Login, Submit Data Early for MIPS Reporting Success, CMS Advises

February 12, 2018 - Eligible clinicians should log into the reporting system and upload 2017 performance data as soon as possible for Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) reporting success, CMS recently suggested in an email.

Eligible clinicians reporting as a group through the CMS Web Interface must report 2017 performance data to MIPS by March 16 by 8 PM Eastern time to avoid a negative Medicare reimbursement adjustment in 2019.

All other eligible clinicians have until March 31 to report to MIPS to avoid a penalty.

With a little over a month before the deadlines are here, CMS told clinicians that “now is the time to act” and offered tips and reminders for MIPS reporting via the Quality Payment Program website and the new data submission feature.

The reminders do not apply to MIPS reporting via the CMS Web Interface, CMS noted.

According to CMS, eligible clinicians should do the following actions before the MIPS reporting deadline at the end of March:

• Visit the Quality Payment Program website and sign into the data submission feature

• Verify that 2017 performance data is ready for submission and submit the data for three MIPS categories (Quality, Improvement Activities, and Advancing Care Information)

• Prepare CMS Enterprise Identity Management (EIDM) credentials, or get an EIDM account

• Sign into the Quality Payment Program data submission feature using EIDM account

CMS launched the Quality Payment Program data submission feature earlier this year. The feature is a web-based reporting system that allows eligible clinicians to upload and update performance data for MIPS and the Advanced Alternative Payment Model track.

The reporting system offers real-time initial scoring for each MIPS performance category and eligible clinicians can improve their scores by updating or adding new performance data before the deadline.

“The data submission feature doesn’t have a ‘save’ or ‘submit’ button,” CMS explained in the recent email. “Instead, it automatically updates as you enter data. You’ll see your initial scores by performance category, indicating that CMS has received your data. If your file doesn’t upload, you’ll get a message noting that issue.”

Eligible clinicians should also take advantage of being able to update performance data by submitting data often, the federal agency advised.

“The data submission feature will help you identify any underperforming measures and any issues with your data,” CMS wrote. “Starting your data entry early gives you time to resolve performance and data issues before the March 31 deadline.”

CMS also pointed out in the recent email that the data submission feature will recognize eligible clinicians and connect their National Provider Identifier (NPI) to the associated Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs).

If clinicians do not want to use the data submission feature from CMS, they can also report performance data to MIPS through Qualified Clinical Data Registries (QCDRs), qualified registries, clinician attestation, or the CMS Web Interface.

Additionally, CMS suggested that group practice leaders decide if the practice is reporting to MIPS as a group or if eligible clinicians in the practice will report individually. A practice can switch from reporting as a group to individual reporting, or vice versa, anytime before the deadline.

The data submission feature will store all performance data for both individual eligible clinicians and groups. CMS will then use the data that generated a greater final MIPS score to determine an individual clinician’s payment adjustment.

CMS also urged eligible clinicians to submit data as early as possible. “This will give you time to familiarize yourself with the data submission feature and prepare your data,” the federal agency wrote in the email.

Eligible clinicians must submit 2017 performance data on just one quality measure or Improvement Activity to prevent a negative four percent payment adjustment under the Pick Your Pace options offered by CMS.

The federal agency designed the Pick Your Pace track to give eligible clinicians more time to understand the new value-based reimbursement program. Clinicians have three options to avoid a penalty in 2019: test MIPS by submitting data on one quality measure or Improvement Activity, partial participation by submitting 90 days of 2017 performance data, or full participation by submitting a full year of performance data.

Under the partial and full participation tracks, eligible clinicians may earn positive Medicare reimbursement adjustments.

CMS concluded by reminding eligible clinicians that they can access step-by-step instructions on how to submit MIPS data. Clinicians can either view this video or read this fact sheet.

For additional questions about participation status and MIPS reporting, providers can also contact the Quality Payment Program Service Center via email (qpp@cms.hhs.gov) or phone (1-866-288-8292).