Gulf Coast Regional Extension Center continues trend of high MIPS scores

Earlier this month, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the 2018 Quality Payment Program (QPP) Performance Results. This data includes the release of the Merit Based Incentive Payments System (MIPS) scores. SBMI’s Gulf Coast Regional Extension Center (GCREC), MIPS average scores for 2018 continue the trend of exceeding the national average, as the center did when the 2017 results were released.

The GCREC MIPS average score of client’s reported performance scores for 2018 was 91.98 percent. This score is 5% above the overall national MIPS average score of 86.96 percent. The GCREC MIPS average score also lands above that of clinicians submitting as groups or individuals (79.07 percent), rural practices (85.99 percent), and small practices (65.69 percent). Medicare payments received this year by eligible providers and clinicians will be adjusted based upon 2018 MIPS performance scores. High performing physicians will receive a positive adjustment up to 1.37%, while poor performance resulted in as much as negative 5% towards Medicare payments.

“The 2018 MIPS average score indicates that the GCREC’s value is primarily with small and rural practices and those practices are in need of the most guidance and education” says GCREC Consultant Alexa Poole.

The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) bipartisan legislation was signed into law in April of 2015. Under MACRA, the Quality Payment Program (QPP) was created and the primary objective was to streamline multiple quality programs. This ushered in the era of MIPS. Although the program was created, by law, almost five years ago, when releasing the 2018 results, CMS stated that while MIPS was intended to modernize quality programs, “many clinician stakeholders still found the system confusing and burdensome.”

One GCREC client, an office manager from a family medical practice in Raymondville, Texas, echoed similar sentiments. “The reporting of MIPS data can often be a challenging process, especially when there is a variety of metrics and measures that must be met in order to succeed.”  He continued noting that “having someone with the knowledge and understanding of what is required to accomplish a successful outcome is extremely crucial and valuable. Thanks to their [GCREC consultant] guidance and technical support, we have been able to complete this reporting process multiple times effectively and efficiently followed by a favorable and successful outcome.”

GCREC Director LaSonya Knowles, MS and the GCREC consultants aim to provide next level service to their clients. “The clinicians and providers we support need help navigating complex reporting requirements but when we guide them, our goal is to go beyond that expectation.” Knowles also stated that the GCREC consultants “want to help the clients achieve and maintain very good performance percentages in their attestations and gain incentive bonuses as well.”

Visit the Center for Quality Healthcare IT Improvement to learn more about the team of consultants and the type of support they provide.

published on 01/13/2020 at 12:05 p.m.