Update April 17: Think it's too late to participate in a study on the burdens of collecting and reporting Medicare quality data because the deadline was March 23?
Well, I have good news: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has extended the application deadline to April 30.
The extended deadline means you still have the opportunity to tell the feds what you really think about quality reporting.
But that's not all. By participating, you can get full credit for the 2018 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System Improvement Activities category, ensuring that you'll avoid a MIPS Medicare payment cut in 2020.
Everything else you need to know is in the story TMA published in February below.
Original story: 
Let’s get real for a minute: Do you find collecting and reporting Medicare quality data to be challenging, time-consuming, costly, or meaningless?
If so, here’s your chance to tell the feds about that burden. Better yet, for your trouble, you can get full credit for the 2018 Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) Improvement Activities category – and ensure you’ll avoid a MIPS Medicare penalty in 2020.
Who says it doesn’t pay to complain?
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is conducting a study to examine burdens associated with quality reporting for the 2018 MIPS track under the Quality Payment Program. The study will run from April to March 2019.
To earn full MIPS Improvement Activity credit (worth 15 points and enough to avoid a 5-percent penalty in 2020), study participants will be required to:
- Complete a 2017 MIPS participation survey in April/May 2018.
- Complete a 2018 MIPS planning survey in September/October 2018.
- If invited by the study team, join a virtual 90-minute focus group between November 2018 and February 2019.
- Submit data for at least three measures in the MIPS Quality performance category, as required for 2018 MIPS participation. The data submitted must:
- Include one outcome measure.
- Be submitted to CMS by the March 31, 2019, final MIPS reporting deadline.
- Be submitted through any method accepted under MIPS for Year 2 of the Quality Payment Program (2018).
The study is open to solo physicians and group practices whether you’re MIPS-eligible or not. CMS will accept applications through March 23 and will notify you by email later this spring if you’re selected.
For complete details, review this CMS announcement. If you still have questions, email MIPS_Study[at]abtassoc[dot]com.
As always, if you need help with your quality reporting, visit the TMA MACRA Resource Center.