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The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently acknowledged anesthesiologists’ tremendous work in response to the COVID-19 pandemic with a letter that details how anesthesiologists can attest and receive credit in the 2020 Merit-based Incentive Payment System Improvement Activity (IA) performance category. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) advocated for anesthesiologists to receive IA credit based upon the additional challenges and actions physician anesthesiologists undertook as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The CMS letter highlights various COVID-19 actions and how they crosswalk to current IAs.
With the Quality Payment Program moving forward in 2020 with few flexibilities or modifications, anesthesiologists and their groups will need ample opportunities to receive credit in both the quality and IA categories. The CMS letter reduces reporting burden and will allow anesthesiologists greater latitude to meet the documentation suggestions and attestation requirements for existing IAs.
Anesthesiologists are encouraged to review this letter and evaluate the current IAs they report. If your group has implemented the policies, procedures or actions identified in the letter as a result of COVID-19, we encourage you to consider attesting to the appropriate IA. Please remember that 50% of a group’s NPIs must have completed the activity for more than 90 consecutive days for the attestation to be in compliance with Quality Payment Program regulations.
To view this letter, please visit the ASA MACRA Improvement Activities webpage.
Additional information on the Quality Payment Program, please visit https://qpp.cms.gov/
For more information, please contact the ASA Department of Quality and Regulatory Affairs at [email protected].
