MIPS 2022 has successfully entered its payment adjustment year. Eligible clinicians have cordially performed to hit the performance threshold to retain their eligibility status. However, apart from new challenges that providers have confronted in previous years, they are also bestowed with relaxing factors. One such thing is MIPS Exception Applications. Through these opportunities, CMS has added the desired flexibility to the rigid structure of the MIPS reporting framework.
Let us tell you here about the MIPS exception application.
QPP Exception Applications for MIPS 2022 Participants
They are mainly of two types;
- Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception
- MIPS Promoting Interoperability Performance Category Hardship Exception
Both these options allow a certain group/participant to reweight their categories and save them from the MIPS penalty. Not all providers and groups can apply for these two applications. Rather, CMS has pre-determined the certain eligibility status for both. And if any participant has eligibility for these, they do not need to be worried about their MIPS performance to some extent. The category reweighting set them free from the overburdening of the rest of the MIPS 2022 reporting.
Nonetheless, we will be discussing the EUC Exception option which has brought pleasant news for providers.
A Sigh of Relief; MIPS EUC Exception Deadline Extension for PY 2022
MIPS EUC Exception permits the eligible participant to take benefit of their performance category reweighting. Anyhow, CMS has limited the providers by setting specified criteria and application submission dates. For the performance year 2022, CMS informed the clinicians earlier about the last date for application submission. So, providers falling under the pre-set criteria can submit applications till January 3, 2023. But what about those, who have missed applying for this opportunity and they were unaware of their eligibility for it?
No worries, the calendar year 2023 has utterly gifted them. It has proved to be one of the best beginnings of the year for all of them. So, CMS has extended the application submission date till March 3, 2023. Thus, clinicians have plenty of time to process their applications and get the maximum leverage from the provided opportunity.
CMS Notion Behind the Deadline Extension Decision
It is CMS’ way of working that authorities don’t take their decisions mindlessly. MIPS 2022 is a significant year for a successful transition to MVPs. Therefore, the CMS committee has pondered a lot before finalizing their deadline extension decision for MIPS 2022 reporting. It has mainly considered the adverse effects of COVID-19 once again for MIPS 2022. In the past, CMS has permitted such relaxations for clinicians reporting in PY 2020 and 2021.
Though, we have been moved far away from COVID conditions. Everything is almost under control. Yet, the healthcare providers are still under some sort of challenges and financial issues that might affect this performance in MIPS. So, all such participants can now apply for category reweighting via Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception.
FAQs
What does the application extension mean in MIPS 2022?
We have different participant categories in MIPS 2022; individuals, groups, virtual groups, and APM entities. All have participated in the MIPS program and followed the plan’s guidelines for maximum MIPS final scoring.
COVID-19 was a widespread pandemic. So, it is a public health emergency condition as per the criterion for MIPS EHC exception. Thus, all clinicians have time until 8 p.m. ET on March 3 to apply for their 2022 performance data reweighting.
Will CMS give the leverage of MIPS EUC Exception policy automatically?
No, that’s not true for all. CMS only favors the healthcare providers and facilities within their designated areas to take benefit of automatic reweighting. They neither have to submit the application nor the deadline extension have any impact on them. However, all other MIPS participants who have eligibility for this application must follow strict guidelines. CMS has already provided detailed guidelines at its official website portal.
How does MIPS EUC Application affect the APMs?
With this opportunity, APMs are going to take the maximum benefit. CMS asks them to apply for all performance categories reweighting mandatorily.
Note that CMS is not applying the automatic MIPS EUC exception policy to individual clinicians for PY 2022; the only way to receive the exception is by applying for it. Thereby, a minimum ¾ of their clinicians in APMs have to qualify for PI category reweighting.
Which sort of extreme circumstances MIPS EUC covers?
According to CMS, EUC refers to “rare incidents completely outside your control and the management of the facility in which you serve.” Such circumstances in MIPS 2022 would be expected to be any of the following:
- When participants can’t gather the data, they need to submit for a MIPS performance category;
- Also, it might be impossible for participants to submit data that would be used to score a MIPS performance category for an extended period (for example, making it impossible for participants to collect data for the quality performance category for several weeks or months);
- and/or interfering with regular operations, affecting participants’ performance on cost measures and other administrative claims measures.
Conclusion
We have successfully conveyed the current updates for MIPS EUC Exception Application. Also, we will be readily available for more updates in MIPS 2022 and other QPP programs in PY 2023. Thus, we invite all the MIPS participants to leave all their reporting struggles to us. They can get the advantage of MIPS 2022 consultation and reporting services.