CMS Provides Added Flexibility to MIPS Sought by ASCP

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that physicians can opt out either completely or partially from the 2020 MIPS program by submitting a hardship exemption application and indicating that the hardship relates to the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency. The deadline for physicians and group practices to submit the applications is December 31, 2020. 

In its announcement, CMS outlines several options providing physicians for relief. Physician practices could submit a hardship application so as to not be scored on cost and quality and have their score calculated based solely on promoting interoperability and improvement activities. Alternatively, practices could opt out of all four performance categories and be held harmless from a 2022 payment adjustment. The added flexibility is in line with previous requests ASCP has made to enhance flexibility during the COVID-199 pandemic.

To learn more about ePolicy News and access past newsletters and articles, click here.

For more information regarding ASCP's advocacy initiatives and policy positions, please contact ASCP's Center for Public Policy at (202) 408-1110.  

ASCP ePolicy News is supported by an unrestricted grant from Hologic.