MIPS is rapidly approaching Year 2 of its existence and CMS just put out a fact sheet on the new rules for 2018. We strongly suggest you download the Final Rule fact sheet and go over all the changes on your own, but here are some highlights:
- The definition of "small practice" will change. Practices will be excluded from MIPS if they have less than 200 Part B beneficiaries or have less than $90,000 in Part B allowed charges.
- Small practices will be automatically awarded 5 bonus points, as long as data is submitted for at least one performance category during a performance period.
- In 2018, you can use either 2014 or 2015 Edition Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT). However, exclusive use of 2015 Edition CEHRT will result in a 10% bonus in the Advancing Care Information (ACI) category.
- CMS will award up to 5 bonus points on the MIPS final score for treatment of complex patients.
- The performance threshold has been raised to 15 points in 2018 (up from 3 points in 2017).
- There is a new hardship exception for the Advancing Care Information performance category for small practices.
Some types of practices have extra challenges , and CMS has provided some helpful MIPS Specialty Guides:
