APMA Has Your MIPS Needs Covered

MIPS, or the Merit-based Incentive Payment System, is a program administered by CMS to determine whether physicians receive a positive, negative, or neutral payment adjustment to their Medicare Part B payments. These adjustments scale upward each year, with the 2020 payment adjustments for the 2018 performance year ranging from 5 percent to -5 percent.

Your MIPS Score is composed of four components: Cost (10 percent), Quality (50 percent), Improvement Activities (15 percent), and Promoting Interoperability (25 percent). After reporting and/or attesting for each performance category, you will be assigned a raw score, which will be used in calculating your final composite score (out of 100). If you or your group receives an EHR exception for the Promoting Interoperability performance category, your quality performance score will be reweighted to 75 percent of your final composite score. Cost and Quality activities are measured over the full year; Improvement Activities and Promoting Interoperability activities are measured over a consecutive 90-day period.

MIPS 2018 Information

APMA provides ample resources to help members understand MIPS. Our resource page includes detailed information about each component, as well as a short video providing instructions for the minimum activity you must do to avoid a penalty for the 2018 performance year. It also includes links to several webinars providing additional explanation about the program and what you, as a physician, need to do.

APMA Registry and APMA MIPS app

APMA has developed a data registry that has been approved by CMS as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) for 2018. This registry is a free benefit of membership and, when used in conjunction with the APMA MIPS app, allows members to report all MIPS components to CMS (including Quality when using a QRDA III file).

In addition to integrating with the registry, the APMA MIPS app (also a member-exclusive benefit) allows users to track their potential MIPS score throughout the year, and the interactive slider demonstrates how different activities may affect your final payment adjustment. The app is accessible through a convenient web portal, and can also be downloaded for Andriod, iOS, and Windows devices.

Additional Resources

Additional resources are available from CMS at qpp.cms.gov or by contacting CMS directly at 866-288-8292.

If you are looking for additional support beyond what is available on the APMA website or from CMS, such as one-on-one assistance with individualized measure selection and personalized planning for your practice’s participation with the MIPS program, consider working with a MIPS consultant. APMA has identified two consultants to provide members with individual assistance. When contracting with these services, identify yourself as an APMA member to receive preferred pricing.

MIPS 2019 Information

Are you already done with your 2018 reporting or looking for information about your obligations in 2019? APMA has created a comprehensive online resource to help you achieve your best possible score!