• 2022 Payment Adjustments for 2020 MIPS Performance Posted

    Deadline to Request Targeted Review Is Oct. 1

    August 12, 2021, 3:50 p.m. News Staff ― CMS recently announced the release of 2020 performance feedback for the Quality Payment Program’s Merit-based Incentive Payment System. MIPS-eligible clinicians can now obtain their performance feedback, final score and accompanying MIPS payment adjustment information for 2022 from the QPP website.

    reward performance concept

    To access the information, physicians will need to log in to their QPP account using their HCQIS Access Roles and Profile system credentials (the same credentials used to submit 2020 MIPS data).

    Physicians who don’t yet have a HARP account should consult the “Register for a HARP Account” and “Connect to an Organization” documents in the QPP Access User Guide to start the process.

    MIPS-eligible clinicians will be able to access the following feedback for the 2020 performance year:

    • measure-level performance data and scores,
    • activity-level scores,
    • performance category-level scores and weights, and
    • final score.

    According to CMS’ 2022 MIPS Payment Year Payment Adjustment User Guide, each physician’s final score is used to determine whether that physician will receive a positive, negative or neutral adjustment to payments for covered professional services provided in the 2022 MIPS payment year.

    For example, the basic performance threshold for the 2022 MIPS payment year is set at 45 points, meaning MIPS-eligible clinicians with a 2020 MIPS final score of 45 points or higher will avoid a negative payment adjustment in the 2022 MIPS payment year.

    The performance threshold for exceptional performance for the 2022 payment year is 85 points. A MIPS-eligible clinician with a final score of 85 points or higher will receive an additional payment adjustment factor for exceptional performance.

    For more information about the performance feedback process, physicians can review the following resources:

    It’s worth noting that the 2020 MIPS final scores reflect flexibilities adopted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians can consult the COVID-19 Response fact sheet and COVID-19 Response webpage for more details.

    Individual physicians and others who represent alternative payment model entities may also access their performance feedback from the QPP site using their HARP accounts, although that feedback does not relate to model-specific requirements or assessments outside of the QPP.

    In addition, accountable care organizations participating in the Medicare Shared Savings Program can create and manage a HARP account in the ACO Management System. Physicians can learn how to secure an account through ACO-MS from their ACO. Other questions may be directed to CMS’ ACO Information Center Help Desk at SharedSavingsProgram@cms.hhs.gov or 888-734-6433 (choose option 1).

    Finally, MIPS-eligible clinicians who disagree with their performance feedback and wish to have their MIPS final score recalculated have until Oct. 1 at 8 p.m. EDT to request a targeted review.

    Reasons for requesting such a review might include

    • performance data having been submitted under the wrong taxpayer identification number or national provider identifier;
    • issues related to eligibility and/or special status, such as having fallen below the low-volume threshold; and
    • failure to have performance categories automatically reweighted despite qualifying for reweighting based on extreme and uncontrollable circumstances.

    For questions regarding whether a particular circumstance merits a targeted review, physicians can contact the QPP Service Desk at QPP@cms.hhs.gov or 866-288-8292.