Healthmonix Advisor

The Improvement Activities Performance Category of MIPS is the the newest quality improvement initiative from CMS. Reporting this category is relatively simple, entailing only that eligible clinicians or groups attest to completing between one and four out of 92 pre-selected improvement activities. Selecting Improvement Activities and understanding how the impact your MIPS final score can be tricky.  Luckily, it doesn't have to be! 

Topics: PRO Tips, MACRA & MIPS, Policy, IA Performance Category

During the first year of MIPS, it is deceptively easy to avoid the penalty. In a CMS blog post released a few weeks before the final rule was published, the Acting Administrator for CMS, Andy Slavitt, announced that there would be MIPS pacing options to allow eligible clinicians to ease into the program. The most basic level of reporting, referred to sometimes as the MIPS Test Option, is so simple to complete that it absolutely seems to good to be true. 

Topics: PRO Tips, MACRA & MIPS, Physician Compare

With the introduction of MIPS reporting in 2017, and the launch of MIPSPRO, now is the time to be considering efficient ways of fulfilling MIPS requirements. CMS is conducting a study with the aim of better understanding practice's experiences quality reporting that will satisfy the Improvement Activities Performance Category of the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Applications for this study are going to be accepted from January 1 - 31, 2017.

Topics: PRO Tips, MACRA & MIPS, Policy, IA Performance Category

In past weeks, we’ve looked at some reasons why bundled payments are taking off, and investigated a few specific CMS bundled payment initiatives happening now and in the near future. This week we’ve put together a list of three steps you can take right now to make bundled payments work for you and your practice.

Topics: PRO Tips, Bundled Payments, MACRA & MIPS

Last week, we introduced some of the core concepts of the MIPS Quality Performance Category. This week, we are going to elaborate on these premises with Part 2 of our "10 PRO tips for Conquering the Quality Performance Category of MIPS."

Topics: PRO Tips, PQRS, MACRA & MIPS, Quality Performance Category

Under the forthcoming Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) is being absorbed into the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). Specifically, PQRS will transition into one of the four Performance Categorys of MIPS, the Quality Performance Category.

Topics: PRO Tips, MACRA & MIPS, Quality Performance Category

By 2018, the Department of Health and Human Services plans to have 90% of the Medicare FFS reimbursements involved in a value-based program.¹ By 2020, a task force including private insurance giants like Aetna and Health Care Service Corporation (HCSC) has committed to converting 75% of their business to value-based incentive programs.² Clearly, there is a demonstrable trend emerging that will be expensive to ignore.The leading program to pay attention to in this major industry shift towards value-based care is the Medicare and Chip Reauthorization Act (MACRA). This post is the first in a series focused on providing you with industry insights and updates that will help prepare you for MACRA and seize incentives now and in the future.

Topics: PRO Tips, MACRA & MIPS, Eligibility, RCM