CMS streamlines quality reporting for MACRA
Eligible clinicians are encouraged to log-in early and often to familiarize themselves with the system.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is consolidating Quality Payment Program reporting for MACRA and meaningful use into one system.
Under previous legacy programs, such as the physician quality reporting system and the electronic health record, physicians had to submit performance data using multiple systems and websites.
[Also: AMA: Providers only have to do one thing now to avoid MACRA penalties in 2019]
Now all performance data may be submitted into one system at qpp.cms.gov.
Starting Tuesday, physicians in MIPS could begin submitting their 2017 performance data. The QPP includes two ways to participate, through the Merit-based Incentive Payment System or through Alternative Payment Model tracks. Groups of 25 or more clinicians using the CMS web interface begin quality reporting and submissions on Jan. 22. Groups have a shorter window for submissions. Data must be submitted by March 16.
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With the new system QPP participants can submit 2017 performance data during the 2017 submission period – which runs until March 31, 2018 (except for groups using the CMS Web Interface whose submission period is January 22, 2018 to March 16, 2018).
After logging in to the system, each eligible clinician will be connected to the taxpayer identification number associated with their National Provider Identifier, according to CMS. Program participants will report their data either as an individual or a group.
CMS offers multiple data submission options, including qualified clinical data registries, attestation or the CMS Web Interface, according to the agency, and eligible clinicians can also submit data using their IT vendor via certified EHR technology.
Officials said program participants can generate a non-certified report in either the new Quality Payment Program file format or QRDA III file format and manually upload the file into the submission system.
As data is submitted to the new system, providers can see real-time scoring within each of the MIPS performance categories. As new data is reported or information about new quality measures is submitted, the scoring reflects the change.
Data can be updated at any time during the submission period. Once the QPP submission window closes the agency will calculate payment adjustments based the most recent submission or update.
CMS also encouraged eligible clinicians to log-in early and often to familiarize themselves with the system.
Healthcare IT News Editor Mike Miliard contributed to this report.
Twitter: @SusanJMorse
Email the writer: susan.morse@himssmedia.com
