One Week Left to Submit Data for the 2019 MIPS Performance Period

The data submission deadline for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) eligible clinicians participating in the 2019 performance period of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) is 1 week away. Data can be submitted and updated any time until 8:00 p.m. ET on April 30, 2020.

QPP Flexibilities:  2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response

For the MIPS 2019 performance period, CMS added flexibilities to allow the healthcare delivery system to focus on the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) response.

·  Individual MIPS eligible clinicians who are not able to submit any MIPS data by April 30, 2020 will qualify for the automatic extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy and receive a neutral payment adjustment for the 2021 MIPS payment year.

·  MIPS eligible clinicians, groups, and virtual groups, including those not able to complete their 2019 MIPS data submission, can still apply for a 2019 extreme and uncontrollable circumstances exception. Applications can be submitted until 8:00 p.m. ET on April 30, 2020.

Review the Quality Payment Program COVID-19 Response Fact Sheet for more information on these added flexibilities.

How to Submit or Review Your 2019 MIPS Data

1.    Go to the Quality Payment Program website

2.    Sign in using your QPP access credentials

1.    If you aren’t registered in the HCQIS Authorization Roles and Profile (HARP) system, refer to the QPP Access User Guide.

3.    Submit or review your MIPS data for the 2019 performance period, including data reported on your behalf by a third party.

If you are not sure if you are eligible to participate in the Quality Payment Program, check your final eligibility status using the QPP Participation Status Lookup Tool. Clinicians and groups that are opt-in eligible need to make an election before they can submit data. (No election is required for those who don’t want to participate in MIPS.)

Small Practices & Medicare Part B Claims Measures

Clinicians in small practices who have been reporting Medicare Part B claims measures throughout the 2019 performance period have received Quality performance category scores at the individual and group level.

·  If your small practice has a group Quality score and is not able to, or did not intend to submit group data for additional performance categories, you should submit an extreme and uncontrollable circumstances application on behalf of the group to reweight all four performance categories.

Sign in to qpp.cms.gov for your preliminary feedback on Part B claims measure data processed to date. We’ll update this feedback at the end of the submission period with claims processed by your Medicare Administrative Contractor within the 60 day run out period.  

Small, Underserved, and Rural Practice Support

Clinicians in small practices (including those in rural locations), health professional shortage areas, and medically underserved areas may request technical assistance from organizations that can provide no-cost support. To learn more about this support, or to connect with your local technical assistance organization, we encourage you to visit our Small, Underserved, and Rural Practices page on the Quality Payment Program website.

For More Information

·  To learn more about how to submit data, please review the 2019 Data Submission FAQs and other resources available in the QPP Resource Library.

·  Watch our series of data submission demo videos:

o    Introduction and Overview of 2019 Data Submission

o    File Upload and Quality Scoring

o    Manual Attestation of Improvement Activities

o    Manual Attestation of Promoting Interoperability Measures

Questions?

Please contact the Quality Payment Program at 1-866-288-8292, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM-8:00 PM ET or by e-mail at: QPP@cms.hhs.gov. To receive assistance more quickly, consider calling during non-peak hours—before 10 AM and after 2 PM ET.

Customers who are hearing impaired can dial 711 to be connected to a TRS Communications Assistant.