--- title: Blog – The Healthmonix Advisor | 2021 PFS Final Rule description: 2021 PFS Final Rule | The Healthmonix Advisor - A Blog for healthcare professionals, health systems, and hospitals --- ![logo-light](https://blog.healthmonix.com/hubfs/logo-light.png "logo-light") - [Who we help](https://healthmonix.com/who-we-help/) - [Overview](https://healthmonix.com/who-we-help/) - [ACOs](https://healthmonix.com/acos/) - [Health systems](https://healthmonix.com/health-system/) - [Healthcare technology](https://healthmonix.com/healthcare-technology/) - [Physician practices](https://healthmonix.com/physician-practice/) - [Health system VPs](https://healthmonix.com/health-system-vice-presidents/) - [Chief financial officers](https://healthmonix.com/chief-financial-officers/) - [Chief medical officers](https://healthmonix.com/chief-medical-officers/) - [Chief quality officers](https://healthmonix.com/chief-quality-officers/) - [ACO executive directors](https://healthmonix.com/aco-executive-directors/) - [Solutions](https://healthmonix.com/prism/) - [MIPSpro](https://healthmonix.com/product/mips-pro/) - [Cost](https://healthmonix.com/product/cost/) - [ACO Impact](https://healthmonix.com/product/aco-impact/) - [Analytics](https://healthmonix.com/product/analytics/) - [Ambulatory Specialty Model](https://healthmonix.com/ambulatory-specialty-model-asm/) - [TEAM](https://healthmonix.com/team-program/) - [HealthConnect](https://healthmonix.com/health-connect/) - [Data integration](https://healthmonix.com/dataintegration/) - [Consulting](https://healthmonix.com/consulting-services/) - [Score optimization](https://healthmonix.com/score-optimization/) - [Patient matching](https://healthmonix.com/patient-deduplication-and-matching/) - [Outcomes](https://healthmonix.com/outcomes/) - [Company](https://healthmonix.com/company/) - [Our story](https://healthmonix.com/company/) - [Team](https://healthmonix.com/team/) - [Careers](https://healthmonix.com/healthmonix-careers/) - [Resources](https://healthmonix.com/resources/) - [Help and support](https://healthmonix.com/customer-support/) - [Healthmonix Advisor](https://blog.healthmonix.com/) - [Webinars](https://healthmonix.com/our-webinars/) - [Educational resources](https://healthmonix.com/mips-education/) - [Help and support](https://healthmonix.com/customer-support/) - [Contact us](https://healthmonix.com/contact-us/) - [Measures](https://healthmonix.com/mips-measures/) - [Quality](https://healthmonix.com/mips-measures/mips-quality-measures/) - [CMS specialty sets](https://healthmonix.com/cms-mips-specialty-measure-sets/) - [Promoting Interoperability](https://healthmonix.com/mips-measures/mips-promoting-interoperability-measures/) - [Improvement Activities](https://healthmonix.com/mips-measures/mips-improvement-activities/) - [Cost](https://healthmonix.com/mips-measures/mips-cost-performance-category/) - [Log in](https://healthmonix.com/login/) # Healthmonix Advisor ## [MIPS 2021 Incentives and Penalties | How Can You Prepare?](https://blog.healthmonix.com/mips-2021-incentives-and-penalties-we-are-entering-prime-time) Posted by [Lauren Patrick](https://blog.healthmonix.com/author/lauren-patrick) on January 14, 2021 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.healthmonix.com/hubfs/Blog_Image_Carrot.jpg)](https://blog.healthmonix.com/mips-2021-incentives-and-penalties-we-are-entering-prime-time) For years, we’ve heard that the [Merit-based Incentive Payment System](https://qpp.cms.gov/mips/traditional-mips) (MIPS) will provide a noticeable incentive for participants in this Medicare FFS program. And for years, there have been reasons why that has not occurred. First, CMS wanted to ‘start slow’ with the MIPS program in 2017 and 2018, so the caps on penalties and incentives were small. Then the potential penalties and incentives were raised, but the threshold for qualifying for an incentive remained low. This, coupled with the program’s budget neutrality meant there was not much revenue to distribute to high performers. Then [COVID-19](https://blog.healthmonix.com/2021-final-rule-new-programs-higher-standards-covid-19) negated much of the program for the last two years. So here we are, in year five, and we see that the program, for the first time, will have a significant downside and upside potential. [Read More](https://blog.healthmonix.com/mips-2021-incentives-and-penalties-we-are-entering-prime-time) 6 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.healthmonix.com/mips-2021-incentives-and-penalties-we-are-entering-prime-time#comments-listing) Topics: [MACRA & MIPS](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/macra-mips), [CMS](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/cms), [APMs](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/apms), [Cost Performance Category](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/cost-performance-category), [2021 PFS Final Rule](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/2021-pfs-final-rule) ## [Maximizing ROI on Primary Care First Participation](https://blog.healthmonix.com/maximizing-roi-on-primary-care-first-participation) Posted by [Mike Lewis](https://blog.healthmonix.com/author/mike-lewis) on December 10, 2020 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.healthmonix.com/hubfs/Nysha_12.7.2020.jpg)](https://blog.healthmonix.com/maximizing-roi-on-primary-care-first-participation) Starting in January, 920 primary care practices will embark on the one of the newest payment models from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) via the [Primary Care First (PCF) Program](https://innovation.cms.gov/files/x/pcf-faqs.pdf).  The main criteria for participation in the program are: - 70% or more of the practice’s collective billing must be for primary care services. - Use of a 2015 Certified Electronic Health Record Technology (CEHRT) by the practice. - At least 125 services provided for attributed Medicare beneficiaries. Also, for the first year of the program, there is a limited [geographical area for participation.](https://innovation.cms.gov/media/document/pcf-participating-regions-payers) [Read More](https://blog.healthmonix.com/maximizing-roi-on-primary-care-first-participation) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.healthmonix.com/maximizing-roi-on-primary-care-first-participation#comments-listing) Topics: [APMs](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/apms), [Primary Care First](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/primary-care-first), [2021 PFS Final Rule](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/2021-pfs-final-rule) [All posts](https://blog.healthmonix.com/all) ### Subscribe Here! ### Search the Healthmonix Advisor - [MACRA & MIPS (132)](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/macra-mips) - [Policy (77)](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/policy) - [PRO Tips (57)](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/pro-tips) - [CMS (34)](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/cms) - [Quality Performance Category (32)](https://blog.healthmonix.com/topic/quality-performance-category) - 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