 2023

Updated June 26, 2023

APMA is thrilled to announce that two podiatric physicians have been selected to serve on the MACRA Episode-Based Cost Measure Wave 6 Clinician Expert Non-Pressure Ulcers Workgroup. APMA Senior Medical Director and Director of Clinical Affairs Dyane Tower, DPM, MPH, MS, CAE, and APMA President-Elect Lawrence Santi, DPM, will join the workgroup. The workgroup’s overall objective is to develop episode-based cost measures suitable for use in the Quality Payment Program, with members providing clinical input on the specifications for the non-pressure ulcer episode-based cost measure. Members will review empirical testing, clinical practice guidelines, program needs and priorities, input from persons with lived experience, and other relevant information as part of their deliberations. As CMS moves away from traditional MIPS and places increasing weight on MPS Value-based Pathways (MVPs), ensuring that podiatric physicians are included in these discussions and have a specific episode-based cost measure to report is another step forward in creating a meaningful MVP that podiatric physicians can use in their MIPS participation.

The first virtual workgroup meeting will take place this week on June 28, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET. At this first meeting, workgroup members will discuss a draft set of measure specifications, testing results, and other meeting materials in order to provide initial recommendations for how to specify the episode group, with voting on recommendations following the meeting. Drs. Santi and Tower look forward to participating and reporting back.

If you have any questions about this or other issues related to MIPS, please contact APMA Health Policy and Practice. Members can find all information related to the current 2023 MIPS Performance Year at www.apma.org/MIPS2023.