MACRA, MIPS and APMs - Learn about the Request for Information (RFI) Part 2

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will be hosting a series of webinars about the Request for Information (RFI) for the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) on Thursday, October 8 and Thursday, October 15, 2015. Registration is required to attend both webinars. During these webinars, MACRA Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Alternative Payment Models (APMs) will also be discussed. 

The RFI seeks public comment on Section 101 of MACRA, which is subject to notice and comment rulemaking. Section 101 repeals the Medicare Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) methodology for updates to the physician fee schedule (PFS) and implements scheduled PFS updates, including a higher update rate for “qualifying participants in Alternative Payment Models (APMs)” beginning in 2026.

Section 101 also adds the new Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) for eligible professionals (EPs), sunsets payment adjustments under the current Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS), the Value-Based Payment Modifier (VM), and the Medicare Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program, often referred to as the Meaningful Use (MU) program, and consolidates aspects of those programs into the new MIPS.

In addition, Section 101 of the MACRA promotes the development of APMs by providing incentive payments for certain EPs who participate in APMs and by encouraging the creation of additional Physician-Focused Payment Models (PFPMs).