Vol. 3 Ed.9 | August 27, 2020 |
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Test Your QPP Website Access
To increase network security, a mandatory update will be applied to the Quality Payment Program (QPP) systems in Fall 2020. As a result, you may not be able to access qpp.cms.gov if you have an outdated:
- Windows operating system (7 or 8.1) and Version 11 of Internet Explorer
- Mac OS and iOS with an outdated version of Safari
- Version of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge
What Can You Do to Prepare for the Security Update?
Test your web browser and make any necessary updates to ensure your continued access. Test your browser at the Developer Preview Account webpage to see if it will allow you to access the QPP website after the security update this Fall. If you experience an error message stating, “This page can’t be displayed,” we encourage you to update your web browser to one of the following:
- Google Chrome v69 or newer
- Mozilla Firefox v47 or newer
- Internet Explorer with Windows 10
- Microsoft Edge
Learn More
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QPP Cost Measure Field Testing
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is conducting cost measures field testing starting August 17 to September 18, 2020. Clinicians and clinician groups who meet the attribution requirements for at least one of the measures listed below will receive a Field Test Report. All stakeholders are invited to provide feedback on the draft measure specifications through an online survey, which closes on September 18, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). Participation is voluntary.
The following cost measures are being field tested:
- Asthma/Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Colon and Rectal Resection
- Diabetes
- Melanoma Resection
- Sepsis
Access Field Test Reports: Clinicians can download their Field Test Report(s) via the QPP website if they meet the minimum number of episodes outlined below:
- 10 episodes for procedural and acute inpatient medical condition cost measures
- 20 episodes for chronic condition cost measures
You may provide feedback through this online survey by 11:59 p.m. ET on September 18, 2020. A document containing specific questions about the measures for stakeholders to reference while reviewing the materials is available on the Medicare Access and Childrens' Health Insurance Program (CHIP) Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) Feedback Page.
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Now Available: 2019 MIPS Performance Feedback and Final Score
If you submitted 2019 Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) data, you can now view your final MIPS performance feedback and score on the Quality Payment Program (QPP) website.
Access your 2019 MIPS performance feedback and final score by:
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Going to https://qpp.cms.gov/login.
- Logging in using your Health Care Quality Information Susyems (HCQIS Access Roles and Profile (HARP) system credentials; these are the same credentials that allowed you to submit your 2019 MIPS data
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If you do not have a HARP account, refer to the QPP Access User Guide and start the process now.
- Once logged into the QPP Portal, you will then navigate to the Performance Feedback section to review your group and individual clinician feedback.
MIPS Targeted Review Period Open
When to Request a Targeted Review
If you believe an error has been made in your 2021 MIPS payment adjustment factor(s) calculation, you can request a targeted review until October 5, 2020 at 8:00 p.m. (EDT).
How to Request a Targeted Review
If you determine that a targeted review is warranted, you may submit a request. Generally, if you are a MIPS-eligible clinician, group, virtual group, Alternative Payment Model (APM) participant, or designated support staff, you will access the targeted review request form though the performance feedback page after signing in to the QPP Portal.
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CMS Releases 2021 Proposed Rule for the QPP
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released its proposed policies for the 2021 performance year of the Quality Payment Program via the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM).
Note: As with other rules, CMS is publishing this proposed rule to meet the legal requirements to update Medicare payment policies in the PFS on an annual basis. In recognition of the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency and limited capacity of healthcare providers to review and provide comment on extensive proposals, CMS has limited annual rulemaking required by statute to focus primarily on essential policies including Medicare payment to providers, as well as proposals that reduce burden and may help providers in the COVID-19 response.
Key proposals for 2021 performance year of the QPP include:
- Beginning MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) implementation in 2022 instead of 2021
- Increasing the performance threshold from 45 points for the 2020 performance year to 50 points for 2021
- Revising performance category weights for Quality (decreases from 45% to 40%) and Cost (increases from 15% to 20%)
- Removing the CMS Web Interface as a collection type and submission type for reporting MIPS quality measures beginning with the 2021 performance period
- Sunsetting the APM Scoring Standard and allowing MIPS-eligible clinicians in APMs the option to participate in MIPS and submit data at the individual, group, or APM Entity level.
- New APM Performance Pathway (APP) in 2021
Complex Patient Bonus COVID-19 Update in 2020
In addition to 2021 policies, this NPRM includes a proposal to increase the complex patient bonus from a 5- to 10-point maximum for clinicians, groups, virtual groups, and APM Entities for 2020 performance only to offset the additional complexity of their patient population due to COVID-19. Learn more about additional flexibilities implemented in response to the public health emergency on the QPP COVID-19 Response webpage.
Submit Comments
CMS is seeking comment on a variety of proposals in the NPRM. Comments are due by 5 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (EDT) on October 5, 2020. You must officially submit your comments in one of the following ways:
- Electronically, through Regulations.gov
- Regular mail
- Express or overnight mail
For More Information
To learn more about the PFS NPRM and the Quality Payment Program proposals, review the following resources:
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Press release―Provides more details about today’s announcement
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Fact sheet―Offers an overview of the QPP-proposed policies for 2021 and compares these policies to the current 2020 requirements
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Upcoming Webinars for Small Practices |
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Maximizing Yours MIPS Score: Advice for Solo and Small Group Practices |
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Tuesday, September 15, 2020
3:30–4:30 p.m. ET
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Thursday, September 17, 2020
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. ET
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Register for the Webinar: Understanding Clinical Quality Measures: How CMS is Modernizing its Approach to Digital Measurement
CMS is extending an open invitation to the public to attend its upcoming webinar titled Understanding Clinical Quality Measures: How CMS is Modernizing its Approach to Digital Measurement. The webinar will provide an engaging and informative overview of quality measurement, the unique features of electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) and future plans for digitization. Additionally, the presentation will address burden reduction, measure reporting considerations, as well as provide information about key resources. The webinar will be offered twice in September:
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Tuesday, September 15, 2020, from 2:00–3:00 p.m., ET (Register here)
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Thursday, September 17, 2020, from 3:00–4:00 p.m., ET (Register here)
Please register in advance if you can attend, as space will be limited. CMS requests that you please only register for an event if you plan to attend. CMS hopes you can join them and looks forward to your questions! For questions about the webinar, please contact MMSSupport@battelle.org.
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HHS Telemedicine Hack
Weekly Webinar Series on Telemedicine
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Wednesdays, July 22–Sept 23, 2020,
12–1:00 p.m. ET
Although telemedicine use has grown exponentially during the Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many ambulatory providers still lack the knowledge and skills needed to implement video-based telemedicine into their practices. To support wide adoption of telemedicine, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response is partnering with the ECHO Institute at the University of New Mexico and the Public Health Foundation’s TRAIN Learning Network to deliver a 10-week, virtual peer-to-peer learning community to accelerate telemedicine implementation for ambulatory providers called Telemedicine Hack. For more information, contact c19ECHO@salud.unm.edu.
There is no cost to join the Telemedicine Hack initiative. All ambulatory providers (e.g., primary care, surgical, rural/urban, dental, mental health, solo practitioners) are invited to participate.
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Frequently Asked Questions of the Month |
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Question: Who receives the 2021 MIPS payment adjustment I see in the 2019 final performance feedback?
Answer: The payment adjustment information is specific to the final score being viewed. If you are viewing performance feedback for a practice (aggregated data for the entire group) the following statement(s) apply to you:
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The payment adjustment will be applied to the MIPS-eligible clinicians in your Connected Clinicians list unless they are:
- Individually eligible and have a higher payment adjustment from an individual submission under your practice
- Participants in a MIPS APM and are scored with their APM Entity
- Qualifying APM Participants (QP) or Partial QPs that did not elect to participate in MIPS.
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HSAG Year 4 MIPS Participation Check-In
Each year, Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG) checks in with every eligible clinician and practice to ensure your plans for MIPS reporting are on track. You may receive phone calls, emails, and or fax communication from us throughout the year. Our goal is to ensure you are prepared to submit your best MIPS score, so we appreciate your time speaking with us and look forward to hearing your MIPS reporting plans this year. If your practice knows your MIPS reporting plans for 2020 now, click here to let us know. By submitting your MIPS participation plans online, we will not reach out via phone, and you can contact us when you need us!
HSAG is 1 of 11 organizations awarded by CMS as a QPP Technical Assistance Support Contractor. Since 2017, HSAG has been your trusted resource, available to Medicare providers in Arizona, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Also, in partnership with Alliant Quality, HSAG is Florida’s technical assistance contractor for the QPP. We provide assistance on MIPS and Alternative Payment Models (APMs); two reporting paths under the QPP. Our services are provided at no cost to you.
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Last Day to Start a 90-day Performance Period for Promoting Interoperability and Improvement Activities Is October 3, 2020
Targeted Review Closes October 5, 2020
Feedback for Performance Year (PY) 2021 Proposed Rule Due October 5, 2020
QPP Exception Applications Window Closes December 31, 2020
View the following resources to assist in planning for 2020 MIPS reporting:
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September National Health Observances
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CDC = The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
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New QPP Tools and Resources |
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To prepare for the 2020 performance year of the MIPS, CMS has posted new resources to the QPP Resource Library.
QPP Resources:
CAHPS® = Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems®
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CMS COVID-19 Stakeholder Calls
CMS has been hosting regular calls with a variety of clinicians, hospitals, other facilities, and states in an effort to keep stakeholders updated on their COVID-19 efforts. CMS understands that not everyone is available to attend the calls live, and is sharing access to recordings along with transcripts. CMS will continue to host calls and share information through their list serves and media.
CMS COVID-19 Office Hour Calls (Tuesdays at 5–6 p.m. ET)
Office Hour Calls provide an opportunity for hospitals, health systems, and providers to ask questions of agency officials regarding CMS' temporary actions that empower local hospitals and healthcare systems to:
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Increase Hospital Capacity—CMS Hospitals Without Walls;
- Rapidly Expand the Healthcare Workforce;
- Put Patients Over Paperwork; and
- Further Promote Telehealth in Medicare
To keep up with the important work of the White House Coronavirus Task Force in response to COVID-19, visit https:/www.coronavirus.gov. For a complete and updated list of CMS actions, and other information specific to CMS, please visit the Current Emergencies Website.
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COVID-19 Resources and Preparedness
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, HSAG understands the priority to keep your patients and staff safe.
COVID-19 Resources:
CDC = Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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Subscribe to Get the Information You Need |
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Subscribe to HSAG's QPP Quest Digest
Invite your practice staff, practices you refer patients to, and other colleagues to subscribe to HSAG’s QPP Quest Digest! Stay informed of all monthly QPP updates, deadlines, no-cost webinars and best practices by subscribing here.
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CMS QPP Listserv
Don't forget to sign up on the CMS.gov QPP website. Once you've accessed the QPP page, scroll to [Subscribe to Updates] at the bottom of the page and insert your email address before clicking [Subscribe]. The QPP listserv is a valuable resource to stay informed of webinars and important QPP deadlines.
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