The current Public Health Emergency has changed the way CMS has implemented new programs, such as MIPS and APM, and the timeline in which they will be incorporated. As MIPS & APMs continue to move forward, it is important to stay up-to-date about the newest changes in CMS policy and the way these new programs are being introduced. Continue reading below to find out more! nnAmong so many other timelines that were interrupted during our current Public Health Emergency (PHE), Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA), also was thrown in a tailspin. Despite the challenges that have presented over the past year, the business of medicine must continue moving forward.nnDuring the PHE, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has delayed the implementation of MIPS Value Pathways (MVPs) until no earlier than 2022. However, the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APM) have been finalized for performance year 2021.nnThese elements of the Quality Payment Program (QPP) have also had some added flexibility by CMS during the PHE to encourage greater participation to Medicare Part B providers while removing some of the risk of a negative payment adjustment. As we begin the last month of the first quarter in 2021, it is important to mark March 31st on your calendar as this is the first of three APM participation snapshot dates for 2021. This is then followed by the April 1st opening of registration for the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) surveys as part of your MIPS participation.nnThis is not the year to sit back when it comes to your QPP participation. According to MACRA, CMS is required to have the QPP program fully incorporated by 2022.nn n
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