All MIPS-Eligible Physicians to Qualify for Hardship Exemption, CMS Says

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Due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services (CMS) is automatically applying the extreme and uncontrollable circumstances policy under the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) to ALL MIPS eligible clinicians regardless of whether those clinicians have submitted data for the 2020 performance period.

The exemption means all MIPS-eligible clinicians will avoid a payment penalty in 2022.  

In addition, CMS is extending the deadline for groups, virtual groups, and Alternative Payment Model (APM) entities to submit an extreme and uncontrollable circumstances exception application to March 31, to request reweighting for MIPS performance categories.

Groups and eligible clinicians who submit data in at least two MIPS categories will override the hardship exception and will be eligible to earn a bonus from the exceptional performance bonus pool, or potentially be subject to a penalty, CMS said. 

For more information, visit the Quality Payment Program website, or contact the TMA HIT helpline at (800) 880-5720 or via email.

Last Updated On

February 26, 2021

Originally Published On

February 26, 2021

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