CMS Testing Episode-Based Cost Measures: Requests Feedback by Mid-November

FROM CMS: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and Acumen are conducting a field test for the first eight episode-based cost measures. The field test is being conducted before consideration of their potential use in the cost performance category of the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) of the Quality Payment Program.

During the field test, clinicians (TIN-NPIs) and clinician groups (TINs) who are attributed episodes may access confidential feedback reports containing information about their performance. TIN-NPIs and TINs who are attributed at least 10 episodes for one or more measures during the measurement period of June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017 will have a report available for download on the CMS Enterprise Portal. All stakeholders are also invited to comment on the mock report and supplemental documentation included in a zip file on the MACRA Page, under the “Episode-based cost measures” section. To download the zip file directly, please click here.

The field test is a voluntary opportunity for stakeholders to comment on the measure specifications and the report template for the eight measures in their current stage of development. To provide optional feedback, please submit your comments using this online survey by 11:59 PM ET on November 15, 2017.

If you would prefer not to provide your feedback through this survey and would rather submit a formal comment letter, you may skip to the end of the survey and submit a PDF or word document version of your comment. This feedback will be considered in refining the measures and for future measure development activities.

Thank you for your interest and involvement in the measure development process. For additional information regarding field testing, please refer to the fact sheet or FAQs document.

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FROM ASA: Physician anesthesiologists and their practices in most cases will not have at least 10 episodes for one or more measures during the measurement period of June 1, 2016 to May 31, 2017 attributed to them and will not have a report available for download on the CMS Enterprise Portal. Similar to the Value-Based Payment Modifier (VM), attribution requires that the NPI has billed more than 30% of the inpatient E&M codes during the triggering hospitalization. Regardless, practices are encouraged to become familiar with the mock report and supplemental documentation included in a zip file on the MACRA Page.

For more information, contact the ASA Department of Quality and Regulatory Affairs (QRA) at [email protected] or call 202-289-2222.

Click here to review the questions in the above survey from CMS.