Medical groups are calling on CMS to lessen the reporting period for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System in 2018 and future years.
In an April 16 letter to CMS Administrator Seema Verma, nearly 50 medical associations — including the American Medical Association, Association of American Medical Colleges and the Medical Group Management Association — called for a reduction in the reporting period due to CMS delays and the administrative burden associated with reporting.
Physicians eligible for MIPS are responsible for reporting data beginning Jan. 1; however, eligibility information wasn't posted until April 6. Due to changes to the program in late 2017 and early 2018, it was difficult for physicians to self-determine if they were subject to MIPS, the groups claimed. Furthermore, CMS posted eligibility information on their website and did not send letters directly to physicians informing them of their status as they have for programs prior, the medical groups wrote.
The website also currently has 2017 program information and will not be updated until the summer, causing additional hardship for clinicians in the program.
Because of the delayed eligibility determination, lack of direct notification and "severe delay" in updating the program website with 2018 information, CMS should reduce the reporting period for 2018 from 365 days to a minimum of 90 days, the groups wrote. They also called for CMS to reduce the reporting period in subsequent years to stay "consistent with CMS' efforts to reduce clinician burden and put patients over paperwork." The program will require an estimated 7.6 million hours of recordkeeping, costing roughly $700 million.
Access the full letter here.
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