CMS to provide providers MACRA flexibility in the year of 2017

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CSM) on the day of Thursday declared that it will provide providers various options to comply with the latest quality payment program being enforced under the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA flexibility in the year of 2017) .

In a day of September 8 blog, CMS Acting Administrator Andy Slavitt claimed that physicians could “select their pace of participation” for the 1^st performance period of the quality payment program that starts on the day of January 1.

“During the year of 2017, eligible physicians and other clinicians will have several options for participation,” wrote Slavitt. “Selecting one of these choices would make sure that you don’t get a negative payment adjustment in the year of 2019. These options and other supporting details will be explained completely in the final rule,” which he said is expected by the day of November 1.

In accordance to Slavitt, these are the 4 options available to providers MACRA flexibility in the year of 2017:

Option 1: Test the quality payment program. With this choice, as long as contributors submit some data to the quality payment program, involving data from after the day of January 1, 2017, they will ignore a negative payment adjustment. This 1^st option is made to make certain that provider systems are working and that they are prepared for broader participation in the years of 2018 and 2019.

Option 2: Participate for part of the calendar year. Contributors might select to submit quality payment program information for a decreased number of days. This means their first performance period could start later than the day of Jan. 1, 2017, and their practice could yet qualify for a minor positive payment adjustment. For instance, if they submit data for part of the calendar year for quality measures, how their practice utilizes technology and what improvement activities their practice is undertaking, they could qualify for a minor positive payment adjustment. Contributors could select from the list of quality measures and improvement activities present under the quality payment program.

Option 3: Participate for the full calendar year. Practices that are ready to go on the day of Jan. 1, 2017, might choose to submit quality payment program data for a full calendar year. This means their 1^st performance period would start on the day of Jan. 1, 2017. For instance, if they submit information for the whole year on quality measures, how their practice utilizes technology and what improvement activities their practice is undertaking, they could qualify for a modest positive payment adjustment.

Option 4: Participate in an advanced alternative payment model in the year of 2017.Rather of reporting quality information and other data, the law permits providers to participate in the quality payment program by merging an advanced alternative payment model, like Medicare Shared Savings Track 2 or 3 in 2017. If providers get enough of their Medicare payments or see enough of their Medicare sufferers through the advanced alternative payment model in the year of 2017, then they would qualify for a 5% incentive payment in 2019.

“Although you choose to participate in the year of MACRA flexibility in the year of 2017, we’ll have resources present to help you and walk you through what requires to be done,” Slavitt wrote. “And although you select to participate, your feedback will be invaluable to building this program for the long term to achieve results that matter to your sufferers.”

Responses to the CMS declaration from industry groups and lawmakers were very positive. The American Medical Association applauded the agency’s flexibility.

“By accepting this thoughtful and MACRA flexibility in the year of 2017, the Administration is motivating a victorious transition to the new law by offering physicians options for participating in MACRA,” stated AMA President Andrew Gurman, MD, in a written statement. “This approach better depicts the diversity of medical practices throughout the country.”

Gurman further added that the flexibility “will help give physicians a fair shot in the 1^st year of MACRA implementation.”

Similarly, the American Hospital Association claimed that it approved of the CMS actions.

“We are glad that CMS has reacted to feedback inquiring for greater flexibility in meeting MACRA’s aggressive timeline and reporting needs,” stated Ashley Thompson, AHA senior vice president for public policy analysis and development. “We look forward to considering the details of these choices when CMS releases a final rule.”

Rep. Michael Burgess, MD (R-Texas), chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing and Trade, claimed that he was glad to hear that CMS was going to be flexible in transitioning to the latest payment reporting needs.

Burgess stated the “declaration from CMS regarding the agency’s dedication in the implementation of MACRA flexibility in the year of 2017 is proof of the benefits of keeping Congress engaged in policy implementation,” adding that “just as this policy was carefully crafted with the input of everyone impacted by the payment policies, the implementation procedure should be conducted in the similar way.”

He stated that he is “committed to leading the charge for continued congressional oversight of MACRA implementation to make sure the simplified, streamlined requirements that permit for entire doctors to succeed.”