New Tools Available to Guide Physicians Through Merit-Based Payments

HealthDay News — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently added 3 new online resources to assist physicians already participating in the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and those exploring the opportunities available.

The 3 new resources are a MIPS participation fact sheet, a MIPS improvement activities fact sheet, and a list of 2017 CMS-approved qualified registries.

The MIPS participation fact sheet explains how the rules apply to clinicians who provide health care in rural health clinics, federally qualified health centers, and critical-access hospitals and also provides an explanation of exemptions for certain clinicians.

The MIPS improvement activities fact sheet explains the 4 performance categories that will affect Medicare payments: quality, clinical practice improvement activities, use of certified electronic health record technology, and resource use.

Finally, the list of CMS-approved qualified registries reviews includes more than 100 registries, with contact information and a breakdown of costs and services.

“CMS suggests that individuals and groups looking to submit their MIPS data via a qualified registry for 2017 carefully review their choices from the more than 100 registries listed,” according to a news release from the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Reference

1. New CMS resources aim to guide physicians through MIPS [press release]. AAFP. Updated April 26, 2017. Accessed September 12, 2017.