Improvement Activities Performance Category
- Modification of two existing improvement activities
- Continuation of the COVID-19 clinical data reporting improvement activity with modification as outlined in the September Interim Final Rule with Comment (IFC)
- Removal of one improvement activity that is obsolete
- CC_5 CMS Partner in Patients Hospital Engagement Network
Promoting Interoperability (PI) Performance Category
- The Query of Prescription Drug Monitoring Program measure will remain as an optional measure worth 10 bonus points.
- The name of the Support Electronic Referral Loops by Receiving and Incorporating Health Information will be changed to Support Electronic Referral Loops by Receiving and Reconciling Health Information.
- A new optional Health Information Exchange (HIE) bi-directional exchange measure is added as an alternative reporting option to the two existing measures under the HIE objective.
PI Reweighting:
The following clinician types continue to be automatically excepted from having to submit data for the PI category:
- Nurse Practitioners (NPs)
- Physician Assistants (PAs)
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologists (CRNAs)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs)
- Physical Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Qualified Speech-language Pathologists
- Qualified Audiologists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Registered Dieticians or Nutrition Professionals
PI CEHRT Requirements for Performance Periods in CY 2020, 2021, and 2022:
- Technology certified to the existing 2015 Edition certification criteria
- Technology certified to the 2015 Edition Cures Update certification criteria
- A combination of both to collect and report their Promoting Interoperability data and eCQMs for the Quality performance category
Cost Performance Category
- Adding telehealth services directly applicable to existing episode-based cost measures and TPCC measure
- Updated specifications available for review on the MACRA feedback page
These are key takeaways from the final rule; not all changes have been included in this overview. To learn more about the PFS Final Rule and the 2021 Quality Payment Program finalized policies, review the following resources:
- CMS Press Release – Provides additional details regarding today’s announcement
- QPP 2021 Final Rule Resources Zip File – Contains the following:
- Fact Sheet and Table – Offers an overview of the QPP final rule policies for 2021; table compares these policies to the requirements for 2020
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Addresses the frequently asked questions for the 2021 QPP final rule policies
Questions?
Contact the Quality Payment Program at 1-866-288-8292 or [email protected].
ACR RISE registry staff are also available to assist you with questions related to reporting for MIPS. Contact the RISE registry at 404-633-3777 or [email protected].
