COVID-19 Update: CMS Offers Relief for MIPS Attestation

The COVID-19 pandemic’s arrival in the United States began at a time when many healthcare providers would normally be submitting their 2019 MIPS attestations. This yearly process, however, had to be set aside as lockdown orders were implemented in a vast majority of states and social distancing rules had to be observed. In order to offer some relief from the current pressure being experienced by providers during this public health emergency, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has enacted a number of new measures to reduce the chaos of 2019 MIPS attestation.

Current CMS MIPS Relief Program

Here is a summary of the primary measures being offered in the current CMS MIPS Relief Program (see “Informational Resources” section below for links to official details):

• 2019 MIPS attestation deadline has been extended from March 31, 2020 to April 30, 2020
• Extreme & Uncontrollable Circumstances waiver can be used by providers whose MIPS efforts have been affected in the COVID-19 pandemic
• Suspension of 2% sequestration payment adjustment
• Accelerated/Advanced Payment Program to help increase cashflow for Medicare providers

This relief program also allows for all providers to avoid any negative adjustments and receive a neutral payment adjustment if they are unable to attest, meaning they will receive no Penalties for 2019. However, only those that achieve a score of over 75 will receive bonus money from the exceptional adjustment bucket.

What About MIPS Attestation for 2020?

At this time, CMS has not issued any guidance around the potential future impact that COVID-19 may have on participation in the Quality Payment Program for the 2020 performance period. Nextech’s regulatory team is continuing to monitor new developments related to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Additional guidance will be provided as things change. 

Informational Resources

For additional and more detailed information on the different facets of the CMS MIPS Relief Program, please refer to the following links:

• CMS Press Release
• MIPS Extreme & Uncontrollable Circumstances Application
• QPP Participation Status Lookup
• CMS Accelerated & Advanced Payment Fact Sheet
• CMS Updates Subscription
• QPP Measures Exploration Tool
• 2019 MIPS Quality Performance Category Fact Sheet
• MIPS 2020 Quality Measures
• CMS QPP Support email: QPP@cms.hhs.gov

As has been the case in recent months, the COVID-19 situation is ongoing and rapidly changing. Stay tuned to this blog for regular updates or, if you would like to schedule a consultation on how to maximize your regulatory incentives, fill out the consult request form available here. Nextech clients also have access to our on-demand webinars and library of COVID-19 resources via the Nextech Community Portal.

DISCLAIMER

The information provided in this blog article does not, and is not intended to, constitute legal or other advice; instead, all information, content, and materials are available for general informational purposes only. Information in this article may not constitute the most up-to-date legal, financial or other information. Readers should contact their attorney, financial, tax, or other advisor to obtain advice with respect to any particular matter. This article contains links to other third-party websites. Any such links are provided only for convenience and Nextech does not recommend or endorse the contents of any third-party sites.