Volume 2 Ed. 3 | March 21, 2019
|
|
Last Call.............13 Days to Go!
The data submission period for Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS)-eligible clinicians who participated in Year 2 (2018) of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) will remain open until
April 2, 2019 at 8 p.m. ET
.
Please note, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Web Interface users need to report their Quality performance category data by
tomorrow
, March 22, 2019.
Also, for clinicians who reported Quality measures via Medicare Part B claims throughout the 2018 performance year, CMS receives your quality data from claims processed by your Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC). Claims for services furnished during 2018 must be processed within 60-days after the end of the 2018 performance period. Finally, if you are submitting through your electronic health record (EHR) or a Registry/Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR), please be sure you know their internal submission dates.
|
|
Have You Checked Your 2019 MIPS Eligibility Yet?
How CMS Determines Your 2019 MIPS Eligibility Status:
CMS reviews both Provider Enrollment Chain and Enrollment System (
PECOS)
data and Medicare Part B claims for services provided during two 12-month segments called the MIPS determination period.
- First segment: October 1, 2017–September 30, 2018.
- Includes a 30-day claims run-out period.
- Second segment: October 1, 2018–September 30, 2019.
- Does not include a claims run-out period.
The current QPP Participation Status Tool update shows your preliminary 2019 eligibility status based on data from October 1, 2017–September 30, 2018.
|
|
Submission Portal Pointers
|
|
Top Tips for MIPS Data Submission
Tip #1
To receive the 10-point bonus in the Promoting Interoperability (PI) category for using your EHR to complete your Improvement Activity (IA), you must first attest to an eligible IA. Then return to the PI category and select the checkbox “PI bonus for submission of eligible Improvement Activities using CEHRT." Don’t leave 10-points on the table!
Tip #2
If submitting Quality category measures via EHR method and receive an error, try converting the .XML file to JavaScript Object Notation Extensible Markup Language (JSON)
format by clicking here:
https://qpp.cms.gov/developers/conversion-tool-sandbox
. After converting, try to upload your file again.
|
|
QPP Frequently Asked Question of the Month
|
|
Question:
How can I remain payment-adjustment neutral?
Answer:
For 2019 participation, an eligible clinician (EC) must earn 30 points to remain neutral. HSAG can help you with understanding the categories and picking measures that will keep you in the neutral zone! Please give our QPP Service Center a call, Monday–Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, at 844.472.4227. We will certainly help you with understanding the data in the portal.
|
|
HSAG QPP Service Center Feedback
|
|
Here's what your peers are saying about HSAG's technical assistance and educational support...
- The agent was patient, knowledgeable and so very helpful. My questions were answered thoroughly and her explanations were very clear. Thank you so much!
- Love that I can call you and ask for help. Always so patient and knowledgeable. Thank you!
- What a pleasant experience talking with the Agent. It was helpful with such a nightmarish scenario. We even had a few chuckles!
|
|
Upcoming Learning Forum Friday Events
|
|
April 12, 2019
1 p.m. ET
Second Base: Pitch Your Best Improvement Activities for Maximum Score
Join HSAG to learn how to:
- Select appropriate Improvement Activities for maximum score.
- Summarize Improvement Activities scoring methodologies.
|
|
May 10, 2019
1 p.m. ET
Let's Talk QPP: Promoting Interoperability
Join HSAG to learn how to:
- Identify strategies to maximize Promoting Interoperability (PI) score.
- Recognize tips for optimizing an EHR.
- Discuss and compare PI reporting requirements from 2018 to 2019.
|
|
Did You Miss the March 8 Learning Forum Friday Webinar?
Download the
webinar recording
for
First Base: What's New in QPP for Year 3
. The presentation slides are also located at
https://www.hsag.com/lff
. Register for upcoming webinars and browse past webinars to prepare for your 2018 MIPS data submission!
|
|
Upcoming Webinars for Small Practices
|
|
Lessons Learned: How to Succeed in MIPS for Solo and Small Group Practices
Participants will learn:
- Strategies for choosing quality measures and improvement activities that are aligned with your practice’s needs.
- How to effectively engage staff and other clinicians in MIPS-related activities.
- How the succeed in MIPS even if your practice does not use an EHR.
- How to set priorities for MIPS activities in 2019 using reports and data that you already possess.
|
|
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Updates
|
|
Calls for Nominations: Person-Centered Planning and Practice
Nominations Due by Friday, March 29, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. ET
CMS is working with the Administration for Community Living through the National Quality Forum (NQF) to address quality measurement in person-centered planning. At this time, NQF is seeking individuals with experience in person-centered care to serve on a multi-stakeholder panel, and the nomination period is open until March 29, 2019 at 6:00 p.m. ET.
|
|
The Annual Call for MIPS Quality Measures Is Now Open
CMS invites you to submit Quality measures for consideration for future years of the MIPS. The MIPS Annual Call for Quality Measures process allows clinicians, professional associations, and medical societies that represent eligible clinicians, researchers, consumer groups, and others to identify and submit measure recommendations.
CMS is hosting a webinar to provide an overview of the Call for Quality Measures process and to address questions from participants. Register today to secure your spot.
Title:
MIPS Call for Quality Measures
Date: Thursday, March 28, 2019
Time: 12–1:00 p.m. ET
|
|
MIPS Facility-based Preview, New MIPS Resources and Upcoming Webinars
For the 2019 performance year, the MIPS includes the option to use facility-based measurement for the Quality and Cost performance categories for MIPS-eligible clinicians, groups, and virtual groups who are determined to be facility-based. These clinicians will be assessed based on their performance in hospital settings.
How do I know if I am facility-based?
How do I access the facility-based preview?
- Sign into the QPP website. Don’t have an account? Review the QPP Access User Guide. From the Home page, click Preview Facility Score (or click the Facility-Based Preview link in the left-hand navigation).
|
|
Medicare Learning Network (MLN) Updates
|
|
New QPP Payment Adjustment Resources Now Available on the QPP Resource Library!
CMS
has posted a new MIPS
resource
to the
QPP Resource Library
to answer questions and provide additional resources on 2019 payment adjustments. In July 2018, each MIPS-eligible clinician received a 2017 MIPS final score and associated payment adjustment factor(s) as part of their 2017 MIPS performance feedback, available on the QPP website. The new resource addresses frequently asked questions about the application of payment adjustments, which began January 1, 2019. Topics covered include:
- Services subject to the 2019 MIPS payment adjustment
- Changes made to remittance advice documents to reflect 2019 MIPS payment adjustments
- Impact that claim assignments have on 2019 MIPS payment adjustments
- Correction of the inclusion of Medicare Part B Drugs and certain items and services in the 2019 MIPS Payment Adjustment
The document also provides links to additional resources related to MIPS payment adjustments:
|
|
April Is National Minority Health Month!
In honor of National Minority Health Month, the Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH) is highlighting how physical exercise can help reduce health disparities. Physical activity promotes health and reduces the risk of chronic diseases and other conditions that are more common or severe among racial and ethnic minority groups. In support of its theme—Active & Healthy— HSAG has curated materials designed for patients and providers to encourage physical activity. Visit HSAG’s
Minority Health Month webpage to access these tools and resources as we tackle health equity gaps together.
|
|
Hypertension Control Challenge!
Million Hearts
®
is accepting applications for the 2019 Hypertension Control Challenge from February 14–April 1, 2019.
Many practices and systems work with their patients to achieve blood pressure control. The 2019 Million Hearts
®
Hypertension Control Challenge will identify practices, clinicians, and health systems that have exceptional rates of hypertension control.
Health professionals, practices, and health systems that have achieved hypertension control rates of at least
80%
are eligible to enter the 2019 Million Hearts
®
Hypertension Control Challenge.
The submission deadline is April 1, 2019.
|
|
New QPP Tools and Resources
|
|
Subscribe to Get the Information You Need
|
|
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
.
|
|
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.
|
|
This material was prepared by Health Services Advisory Group, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization for Florida, under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The contents presented do not necessarily reflect CMS policy. Publication No. QN-11SOW-D.1-03192019-01
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
