CMS extends 2022 MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances application deadline

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is now giving certain clinicians until March to apply for the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances (EUC) exception's reweighting for 2022 performance data. CMS extended the MIPS EUC application deadline for only individuals, groups, virtual groups, and APM Entities citing COVID-19 as the triggering event through 8 p.m. ET on March 3. (However, applications received between Jan. 3 and March 3 won’t override already-submitted data for individuals, groups, and virtual groups.)

APM Entities participating in MIPS APMs can submit a MIPS EUC Exception application with some differences from the existing policy for individuals, groups, and virtual groups:

• APM Entities are required to request reweighting for all performance categories.
• At least 75% of the MIPS-eligible clinicians in the APM Entity will need to qualify for reweighting in the Promoting Interoperability performance category.
• Data submission for an APM Entity won't override performance category reweighting from an approved application.

Additional resources on this available from CMS include:

• Quality Payment Program COVID-19 Response Factsheet (PDF)
• 2022 MIPS Extreme and Uncontrollable Circumstances Exception Application Guide
• 2022 Data Submission FAQs

For more information, please see the Quality Payment Program COVID-19 Response webpage of the QPP website.

— Kent Moore, AAFP Senior Strategist for Physician Payment

Posted on Jan. 6, 2023