News: CMS quality payment program exceeds year one participation goal

According to CMS, 91% of all clinicians eligible for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) participated in the Quality Payment Program, exceeding the goal of 90% participation. Furthermore, the submission rates for rural Accountable Care Organizations and clinicians were at 98% and 94%, respectively, HealthLeaders Media reported.

“What makes these numbers most exciting is the concerted efforts by clinicians, professional associations, and many others to ensure high quality care and improved outcomes for patients,” wrote CMS Administrator Seema Verma in a CMS Blog post.

The high participation rates were partly due to CMS’ reductions in regulatory burdens for clinicians and through the Patients over Paperwork initiative, according to Verma.

In particular, Verma said that CMS:

• Reduced the number of clinicians required to participate giving them more time with their patients, not computers.
• Added bonus points for small practice clinicians who treat complex patients, or use the 2015 Edition Certified EHR Technology to promote interoperability.
• Increased opportunities for clinicians to earn a positive payment adjustment.
• Continued offering free technical assistance to clinicians in the program.

Though participation is up, Verma said there is still work to be done when it comes to decreasing regulatory burdens moving forward.

 “CMS remains committed to listening to the healthcare community and exploring ways to reduce clinician burden, strengthen quality, introduce new payment models, develop meaningful measures including for patient safety, and promote interoperability,” she said

Editor’s note: To read the CMS Blog post from Verma, click here. To read HealthLeaders Media’s coverage of this story, click here. To read about what David S. Nilasena, MD, MSPH, MS, the chief medical officer for CMS’ Dallas Regional Office, said of CMS’ plans at the 2018 ACDIS Conference, click here.